Copper Bowl Workshop – February 22, 2025
Copper Bowl Workshop
Date: Saturday, February 22, 2025
Time: 10:00am – 4:00 pm
Instructor: Kaminer Haislip, Adjunct Professor of Silversmithing at the American College of the Building Arts
Register: Redux Contemporary Art Center (contact them at the link below to sign up)
https://redux.givecloud.co/product/11000-022225/copper-bowl-workshop-saturday-february-22nd-2024
Cost: $238 for Members / $280 for NonMembers
*Membership Discount applied at checkout.*
Age: 18+
Students will handcraft a copper bowl and learn beginner silversmithing skills in the American College of the Building Arts jewelry and metalsmithing studio.
Techniques include:
- sinking
- forming
- hammering
- annealing
- filing
- polishing
All metalsmithing tools, equipment, and materials are provided. We ask that students bring Sharpie marker, plain white paper, pencil, eraser, and ruler to design their bowl.
No experience necessary!
American College of the Building Arts Jewelry & Metalsmithing Studio
American College of the Building Arts Jewelry & Metalsmithing Studio
Guilloche Lecture – Thursday, April 17, 2025
American College of the Building Arts
Guilloche Lecture by Kaminer Haislip
Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 6pm
Kaminer Haislip using the Guilloche machine at ACBA
American College of the Building Arts Adjunct Professor of Silversmithing Kaminer Haislip will present a lecture on Guilloche, or Engine Turning, a handcrafted process utilizing a manual machine to put engraved lines, designs, and patterns into metal. Though the technique has its roots in ancient times, the machines used today, most built before WWI, have their origins in 18th century France and Switzerland. Brought into mainstream culture by Breguet in the 18th century and Faberge in the 19th century, the decoration on silver objects, such as cigarette cases and belt buckles, was extremely popular during the 1920s Art Deco era.
ACBA recently procured a Guilloche machine from Kaminer’s late professor Alfred Ward’s estate for their small metals and jewelry studio. Kaminer has been learning to use it both to teach her students and for her own work as a designer silversmith. In March 2025, she will travel to Switzerland to take a Guilloche class with one of the few experts in the world. This lecture will highlight her journey into Guilloche, her studies in Switzerland, the techniques she learned to teach to her students, and how this new knowledge will impact her silversmithing work.
Guilloche, silver Rialto Split Pendant by Kaminer Haislip
Kaminer is a contemporary silversmith based in Charleston who teaches the Copper Metalsmithing and Jewelry elective classes at ACBA. Inspired by Charleston’s long-standing silversmithing tradition, she feels compelled to carry it forth. Her award-winning work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally and featured in over sixty publications, including on three magazine covers. Her latest honor is the acquisition of her silver Charleston Rice Spoon by The Charleston Museum for their permanent collection, commonly regarded as “America’s First Museum”.
Visit ACBA’s website to register for the lecture on Thursday, April 17, 2025 from 6pm-7:30pm at the link below.
https://acba.edu/upcoming-news-events
American College of the Building Arts
Trolley Barn Main Campus
649 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29403
This project is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is also funded in part by a generous award from the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of The Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina. Additionally, her research and travels are supported by the ACBA professional development fund.
Grant Awarded for Guilloche
Vallee de Joux, Switzerland
Grant Awarded for Guilloche
I am very excited to announce I have been awarded an Arts Project Support Grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission! This grant will help fund my travel to Switzerland to study Guilloche under Calina Shevlin, one of the few expert Guilloche artists in the world who do it professionally. American College of the Building Arts in Charleston, South Carolina, where I teach a metalsmithing and jewelry elective class, is also supporting my professional development, which I sincerely appreciate.
Calina Shevlin working at a Guilloche machine
Guilloche, or Engine Turning, is a handcrafted process utilizing a manual machine to put engraved lines, designs, and patterns into metal. Though the technique has its roots in ancient times, the machines used today, most built before WWI, have their origins in 18th century France and Switzerland. Brought into mainstream culture by Breguet in the 18th century and Faberge in the 19th century, the decoration on silver objects, such as cigarette cases and belt buckles, was extremely popular during the 1920s Art Deco era.
Me using the Guilloche machine at the American College of the Building Arts
Sadly, my college professor Alfred Ward, an internationally acclaimed silversmith from England, recently passed away. The American College of the Building Arts purchased many of his tools and equipment from his estate. One of those items included a Guilloche Hall Straight Line machine, made in Rhode Island in the early 20th century, so I have begun learning how to use it for both my artwork and to teach my students. The journey has been fascinating and sometimes frustrating as it is an extremely difficult process to teach oneself.
