Charleston Trunk Show – May 10, 2018

Noddy Trunk Show

Trunk Show at Noddy with Kaminer Haislip and Cameron Schwabenton’s The Mommy Pop Shop!

I am so excited to collaborate with my friend and incredibly talented interior designer Cameron Schwabenton and gorgeous downtown Charleston southern goods boutique Noddy for this trunk show!

My handcrafted silver jewelry and home interior products will be shown for sale during the trunk show. Cameron’s new company The Mommy Pop Shop will display for sale her couture mid-century inspired Mommy Pop pillows. The Mommy Pop Shop is fondly named after Cameron’s beloved southern grandmother and her handcrafted pillows come in a wide range of colors.

Noddy proudly represents each state in the South and offers items for the home, men, women and man’s best friend. The majority of their curated products were made by southerners—thus creating an extraordinarily refreshing shopping experience. Noddy is located at 86 A Queen Street in downtown Charleston.

Come shop the fun variety of items and enjoy a glass of wine!

https://www.noddycharleston.com/

https://www.mommypopshop.com/

https://www.cameronstewartdesign.com/

 

“How did you get into silversmithing?”

“How did you get into silversmithing?” is one of the most frequently asked questions I receive.

I discuss it briefly in my Bio posted on my website, but I get the same question so often I decided to share more of my story on my Blog.

 

silversmithing studio

Kaminer Haislip working in her silversmithing studio

 

Aiken, South Carolina, which received Southern Living’s 2018 award for The South’s Best Small Town, is my hometown. I grew up in my family’s business True Value Hardware & Appliance, which is located on the main street of Aiken’s historic downtown. My grandfather Bill Franklin started the hardware store as a side project when he was an accountant at Savannah River Site. When my parents Det and Lyanne Haislip were married, my father took over the business.

 

True Value Aiken SC

True Value Hardware & Appliance in historic downtown Aiken, SC

 

As children, my brother Wylie, cousins Anne and Franklin, and I spent a lot of time there, especially at Christmas. As you can see in the picture below, we had so much fun with the toys, go carts, and window displays!

 

hardware store 1980's

Kaminer with her brother and cousins in the hardware store as children in the 1980’s

 

In high school, I worked in the hardware store and that is when my interest began in making sculpture and jewelry. Being around all of the tools and equipment, putting together bikes and toys, and cutting keys is now an obvious connection to how working with my hands became my career.

 

True Value Aiken SC

True Value newspaper feature from 1990’s

 

When I was in high school, I took the industrial tech class, because I wanted to learn how to make sculptures in metal and wood. Being the only girl in the class did not bother me at all and I took to learning welding and wood working immediately. One of my first wood sculptures is shown below. Displayed in a downtown Aiken park not far from my family’s business, it was my first artwork exhibited outside of a school setting.

 

sculpture

Sculpture from high school in 1990’s

 

I knew by then I wanted to be a professional artist and major in jewelry and sculpture in college, so I sought out a college with a strong jewelry and sculpture program. After careful deliberation, I decided the small liberal arts college Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC would be the best fit for me. Alfred Ward, an English silversmith from London, was head of the jewelry and metals program and I was excited to study under such a renowned silversmith.

 

silver ebony wood spoon

Silver and ebony wood spoon from undergraduate studies

 

The first functional silver object I made studying under Alf was the silver spoon with ebony wood handle shown above. This piece is significant to my work, because it was the first time I laminated silver and wood. I continue to use this method of fabrication for spoon, teapot and coffeepot handles, because it creates strength in the handle and a beautiful line of silver down the center.

 

art gallery

Kaminer and her brother Wylie at her first gallery exhibition

 

From there I was hooked on silversmithing, because it combined my interest in jewelry techniques and sculptural forms. My graduation exhibition with my classmates in Charlotte, NC was my first commercial art gallery exhibit. Pictured above is me with my brother Wylie looking at one of my display cases at the opening reception. After graduating with my BFA in Jewelry and Metals, I moved to Charlotte and started my MFA silversmithing studies under Alf at Winthrop.

