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Custom Christmas Ornaments

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jack & ginger christmas ornamentJack & Ginger Etched Silver Christmas Ornament

Custom Christmas Ornaments

Custom Christmas ornaments are a wonderful heirloom gift that will be cherished and enjoyed for many holidays to come. Not only is a sterling silver Christmas ornament a lasting, quality present, but it is an extremely memorable one. These beauties sparkle and shine with merriment on the Christmas tree and embody the holiday spirit.

The process of etching a textured design into sterling silver has been an integral aspect of my artwork over the years and one fun application of the technique has been for custom Christmas ornament designs. I get so many inquiries about the process and options, so I decided to highlight a couple of past designs and describe the handcrafted technique.

 

silver etching drawingHand painting and drawing the design onto the silver

First, I hand draw the design in my sketchbook and use it for reference to draw onto the silver shape, which I hand cut from sheet silver. The next step is to paint a black tar like substance called resist over the areas I want to remain smooth. The resist protects the silver surface from the acid etching chemical. The resist can be messy, so I refine the details and lines with a steel pencil as shown in the image above. Once the design is completed, it is submerged in the acid, which eats into the silver surface and creates texture in the exposed silver areas.

jack & ginger silver christmas ornament

Jack & Ginger Etched Silver Christmas Ornament

After the silver is polished to a high shine, the textured design and lines contrast beautifully with the smooth surface. The amount of detail and refinement that can be achieved with the process is quite significant!

 

old exchange building

Old Exchange Building Etched Silver Christmas Ornament

I have been commissioned to create a wide variety of etched Christmas ornaments and the possibilities are endless for design options. Some past projects include buildings, houses, a lighthouse, and even a private plane! Shown above is the historic Old Exchange Building in downtown Charleston, which was very detailed with the number of straight lines and architectural embellishments. To view more of my original Christmas ornament designs, view the Christmas Ornaments page in my website Portfolio Archive.

I welcome you to get in touch with your own idea for a custom Christmas ornament! I so enjoy those projects and it is always exciting to see what new, creative concept someone will bring to me. Custom commission information can be found on my website Commission Work page and details on how to commission your own design is posted on the Commission Policy page.

The Jack & Ginger ornament I created last year for a very special person inspired my 2020 Christmas ornaments…..coming soon!!

Silver Wedding Gift Ideas

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wedding cake tray

Silver Wedding Gift Ideas

Despite so many weddings being postponed or held in a much smaller gathering than originally planned due to coronavirus, giving a gift to the happy couple is still a must to show your support and celebrate their marriage! Silver is a classic heirloom wedding gift and my functional silver objects are extremely popular to commemorate the joyous occasion. My designs are inspired by traditional silver forms, but are interpreted in my original, contemporary style. A unique, handcrafted silver gift will be cherished for generations to come and is such a memorable, lasting gift to receive.

My website Shop has a wide variety of options available and many can be personalized with hand engraving for a special finishing touch. Detailed below are some of the most favored of my classic silver wedding gifts.

cocktail bar silver decanter bottle tags silver vase silver bar spoon silver wedding gifts
Silver Bar Spoons, Decanter Bottle Tags, and Vase
by Kaminer Haislip

Coronavirus is keeping more people at home these days, so stock the newlywed’s bar with fun silver accessories they will use while enjoying evenings at home together or for stylish entertaining (while being conscientious of social distancing of course!). Silver bar spoons, personalized decanter tags with their favorite libations engraved on the front, tumblers and cups, wine goblets, and wine coasters are all useful and beautiful gifts.

silver tumbler silver bar spoon cocktail
Silver Tumbler and Bar Spoon by Kaminer Haislip

The silver tumbler pictured above and the silver wine goblets and wine coasters below all can be hand engraved with the couple’s initials and wedding date for a personal touch.

silver wine coaster silver wine goblets silver vase silver wedding gifts
Silver Wine Coasters, Wine Goblets, and Vase
by Kaminer Haislip

Let’s not forget the very important hors d’oeuvres for snacking during cocktail hour! Silver appetizer accessories shine and make serving the tasty bites even more enjoyable.

