Learn to create beautiful, handcrafted jewelry using the traditional art of wirework! In this hands-on workshop, local jewelry artist and metalsmith Taran Kohli Ahuja will guide participants through techniques like coiling, wrapping, weaving, and twisting metal wire into intricate designs—often accented with beads or gemstones.
Working with professional tools and materials, you’ll complete a beautiful pendant and gain the skills to keep creating on your own. Perfect for beginners or those looking to expand their jewelry-making abilities.
This workshop is part of CAM’s Folklife Workshop series, which highlights traditional skills, cultural knowledge, and community creativity through hands-on instruction from local folk artists.
Space is limited to 20 participants—reserve your spot today!
Cost: $30/Adults, $25/Children (12+)—supplies included.
*20% Discount for Members & NU Students
About Taran Kohli Ahuja
Taran Kohli Ahuja has been transforming metal into distinctive jewelry since 2005, working with gold-filled wire, silver, copper, and Parawire. When a major wrist injury in 2017 threatened her craft, wire weaving became her path to healing—restoring not only movement and dexterity, but also renewed purpose and resilience.
"Every coil and curve vibrates with life, transforming metal into wearable stories of resilience, passion, and artistry. Each piece reflects a journey of persistence through challenge and creativity unleashed—an intimate dialogue between hand and wire. The result is jewelry that carries energy, intention, and the bold imprint of the maker's spirit."
Passionate about sharing her craft, Taran began teaching wirework with a folklife class at the Castellani Art Museum at Niagara University in March 2023. She has since expanded her instruction through the Lewiston-Porter Community Education program and will return to Castellani for another workshop on October 11, 2025. Taran also reaches audiences through YouTube tutorials and live demonstrations at the Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market.
About Folklife Workshops
Folklife Workshops are small, hands-on programs led by local folk artists and tradition bearers that engage participants in the diverse cultural heritage of our region. Participants learn the meanings, materials, and techniques of a cultural tradition practiced locally in a structured lesson, where they create their own work under the guidance and instruction of the workshop teacher. These family-friendly programs provide an opportunity for local folk artists to share their cultural knowledge and practices with a broader audience and for community members to celebrate cultural exchange.
The Castellani Art Museum (CAM) at the center of the Niagara University campus is dedicated to the enjoyment and educational potential of artistic creativity. As a major resource for the visual arts in Niagara County, the CAM's permanent collection includes over 5,000 pieces of mainly modern and contemporary art, and hosts a unique Folk Arts Program supporting traditional artists and community-based cultural traditions in the Buffalo-Niagara region.
In keeping with Niagara University's Vincentian mission, the museum recognizes and serves the diverse racial, ethnic, and religious communities of the Niagara region through the organization and presentation of exhibitions which honor and explore their artistic traditions and contemporary output. In addition to presenting diverse artistic expressions, the museum works in partnerships to explore and redefine the relationship between the museum and its constituencies.
As a university museum, the Castellani Art Museum serves the educational needs of the community, by working with Niagara University faculty on integrative learning projects for college students and providing art education programs for area schools and cultural organizations. The museum staff works with educators to develop art-based learning programs that help to promote critical thinking.
Visit us online at https://castellaniartmuseum.org/
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