 

Sir John Cass London Metropolitan University

Kaminer and her professor Alf at Sir John Cass London Metropolitan University in London, England

 

While in graduate school, I focused on silversmithing and immersed myself in it completely. During that time, I also taught the Jewelry II and III classes and jewelry workshops at Winthrop. Additionally, I interned and was a docent at the Mint Museum, where I learned up close the history of craft and design and how a professional institution operates. During the summer of 2004, I went to London for a family trip and my MFA thesis research. Alf and his wife were in England visiting family, so he was kind enough to meet us in London and show us around. Pictured above is me with Alf in the stake room of Sir John Cass London Metropolitan University, where Alf was formerly head of the silversmithing and jewelry department.

 

silver teapot

Perched Flight silver and ebony wood teapot

 

In 2005 I graduated with my MFA in Silversmithing and Design with a minor in Sculpture. The first teapot I made was Perched Flight and it is silver with an ebony wood handle that is laminated with silver in the center. It was the central piece to my MFA thesis exhibition and after was accepted to five national exhibitions and one international exhibition. I became very attached to it, so it is now in me and my husband’s collection.

Immediately following graduation, I moved to Charleston, South Carolina and established my studio and business. Three years later my husband Matt and I had our wedding reception at the William Aiken House. My hometown was named for William Aiken and his father is my great-great-great-great uncle.

 

Charleston Weddings Magazine

Charleston Weddings Magazine feature – see full article on website Press page

 

My path to silversmithing began at a very young age, but it wasn’t until I started my business and began exhibiting my work nationally that people started asking me “How did you get into silversmithing?”. When I thought about it and shared my story, I realized how unusual it is for a girl to grow up in a small southern town hardware store and become a contemporary silversmith. Really?!

For less lengthy answers to frequently asked questions, visit my FAQ page on my website!

 

Corporate Gift Commissions

oyster earrings

Corporate Gift Commissions

Kaminer Haislip offers services for corporate gift commissions that include custom designed jewelry and silver products. A recent custom corporate gift that is featured on this post was commissioned for a company retreat held at the resort Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, SC.

Kaminer was inspired by the shape of a Lowcountry oyster shell and designed these silver Oyster Earrings and Oyster Dish specially for the group in attendance. The ladies were given the silver earrings and the men the silver dish as the company retreat gift.

Additional previous corporate gift commissions include silver condiment spoons for the ladies and silver bar or cocktail spoons for the men, custom designed Christmas ornaments, and cufflinks.

Visit the Commission page on this website to find out how to commission Kaminer to design and create a unique gift for your company or corporation!

 

oyster dish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gold Jewelry Designs by Kaminer Haislip

lily earrings

white gold necklace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gold Jewelry Designs by Kaminer Haislip

Jewelry designer Kaminer Haislip creates a wide variety of custom commissioned gold jewelry pieces. She can make all jewelry designs in 14k or 18k yellow gold, white gold, or rose gold. All gold jewelry designs are custom and made to order.

Check out a wide variety of her gold jewelry designs in her Portfolio, Gold Jewelry category on this website.

Visit the Commission page on this website to find out more about commissioning custom designed gold earrings, pendants, necklaces, bracelets, cufflinks, engagement rings, and wedding bands. Ideas from clients are welcomed and clients can provide their own stones and gems.

Contact Kaminer directly to order her existing silver designs from her website Shop in gold.

gold bracelet rose gold necklace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pea necklace palm leaf earrings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News Channel 12 Feature in Aiken, SC – December 2017

 

Thank you so much Matt Kaufax for featuring me on News Channel 12 for Aiken Kicks Off Night of 1000 Lights!  My trunk show was held during the event at my family’s business True Value Hardware & Appliance in downtown Aiken, SC on December 7, 2017.  It was great to see old friends and meet new ones despite the rainy weather!

Watch the feature at the link below!

http://www.wrdw.com/video?vid=462686203