silver cheese knife silver tray cheese plate
Silver Cheese Knife and Silver and Glass Tray
by Kaminer Haislip

The silver and glass cheese tray shown above is the same silver and glass cake tray pictured at the top of this post. My Ziggurat Tray creates a stunning tablescape and is very versatile for many uses, including serving hors d’oeuvres, cheese, anti-pasta, cakes and desserts, or for a table centerpiece displaying fruit or flowers. 

silver spreader appetizer serving utensil silver flatware
Silver Spreader by Kaminer Haislip

This silver spreader is multi-functional for serving a wide variety of soft cheeses, spreads, and condiments.

silver condiment spoon silver flatware hammered silver spoon
Silver Condiment Spoon by Kaminer Haislip
silver fork silver appetizer fork meat fork hammered silver fork
Silver Appetizer Fork by Kaminer Haislip

The silver cheese knife, spreader, condiment spoon, and appetizer fork were all forged and have a hammered handle. Due to the hammering process, they are very sturdy and functional. Plus they bring contemporary refinement to the setting.

silver nest bowl woven silver functional art silver basket
Silver Nest Bowl by Kaminer Haislip

A popular wedding gift is my Nest Bowl, comprised of hammered and woven sterling silver wire.  The nest acts as a metaphor for building a new life and home together.  Nest Bowl comes in three sizes, 4″, 6″, and 8″ in diameter, but can also be created in custom sizes. It functions beautifully for serving bread or crackers or on a vanity or dresser for holding items.

silver wedding gift silver nest woven silver basket silver wedding gifts
Silver Nest Bowl by Kaminer Haislip

For serving up the main course, my silver salad servers and serving spoon make excellent silver wedding gifts that will be used frequently and not just on holidays. My husband and I use our silver serving spoons regularly and get a lot of enjoyment out of them!

silver salad servers silver salad spoons ergonomic handle
Silver Salad Servers by Kaminer Haislip
silver serving spoon silver spoon hammered silver spoon
Silver Serving Spoon by Kaminer Haislip

A pair of silver napkin rings with the couple’s initials hand engraved on them is a lovely gift that can be built upon over the years. Starting them on any collection creates a gift you as well as others can give to help them complete the set.

silver napkin ring tabletop design use your silver silver wedding gifts
Silver Napkin Ring by Kaminer Haislip

Silver bowls, dishes, and boxes are also thoughtful silver wedding gifts, not only for their useful function on a coffee table, dresser, or vanity, but also for their beauty and enhancement of a new abode. Most of my silver bowls, dishes, and boxes come in a variety of sizes and too can be completed as a set in the future.

Silver Poppy Bowl by Kaminer Haislip
Silver Oyster Dish by Kaminer Haislip
Silver Boxes by Kaminer Haislip

There are many more gorgeous heirloom silver wedding gift options in my website Shop Home category, so visit it for the complete selection. Elegant gift wrapping is free and it can be shipped directly to them. 

wedding cake stand

Silver and glass tray by Kaminer Haislip

If you do not see specifically what you are looking for on my website Shop, contact me directly at kaminer@kaminerhaislip.com to design a custom commission gift. For details on commissioning bespoke pieces, visit the Commission Work page on this website.

Cheers to the happy couple!

 

Find Joy in Art Auction – May 26-30, 2020

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find joy in art auction sc arts foundation

Find Joy in Art Auction – May 26-30, 2020

“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! Many are longtime friends and colleagues I am thrilled to collaborate in partnership with the SC Arts Foundation to assist local artists. 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!

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/

Charleston Artwalk + Trunk Show – Helena Fox Fine Art

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helena fox fine art
helena fox fine art gallery charleston artwalk

Charleston Artwalk + Trunk Show

Helena Fox Fine Art, who represents my handcrafted silver designs in their stunning downtown Charleston art gallery, is featuring my work and the paintings of artist Julyan Davis for the Charleston Artwalk Friday, November 1 from 5-8pm. You can read the full press release for our exhibition Classically Contemporary on my website Press page.

