Quench and Gild Offers Creative Space for Jewelry Making

A new creative hub has just opened its doors in downtown Keene, bringing a spark of innovation and artistry to the community. Quench and Gild, owned by seasoned jewelry maker Madelynn Cassin, offers an inviting space where creativity and craftsmanship flourish. With 18 years of experience in jewelry making, Madelynn has poured her passion into this business, which offers a variety of classes and workshops. From soldering and metal cutting to basic fabrication, Quench and Gild aims to become a vibrant makerspace, giving visitors access to top-notch tools and materials to bring their own artistic visions to life. Cassin grew up in Harrisville and has been living in Cheshire County for many years. She has had the idea for this makerspace for around 10 years, but between her own private studio and raising young children, she didn't have the time. She found that when she talked to people about jewelry making, they expressed interest in wanting to try it. "When I was thinking about this — I want(ed) to be able to support the people who know what they are doing, but also the people that are curious or who may not think it's something that is possible. I want them to feel that pride in completing something," Cassin explained. She had gone to Kansas in October to take an engraving class and after talking with other students in the class she thought that she would love to do similar classes in her own community. "I am hoping that this brings something that feels fresh to the community that people can enjoy," she said. "What I started to feel is that there is no place where you can learn how to make jewelry. We need a place like a makerspace but more technical and targeted in one area. I know I can show people how to make jewelry. It would be really great to teach classes and also offer a space for people who are curious. It's really cost prohibitive to get into metalworking. When I was starting out, that was the hardest part for me." Quench and Gild is currently offering around four to six classes or workshops a month. Cassin hopes to be able to offer some camps for older teens in the summer months, as well. The classes offered are what Cassin calls, "Make and Takes," where students are able to make a piece of jewelry in one class and take home their creations in the same day. The class includes all materials and tools needed. "I walk people through it all and at the end of the class they are walking out with silver jewelry." Each class is three to eight hours and Cassin offers students the option of following the directions specifically, or the ability to get creative and make it more unique. She will also be offering four-week, skill-based classes, where students will come in one night a week for four weeks. "I am going to be doing a Metalsmithing Essentials Foundations for Jewelry (class). I will have projects there, specifically teaching how to hold a saw, sweat solder, how to form a band and make a basic stone setting." Cassin hopes that over time there will be enough interest that she can hold creative groups with the community, where people can come in and hang out, sketch and share their project ideas with the group and work out how they may plan them out. "When you're looking to handcraft jewelry, you need to plan it out, and it would be fun to have people chilling out and talking about it," she said. "It would be great to have a space that if you get stuck on something there is help available. My main focus right now is classes, but also my hope is that it will turn into something where people can come in on open studio days and work. Whether they make it to sell or just for fun, there's a space for them to do that and a community for them to do that with. I was able to find a community online, but it's so much harder to find that in person," Cassin added. The next class held at Quench and Gild will be Cabochon Rings made with rainbow moonstone and sterling silver on Jan. 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Quench and Gild is located at 16 West St., Keene. For more information or to sign up for a class visit, quenchandgild.com; call (802) 242-0616; or email hello@quenchandgild.com.