Silver Showing with The Charleston Silver Lady – December 8, 2021

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the charleston silver lady

Silver Showing with The Charleston Silver Lady – Lexington, SC

Dawn Corley, also known as The Charleston Silver Lady, is an antiques historian and expert on silver. She will have a special showing of Kaminer Haislip’s contemporary silver objects and jewelry at her Lexington, South Carolina location on Wednesday, December 8 from 4:30pm-6:30pm. In addition to Kaminer’s work, she will have on display antique objects and silver pieces from her own private collection.

The event will be hosted at 212 East Main Street, Lexington, SC 29072. Please use the side door as a private entrance. Parking is available for guests in a parking garage across the street as well as at a BB&T bank next door.

This fun holiday shopping event will be very shiny and bright!

Mistletoe + Merlot – Aiken, SC – November 18 & 19, 2021

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merlot & mistletoe

aiken standard

Mistletoe + Merlot Holiday Shopping Market – Aiken, SC

Join me for the Aiken Standard’s 4th Annual Mistletoe + Merlot holiday shopping event! It will be hosted at Newberry Hall in historic, downtown Aiken, South Carolina on Thursday, November 18 and Friday, November 19. This Holiday Market will feature forty vendors, including artists and artisans, selling a wide variety of handcrafted and boutique gift items and will give attendees a head start on their holiday shopping. It will be a ticketed event in order to limit the number of guests. I hope to see my Aiken friends there!

The information for this fun shopping event is below.

Thursday, November 18  from 6-9pm – Preview Party

Tickets are $25 and include one drink ticket and souvenir wineglass, cheeseboard and shopping bag for the first 200 guests. Heavy hors devours, desserts and wine and beer will also be available.

Purchase tickets for the Thursday Preview Party at https://tickets.aikenstandard.com/e/mistletoe-and-merlot-holiday-preview-party

Friday, November 19 from 9am-5pm – All Day Shopping

General Admission tickets are $5 for the entire day. Light snacks will be served.

Purchase tickets for Friday at https://tickets.aikenstandard.com/e/mistletoe-and-merlot-holiday-shopping-event-2

Newberry Hall

117 Newberry Street SW

Aiken, SC 29801

 

Helena Fox Fine Art Show – November 5 & 6, 2021

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helena fox fine art helena fox fine art gallery

Helena Fox Fine Art – Charleston, SC

Helena Fox Fine Art represents my handcrafted silver designs and regularly carries a curated selection of my silver hollowware, flatware, home objects, and jewelry in their stunning historic, downtown Charleston art gallery. They are hosting a special event featuring my artwork on Friday, November 5 from 4pm-7pm and Saturday, November 6 from 11am-4pm.

I will exhibit a wider variety of my silver objects, original jewelry designs, and Christmas ornaments than what the gallery usually shows during this special holiday shopping event. I hope to see you there!

Helena Fox Fine Art

106A Church Street

Charleston, SC 29401

843-723-0073

www.helenafoxfineart.com

Silver Sculpture Commission

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Mother Earth Custom Silver Sculpture

silver sculpture

hand engraved

Mother Earth is a sterling silver sculpture my client Jim Johnson of New Castle, Delaware custom commissioned. Jim has commissioned numerous projects from me over the years and came to me with the idea for Mother Earth. It was inspired by an idea his late twin brother, who was an artist and welder, had years ago. The concept for Mother Earth was based on the idea all life originates from planet Earth. Jim wanted to honor his brother with this sculpture and he was very specific about the design down to every last detail. Based on his description of it from conversations and design sessions we had together, I drew the sculpture to scale of the actual object. After receiving Jim’s feedback and tweaking the design until it was exactly what he had in mind, I set about making it.

silver globesilver globe

Mother Earth is one of the most complex objects I have ever made and required many different technical processes. The 8″ diameter globe element was fabricated with silver wire for the longitude lines and silver sheet for the hand pierced continents. The waterspout and baby were both carved from wax and sent to a high quality casting company in North Carolina. The company made molds of each and cast them in sterling silver. The umbilical cord was made from silver wire and connects to the back of North America where Delaware is located. The finial on top was fabricated with silver sheet and hand engraved with the title Mother Earth on both sides of the sign. The entire sculpture was hand polished to a high shine, mirror finish.

silver art

silver waterspout

silver baby

This project required an immense amount of problem solving and was very time consuming to make, but I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. Working with Jim on this special project was a great experience and I sent him regular progress reports with images of the sculpture in process. It truly was a collaborative project and I appreciated his thoughtful feedback each step of the way. When I delivered it to him and he got the see it in person for the first time, to my delight, he was thrilled!