Helena Fox Fine Art regularly carries a curated selection of my silver hollowware, flatware, home objects, and jewelry. During the artwalk and on Saturday, November 2 from 11am-4pm, a wider selection of my silver home objects and jewelry will be shown, including my new Oyster Jewelry collection. I hope to see you at one of those events!

Helena Fox Fine Art

106A Church Street

Charleston, SC 29401

843-723-0073

www.helenafoxfineart.com

Art Mag – Summer 2019

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Art Mag Charleston art silversmith visual arts magazine
Art Mag
Summer Issue 2019

Art Mag, a publication publication focused on the arts in Charleston, SC, highlighted Kaminer Haislip’s silver hollowware vessel Gradual Erosion being included in the international silver exhibition Schoonhoven Silver Award. To learn more about this exhibition, visit the Blog on this website. Many thanks to Art Mag for such a lovely interview and feature!

SCHOONHOVEN SILVER AWARD

by Emily Reyna

silver vessel hollowware contemporary silver vase
Gradual Erosion by Kaminer Haislip

Charleston makes its way across the pond to Europe where local artist and silversmith Kaminer Haislip will exhibit her silver vessel, Gradual Erosion.

“It was an incredible honor to have my silver vessel, Gradual Erosion, selected for the international Schoonhoven Silver Award. The opportunity to share my silver work with a European audience in both Schoonhoven, The Netherlands and Freiberg, Germany is very much appreciated,” says Haislip. “It’s the second time my silver hollowware has been exhibited in this special silver exhibition, and it’s a wonderful compliment.”

silversmith Kaminer Haislip artist studio Charleston, SC
Kaminer Haislip in her Charleston silversmithing studio

The piece’s name is inspiration by natural erosion. “The vessel form was based on a mountain shape and the etched surface lines are my own artistic interpretation of the gradual linear disintegration. The erosion begins at the base of the vessel, so the center line is tapered in to portray the slow breakdown of the mountain over time. The concept of erosion relates to the passing of time, what is lost, and what is taken away,” Haislip explains.

Technique and craft are central to Haislip’s creative process when working with fine metals. “I crafted the vessel by fabricating sterling silver sheet, which was hammered over five different cast iron stakes to create the asymmetrical shape,” describes Haislip. “The linear surface design was drawn by hand and etched with nitric acid to create the erosion inspired texture. All aspects of the construction were done entirely by hand utilizing traditional silversmithing techniques.”

Gradual Erosion will be on view at the City and Mining Museum in Freiberg, Germany from June 29 – October 2019.

Visit Art Mag at the link below for this article and many more exciting articles about the arts in Charleston!

Schoonhoven Silver Award

Schoonhoven Silver Award 2018 Travels to Museum in Freiberg, Germany

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schoonhoven silver award 2018

Schoonhoven Silver Award 2018 Travels to Museum in Freiberg, Germany

The international silver object (no jewelry) exhibition Schoonhoven Silver Award 2018, which Kaminer Haislip’s silver vessel Gradual Erosion is included, will travel to the City and Mining Museum in Freiberg, Germany. The exhibition began at The Netherlands Silver Museum and was on exhibition from December 2018 – May 2019.

The exhibition will be on display at the City and Mining Museum in Freiberg, Germany from June 29 – October, 2019. Learn more about their showing of this exceptional exhibition on their website.

etched silver vessel

Schoonhoven Silver Award 2018 includes a wide variety of silversmiths from all over the world and its goal was to inspire artists to test and explore the boundaries of their traditional art and craft. The Netherlands Silver Museum sought objects that bear a direct relationship with the museum’s policy of stimulating the exploration of new technologies and uses, and innovative art forms. Innovation, as envisioned in the Award’s present edition, centers on the rejuvenation of past, time-honored techniques and on the preservation of this heritage through injecting dynamic new life into the art of silversmithing.

silver vase

The international Schoohnoven Silver Award exhibition began in 2001 and 2018 is the seventh edition of this unique silversmithing focused exhibition. Kaminer Haislip’s silver and ebony teapot Perched Flight was included in the 2009 exhibition Poetry in Silver, so she is excited and honored to exhibit again with her new silver vessel Gradual Erosion.

etched silver vessel

Gradual Erosion is currently available for sale, but will not be available for delivery until after the exhibition travels to two other European countries and ends in September 2019. Gradual Erosion will be returned to Kaminer Haislip after the exhibition and you can contact her directly for details at kaminer@kaminerhaislip.com.