Fortunately for me, I found Calina’s book Guilloche: A History and Practical Manual online and read it to learn about Guilloche. I ultimately contacted her after I saw her class offerings on her lovely website. She has already been so kind and generous with her time and I would not have made it this far without her!
My first Guilloche sterling silver jewelry series, Rialto, incorporates the new skills I have developed.
Sterling Silver Rialto Pendant Small by Kaminer Haislip
I’m honored by the opportunity to learn Guilloche from a leading expert in the field and thank the South Carolina Arts Commission and American College of the Building Arts for supporting me in this important endeavor. I teach a jewelry elective class during the spring semester and am thrilled to bring back new skills to teach my students. I’m also eager to see the new direction my work will go in after learning more of this intricate process. My instruction will take place in March 2025, so stayed tuned for another Blog post detailing my studies then!
This project is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
This project is also funded in part by a generous award from the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of The Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina.
SC State Library Lecture – Thursday, August 7, 2025
South Carolina State Library
Thursday, August 7, 2025 at 6pm
Charleston Silver, Past to Present Lecture by Kaminer Haislip
Corresponding to an echo as it travels, Coffeepot III by Kaminer Haislip
Charleston silversmith Kaminer Haislip will present a lecture titled Charleston Silver, Past to Present on the history of colonial Charleston silversmithing and how it relates to her contemporary silver designs. She will describe her handcrafted process in which she uses tools and techniques employed by silversmiths for centuries.
Additionally, she will display a selection of her silver functional home objects and jewelry and attendees will have an opportunity to purchase items.
Charleston Rice Spoon by Kaminer Haislip
Nationally recognized for her metalwork, Kaminer is the only silversmith practicing in Charleston. Inspired by Charleston’s long-standing silversmithing tradition, she feels compelled to carry it forth. Her designs have been exhibited internationally and nationally, featured in over sixty publications, including Silver Magazine, Metalsmith, The Magazine Antiques, Traditional Home, Elle Décor, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, Charleston Magazine, Charleston Weddings, and on the TV show Handcrafted America.
The South Carolina State Library is located at 1500 Senate Street, Columbia, SC 29201.
https://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/
Thursday, August 7, 2025 at 6pm
The Charleston Museum Acquires Charleston Rice Spoon by Kaminer Haislip
The Charleston Museum Acquires Charleston Rice Spoon by Kaminer Haislip
I am incredibly excited and honored to announce The Charleston Museum has acquired my sterling silver Charleston Rice Spoon for their permanent collection! Many thanks to Chad Stewart, Curator of History, for his support of my work and the effort he put into making this acquisition happen.
The Charleston Museum was founded in 1773 and is commonly regarded as “America’s First Museum”. Inspired in part by the creation of the British Museum, the Museum was established by the Charleston Library Society on the eve of the American Revolution and its early history was characterized by association with distinguished South Carolinians and scientific figures including Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Reverend John Bachman and John J. Audubon.
They have an exceptional collection that focuses on the South Carolina Lowcountry and includes artifacts of natural history, historical material culture and both documentary and photographic resources. Their mission is to educate Charleston area residents and visitors about the natural and cultural history of the South Carolina Lowcountry through collections, exhibitions, preservation, conservation, research and related programming.
The Loeblein Gallery of Charleston Silver, representing the South’s finest silversmiths, from the colonial era through the present, is my favorite permanent exhibition in the museum. Chad was gracious enough to provide a private tour for the South Carolina Silver Society this past spring and it was wonderful to hear his insights into the important objects they steward.
The Charleston Museum has the largest known assemblage of Charleston-made silver, so it truly is an honor to have one of my silver pieces in their collection. However, they have many other fabulous exhibits and galleries I highly recommend!
The Charleston Rice Spoon, derived from the English Stuffing, Basting, or Gravy Spoon, historically had a long handle and traditionally was 14-16″ in length. During the 18th and 19th centuries, rice was an immensely important crop to Charleston’s economy and became a diet staple, so the rice spoon was developed.
The Charleston Museum has an amazing collection of historic Charleston Rice Spoons and they influenced my silver spoon design. Even though I am inspired by historic objects, I like to put my own original, contemporary twist on them.
My silver Charleston Rice Spoon was featured on the cover of Silver Magazine for an article I wrote for them last fall. The article can be read on my website Press page.
Additionally, in 2017 my contemporary take on this historic spoon was honored with an American Heritage Award by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The details of that award can be read on my website Blog.
Finally, you can shop my silver Charleston Rice Spoon in my website store Home category.