Reclaiming + Upcycling = Recreating

A workshop by Alain Roggeman

 
 

Reclaiming + Upcycling = Recreating. A workshop by jewelry designer and teacher Alain Roggeman

6-10th of october 2026

Location: Assamblage national contemporary jewelry school.

cost: 468 Euro for rOJW EXhibitors / 520 EUR for non-exhibitors

*Limited spots available, in the order of registration.

In this workshop you will be mentored by Alain Roggeman, in the process of designing and manufacturing a Jewelry piece with reclaimed or found material that will be assembled within a structure made of metal. Over Alain’s 30 plus year history in the Jewelry making field, he has deeply developed his own style of “recreating” pieces and materials, stretching outwards and constantly seeking new inspiration in materials and techniques For young makers and fully developed professionals, this workshop offers everyone the chance to reevaluate their material and once again approach the bench with “no limits”.

Some important points:

  • Have no limits

  • Deconstruction – reconstruction

  • Accidents = Opportunity to a new vision

  • Every kind of material can be precious

  • Less is very often more

  • Pay attention for proportion

Three step workshop

Step 1. Before ROJW

  • This must be done before the first workshop session.

  • Collecting all kinds of material that can be used for making jewelry objects.

  • Think on texture, colour, material flexibility, how you handle materials and then bring everything you don’t like, throwaways bits, leftovers? …No limits.

Step 2. During ROJW

  • At the National Library during the RJW – (01 or 02/10 to be confirmed)

  • A brief presentation of my work at my stand.

  • Composition of the previously collected material.

Step 3.   5 days at Assamblage School.

  • Reshaping of the material.

  • Highlight the composition by creating and making the structure of the Jewelry piece. ( Back structure, frame, fixing systemsfor the rings, brooches, pendants…)

Required skills

  • Basic : drawing, sawing, measuring, sanding.

  • Advanced: using the torch, welding, annealing, polishing.

Sign up

Alain Roggeman - Belgium

Born in Burundi 1960

Training, professional, and artistic studies, Jewellery school in Brussels.

1979-1985: drawing and jewellery design, lost wax modelling, jewellery, silversmith & contemporary jewellery

1979: Journey in Congo learning African filigree techniques

2012: Workshop with Mr Ramon Puig from Barcelona

2012: International Amber Workshop, Gdansk

Since 1992 - Teacher, lecturer, workshop coordinator at the Jewellery School Jeanne Toussaint, Brussels (B)

Collective exhibitions

1985-2026

Brussels, Waterloo, Antwerp (B)

Gdansk, Legnica, Warsaw, Poznan, Sandomierz, Krakow (Pol)

Chicago (USA), Vilnius (Lith), Venice, Wooden jewellery - Drena (I)

Moscow, Kaliningrad, Krasnoyark, Yekatarinaburg (Rus)

Devotion Jewelry, Padova (I), Barcelona, Valencia (SP)

Romanian Jewelry Week, Bucharest & Timisoara - (RO)

Jewelry and Literature, Tincal Lab, Porto – (P) & Gothenburg – (SW)

Jewelry and Travel, Tincal Lab, Porto – (P), Madrid (SP), Rome (I), Greece

Luis Acosta, Alegria, Several galleries Europe, SP. SLO. FR. S. NL. G. I.

Inflow Expo, Budapest (H)

La bague dans tous ses états, Galerie Sophie…etc, Paris (Fr)

Solo Exhibitions 2018-2022

Legnica, Gdansk (Pol)

Brussels, (B)

Since 2021 - Private Studio and Gallery, Brussels

Collections at

Galeria Sztuki of Legnica + District Museum of Sandomierz + Amber Museum of Gdansk, Poland, Private collections Belgium, France, Poland, UK, Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum

Awards

1999-Public Award, Diamond High Council, Antwerp (B)

2013-Mention Amberif Design Award, Gdansk (Pol)

2016-Organizers Special Award, Legnica Silver Festival (Pol)

2020-Mention for balance of thought and composition, Ambertrip Vilnius (Lit)

2022-Mention Amberif Design Award, Gdansk (Pol)

2024-Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum Award (Gr)

2025-Inflow, the best 9, Budapest (HU)