If you are interested in commissioning a custom object or jewelry piece from me, then please check out my website Commission page that has examples of drawings and finished pieces. My Commission Policy outlines the details of commissioning me to make something unique and special for you. Thank you for your interest in my work!

 

New Gorget Jewelry Series

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New Gorget Jewelry Series

gorget pendant

Gorget Pendant Large

For the Daughters of the American Revolution American Heritage Competition “Rise, and Shine Your Light on Your Revolutionary War Patriot”, I designed and created a silver necklace based on my great-great-great-great-great grandfather Captain Joshua Hadley’s military service during the Revolutionary War. The design process required a lot of research and thought, which I thoroughly enjoyed and learned a lot from. To my great surprise and esteemed honor, it was awarded First Place in the Jewelry category and later received a South Carolina House of Representatives House Resolution. Details about both can be read on this Blog page. The necklace garnered such a positive response that I decided to do a spin off jewelry series based on one of the necklace elements, the Gorget.

The Gorget traces its history back to medieval times when it was worn as a piece of armor around the neck to protect the throat. Over time the shape, size, and function changed and by the 17th century it became a symbol of rank among military officers of many countries. At this point it was suspended around the neck with a chain or ribbon and was purely decorative.

silver gorget pendant

Gorget Pendant Small

The white crescent shape on the South Carolina flag is thought to be partly inspired by the Gorget. The original flag flown during the American Revolution Battle of Sullivan’s Island in Charleston, SC on June 28, 1776 had a blue background with the white crescent in the upper left hand corner. The flag played a prominent role in the battle that day and the Americans successfully defeated the British, which was a turning point in the war and led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

My contemporary interpretation of this historic form was inspired by its prominence during the American Revolutionary War in which my great-great-great-great-great grandfather Captain Joshua Hadley was a Continental Army officer. He participated in many important battles throughout the American Revolution, including the Battle of Sullivan’s Island. I feel the Gorget is my way of honoring that important event in American history and my ancestor. It also speaks to the place in which I live and Charleston’s important role in the early days of the American republic.

gorget earrings

Gorget Earrings

This new jewelry collection includes two pendants and one pair of post style earrings. Shop the new series and my other silver jewelry designs in my website store Jewelry category.

New Christmas Ornament Designs for Holiday 2021

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New Christmas Ornaments for Holiday 2021

liberty tree liberty bell

Liberty Bell and Liberty Tree silver Christmas ornaments

Kaminer Haislip has two new Christmas ornament designs for Holiday 2021! Continuing her design style of the silver silhouette, a Liberty Tree and Liberty Bell have been added to her array of Christmas ornament offerings. Each ornament is hand pierced from sheet silver and the shape refined by filing and sanding. The slightly domed form gives it dimension and its smooth, shiny surface is perfect for personalizing with hand engraving.

The theme for this year’s ornament designs was inspired by the concept of gathering together, which relates to both the Liberty Tree and Liberty Bell. This Christmas we can celebrate the holidays together and enjoy the festivities of the season!

The first Liberty Tree was an old elm in Boston the Sons of Liberty would gather under prior to the Revolutionary War. As their message of resistance to the British taxes spread, so did the fame of their tree. Other colonies and cities adapted their own Liberty Trees, which were a variety of species, as a meeting spot and it became a Patriot symbol.

liberty tree

Liberty Tree silver Christmas ornament

This Liberty Tree design is a symbol of both assembling together freely and gathering with friends and family around the Christmas tree during the holidays. 

The Liberty Bell dates to Philadelphia’s colonial era and was ordered in 1751 to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of William Penn’s 1701 Charter of Privileges, which speaks of the rights and freedoms of individuals. It was hidden during the American Revolution and in 1787 was tolled to signify the ratification of the United States Constitution. Later it was adopted as a symbol of liberty by both the abolitionists and women suffragettes.

liberty bell

Liberty Bell silver Christmas ornament

The iconic Liberty Bell was the inspiration for this Christmas ornament design, because bells are rung to celebrate events and occasions. Christmas is a time for joy, merriment, and gathering. This year we can all ring a bell in celebration and enjoy being together during the holiday season!

Additionally, silver Christmas ornaments make a wonderful, heirloom gift that will be cherished for years to come. Many lovely memories are made around the holidays and giving lasting gifts is a great way to commemorate past years of happy, family gatherings.

Starting a baby or child on a collection of silver Christmas ornaments is an outstanding idea, because by the time they are adults with a Christmas tree of their own they will already have a stunning array of beautiful ornaments to adorn their tree. Many of Kaminer’s clients continue that tradition as they were gifted annually with a silver ornament and have a deep appreciation for the quality and sweet memories each one holds.

