Jess Wheeler

Once a sought-after set designer for fashion shoots, Jess Wheeler now works from North Wales as a designer and artist with a passion for metalwork. Her cross-disciplinary practice has a unified, nature-driven narrative inspired by the Welsh landscape — and her delicately crafted brass sconces and chandeliers have become her best-known signature.

Artist and homewares product designer specialising in metal and plasterwork inspired by nature.

Course

Making Botanical Art with Metal

Draw inspiration from nature’s organic forms to create beautiful brass objects with metalworker and artist Jess Wheeler. Discover how simple everyday items - such as tomato puree tubes, nail scissors, paint brushes, books and pins - can be used to transform a sheet of recycled metal into a delicate work of art. From her studio in rural Wales, Jess will show you how to source materials in all sorts of unlikely places and how to turn your sketches into sculptures with this wonderfully versatile craft. Through three increasingly challenging projects - featuring a botanical study in brass, a collection of wire leaves and a large scale hanging garland - Jess will teach you how to master the skills and key metalwork techniques, including relief, embossing and intricate wire work, that will give you the confidence to explore projects of your own.

20 Lessons

Included with membership

Lesson plan — 20 lessons

01 An introduction to Jess

01 Meet Jess
02 The art of metalwork

02 How to prepare for metalwork

03 The tools you'll need
04 Key techniques

03 Finding inspiration in the landscape

05 Finding inspiration in the landscape - Part 1
06 Finding inspiration in the landscape - Part 2
07 Reviewing your plants

04 Project 1 - Creating a single leaf from Field Maple

08 Creating the leaf
09 Creating the stem
10 The finished project

05 Project 2 - Creating a small branch from Hawthorn

11 Creating the central stem
12 Cutting out the leaves
13 Attaching the leaves to the stem
14 The finishing touches

06 Project 3 - Creating a garland from Ivy

15 Creating the stem
16 Creating the leaves
17 Arranging and creating the short stems
18 Adding the leaves to the main stem
19 The finished garland

07 Farewell

20 Farewell

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“Create Academy has been such a great resource. I'm in the middle of renovating a bungalow with a very large garden and the courses have offered a wealth of information to dive into and explore new ideas. I'm loving Ni...”

Harvey Jun 10, 2026

“Absolutely love Create Academy! The instructors are extremely informative, and it is beautifully filmed. Create Academy is great value for money and plan on renewing my subscription yearly because there are such inter...”

SG May 31, 2026