Techniques in Focus: Keum-Boo with Hendrike Barz-Meltzer, Thu 10 Sept 2026, 6pm – 7.15pm, Pay what you can: £7 or £10, Online
Delicate yet permanent, the ancient Korean art of Keum-boo creates striking 24-carat gold foil designs on silver. Whether applied in intricate ribbons for a detailed look, or in bold swathes for a dynamic appearance, the gold highlights bring their own character to your creations. In this Techniques in Focus talk, join award-winning jeweller Hendrike Barz-Meltzer as she introduces her journey with Keum-boo and how she creates delicate gold patterns on her jewellery.
As the gold price continues to rise, Keum-boo gains new relevance: its relatively inexpensive set up makes it an ideal technique for independent studio jewellers. Hendrike will explore Keum-boo’s application today in contemporary work, as well as in the context of other gilding techniques. In particular, Hendrike will focus on its process and the tools and materials needed to undertake it effectively; she’ll also be on hand to answer questions about your own journey with Keum-boo.
Ready to try Keum-boo? If you’d like to explore the technique in practice, join Hendrike’s hands-on two-day Keum-boo workshop – with a particular focus on creating patterns – at the Goldsmiths’ Centre. Register your interest
Image credit: Olive Branch Brooch by Hendrike Barz-Meltzer
Who is our speaker?
Following the completion of her degree in jewellery design at Central St Martins in the mid-1990s and her work for jeweller Barbara Christie, Hendrike Barz-Meltzer completed two Master degrees, in Modern History and Human Rights respectively. These were inspired by her long-standing work for a British charity as well as her interest in history and ethical issues. After the birth of her two children, Hendrike returned to making and has since been exhibiting her work in a number of selected galleries and annual fairs.
Hendrike’s work is shaped and influenced by various factors: her commitment to an ethical working practice informs her decisions about materials and processes, whilst her historical interest feeds her fascination with making, historical jewellery making processes, historical artefacts and her obsession with patterns.
These patterns find their way into her jewellery designs and are often expressed as gold patterns on silver backgrounds, although she has also used other, non-precious materials and processes, such as the captivating Japanese silk braiding technique of Kumihimo. Being a strong proponent of applying the design process in her work, this defines how her initial ideas are developed into concrete designs and eventually become beautiful pieces of jewellery.
Research, furthermore, forms an important part of all the different elements of her work and also strongly influences her work as a jewellery tutor, which she has undertaken since 2018 and which she greatly enjoys.
Instagram: @hendrikebarzmeltzerjewellery
Do you record or broadcast your talks?
We run our events in person at the Goldsmiths’ Centre and online, so that as many of our community as possible can exchange ideas, learn from industry experts, and form valuable connections across the UK. We do not record these events, or broadcast them, to encourage the open sharing of ideas and experiences and preserve confidentiality. Popular topics will be repeated over time.
What are Techniques in Focus talks?
Techniques in Focus talks are a series of events that delve into specific jewellery-making techniques, offering insights into their history, application, and relevance in contemporary practice. These Goldsmiths’ Centre talks are designed for jewellers, silversmiths, and enthusiasts keen on deepening their technical knowledge and appreciation of the craft.
Do you have access requirements?
We are committed to making our training programmes and events as inclusive and accessible as possible. If you have any access requirements, please inform us as early as possible and we will do our utmost to so we can make the reasonable adjustments. While we will do our best to accommodate your needs, advance notice is essential to ensure we can provide appropriate support.
To discuss your requirements when booking tickets for our Goldsmiths’ Centre training programmes, please contact us at boxoffice@goldsmiths-centre.org
Ticket options
Delicate yet permanent, the ancient Korean art of Keum-boo creates striking 24-carat gold foil designs on silver. Whether applied in intricate ribbons for a detailed look, or in bold swathes for a dynamic appearance, the gold highlights bring their own character to your creations. In this Techniques in Focus talk, join award-winning jeweller Hendrike Barz-Meltzer as she introduces her journey with Keum-boo and how she creates delicate gold patterns on her jewellery.
As the gold price continues to rise, Keum-boo gains new relevance: its relatively inexpensive set up makes it an ideal technique for independent studio jewellers. Hendrike will explore Keum-boo’s application today in contemporary work, as well as in the context of other gilding techniques. In particular, Hendrike will focus on its process and the tools and materials needed to undertake it effectively; she’ll also be on hand to answer questions about your own journey with Keum-boo.
Ready to try Keum-boo? If you’d like to explore the technique in practice, join Hendrike’s hands-on two-day Keum-boo workshop – with a particular focus on creating patterns – at the Goldsmiths’ Centre. Register your interest
Image credit: Olive Branch Brooch by Hendrike Barz-Meltzer
Who is our speaker?
Following the completion of her degree in jewellery design at Central St Martins in the mid-1990s and her work for jeweller Barbara Christie, Hendrike Barz-Meltzer completed two Master degrees, in Modern History and Human Rights respectively. These were inspired by her long-standing work for a British charity as well as her interest in history and ethical issues. After the birth of her two children, Hendrike returned to making and has since been exhibiting her work in a number of selected galleries and annual fairs.
Hendrike’s work is shaped and influenced by various factors: her commitment to an ethical working practice informs her decisions about materials and processes, whilst her historical interest feeds her fascination with making, historical jewellery making processes, historical artefacts and her obsession with patterns.
These patterns find their way into her jewellery designs and are often expressed as gold patterns on silver backgrounds, although she has also used other, non-precious materials and processes, such as the captivating Japanese silk braiding technique of Kumihimo. Being a strong proponent of applying the design process in her work, this defines how her initial ideas are developed into concrete designs and eventually become beautiful pieces of jewellery.
Research, furthermore, forms an important part of all the different elements of her work and also strongly influences her work as a jewellery tutor, which she has undertaken since 2018 and which she greatly enjoys.
Instagram: @hendrikebarzmeltzerjewellery
Do you record or broadcast your talks?
We run our events in person at the Goldsmiths’ Centre and online, so that as many of our community as possible can exchange ideas, learn from industry experts, and form valuable connections across the UK. We do not record these events, or broadcast them, to encourage the open sharing of ideas and experiences and preserve confidentiality. Popular topics will be repeated over time.
What are Techniques in Focus talks?
Techniques in Focus talks are a series of events that delve into specific jewellery-making techniques, offering insights into their history, application, and relevance in contemporary practice. These Goldsmiths’ Centre talks are designed for jewellers, silversmiths, and enthusiasts keen on deepening their technical knowledge and appreciation of the craft.
Do you have access requirements?
We are committed to making our training programmes and events as inclusive and accessible as possible. If you have any access requirements, please inform us as early as possible and we will do our utmost to so we can make the reasonable adjustments. While we will do our best to accommodate your needs, advance notice is essential to ensure we can provide appropriate support.
To discuss your requirements when booking tickets for our Goldsmiths’ Centre training programmes, please contact us at boxoffice@goldsmiths-centre.org
Our payments are processed using : Stripe (Checkout)