Both the Liberty Tree and Liberty Bell can be personalized with hand engraving, as can most of her silver Christmas ornaments. Shop the entire array of festive ornaments in her website store Christmas Ornaments category.

 

Save the Date!

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Save the Date for Holiday Trunk Shows!

trunk show

This fall and holiday season I have a great line up of trunk shows scheduled, so please save the date! Below are the events I have scheduled so far and more details will be posted on my website Blog closer to the dates.

Helena Fox Fine Art – Charleston, SC – Friday, November 5 and Saturday, November 6

Mistletoe & Merlot – Aiken, SC – Thursday, November 18 from 6pm-9pm and Friday, November 19 from 9am-5pm

Silver Showing with The Charleston Silver Lady – Lexington, SC – Wednesday, December 8

 

Silversmithing Film Online Zoom Event – May 26, 2021

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wadsworth silversmithing film

Silversmithing Film Online Zoom Event with the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art and Curator Brandy Culp

Join the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, curator Brandy Culp, and me Wednesday, May 26 at 6pm when we debut the silversmithing video we recently filmed in my studio! During this exclusive film produced for the museum, curator Brandy Culp and I will discuss the connection between my contemporary silversmithing and historic silversmithing. After the film screening, we will do a special Q&A session live.

wadsworth silversmithing film

Below is the Zoom link information. We hope to see you there!

Wadsworth Programs is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: DDAC Zoom Event with Silversmith Kaminer Haislip

Time: May 26, 2021 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92508112438

 

Meeting ID: 925 0811 2438

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Meeting ID: 925 0811 2438

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South Carolina House of Representatives House Resolution

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South Carolina House of Representatives House Resolution

Much to my surprise, I received a letter from South Carolina House Representatives Bart Blackwell and William Cogswell, Jr. notifying me of a House Resolution they and other members passed honoring my life’s work and recognition for my recent Daughters of the American Revolution award. It is such an incredible honor for my artwork to be highlighted and documented in the permanent South Carolina archives in this extremely special way!

house resolution

sc house resolution

Read more about the specifics of the DAR award and see detailed images of the silver necklace at https://www.kaminerhaislip.com/daughters-of-the-american-revolution-american-heritage-award-2/

I sincerely appreciate this esteemed acknowledgement of both my artwork and the special DAR award by the South Carolina House of Representatives. I look forward to thanking them in person when I meet them in Columbia at the House of Representatives Chamber. They invited me to see their ceremonial mace, that was made in 1756 by London master silversmith Magdalen Feline, which has been in continual use ever since. I am very excited about this wonderful honor and soon seeing such a significant historic silver object. Many thanks to the South Carolina House of Representatives!

Find Joy in Art Auction – May 17-28, 2021

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find joy in art auction

Find Joy in Art Auction – May 17-28, 2021

“Find Joy in Art” is an online art auction organized by the South Carolina Arts Foundation in order to help support SC artists. The amazing array of artwork by some of SC’s most accomplished and established artists represents the wide variety of media employed by our local contemporary creatives. Art items up for bid include elegant pieces of jewelry, masterful paintings, compelling photographs, functional and decorative ceramic or glass objects, beautiful textiles, virtuoso hand-pulled prints and well-designed and built furniture.

For more details on the auction, how to bid, the participating artists and their artwork, visit https://www.southcarolinaarts.com/foundation/find-joy-in-art-auction/

I was honored by the invitation to participate in this exciting benefit initiative alongside so many amazing contemporary, SC artists I greatly admire! A carefully curated selection of my silver jewelry and functional home objects will be available in the auction. Be sure to register at the link above in order to view my work and the other incredible artwork featured in this charitable event. Most importantly, bid on artwork to help support SC artists!

find joy in art auction

SC artists have reported due to the coronavirus pandemic, 95% have experienced loss, 66% have experienced unanticipated expenditures, and 63% have become fully unemployed. Cancelled events, exhibitions, markets, performances, concerts, festivals, openings, and many more arts related functions that generate revenue and a livelihood for artists have contributed to this astonishing loss. Creativity is at the heart of our culture and without it, there is certainly less joy in our beloved state, cities, towns, and communities. For that reason and many more it is so important to support this art auction and SC artists.

“Find Joy in Art” is coordinated by the SC Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organization established in 1972 dedicated to recognizing, encouraging and supporting the art and artists of South Carolina. Throughout its history, the Foundation has pursued creative ways to help the business community and private citizens contribute to a thriving arts community across the state. Learn more about this incredible arts organization at https://www.southcarolinaarts.com/foundation/