To learn more about Gradual Erosion, visit its product page on this website’s Shop at https://www.kaminerhaislip.com/silver-art-jewelry-baby/gradual-erosion-silver/

Baltimore Jewelry Center Exhibition

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baltimore jewelry center appetites and objects exhibition

Baltimore Jewelry Center Exhibition Appetites and Objects

I am very excited and honored to announce my silver pitcher Cupped Wing and silver Sounding Series Tumblers were selected for Baltimore Jewelry Center’s exhibition Appetites and Objects! This juried exhibition will be on display June 7 – July 12, 2019 with an opening reception on Friday, June 7 from 6-9pm.

silver pitcher contemporary silver functional art
Cupped Wing silver pitcher by Kaminer Haislip
silver tumblers silver cup functional art tabletop design
Silver Sounding Series Tumblers by Kaminer Haislip

“Metal as a material is intrinsically linked to the history and production of utensils and implements for the home. In Appetites and Objects, designers, metalsmiths, and blacksmiths have molded, cast, forged, and pressed metal to create housewares that conform to the hand, act as an extension of the body, and hold presence in our domestic lives.

Appetites and Objects includes work by Corey Ackelmire, Jackie Andrews, Hannah Brill, Kristy Bujanic, Stuart Cairns, Jeffrey Clancy, David Clarke, David Harper Clemons, Erin Daily, Lucy Derickson, Anastasia Green, Kaminer Haislip, Nils Hint, Jessica Howerton, John Williams Huckins, Zouella Jarman, Rachel Kedinger, Elliot Keeley, Jaydan Moore, Alejandra Salinas, Amy Weiks & Gabriel Craig of Smith Shop, Brian Weissman, Adam Whitney, and Logan Woodle.”

silver pitcher contemporary silver designer silversmith Kaminer Haislip
silver pitcher contemporary silver designer silversmith Kaminer Haislip

It was such an amazing compliment to be invited to exhibit my silver pitcher and tumblers in this appropriately themed exhibit for my work. My design approach focuses very heavily on functional, home objects and our interaction with them, so I was ecstatic about the theme and how well my work fit into it. Additionally, being included in the exhibition with such a select group of talented metalsmiths is quite the honor.

silver tumbler silver cup handcrafted design functional art
silver tumbler silver cup cocktail stylish entertaining

The Baltimore Jewelry Center is an educational nonprofit building a vibrant creative community for the study and practice of metalworking for new and established artists. They offer classes, workshops, and studio space rental to anyone with an interest in contemporary jewelry and metalsmithing. In addition to their education program, the Baltimore Jewelry Center helps metal and jewelry artists grow sustainable business practices by offering professional development, sales opportunities, and a promotional platform. To learn more about this wonderful organization visit https://baltimorejewelrycenter.org/.

Private Trunk Show

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private trunk show kiawah island sc
Kaminer Haislip’s silver jewelry and home objects displayed at a Kiawah Island residence

Private Trunk Show

Recently for several exclusive groups I have done a private trunk show, so I decided to highlight one I did last week at a Kiawah Island, SC residence on my website Blog. I was invited to display for sale my handcrafted silver jewelry and functional home objects in the stunning home featured in these pictures. It was the perfect clean, contemporary setting for my silver pieces!

functional home objects contemporary silver trunk show
Kaminer Haislip’s silver functional home objects displayed in the kitchen of the Kiawah Island home

The group who invited me to do the unique presentation asked me to set up my silver designs throughout the gorgeous dining, living, and kitchen spaces. They loved seeing my jewelry and functional objects in this elegant home setting and my design aesthetic harmonized wonderfully with it.

private trunk show kiawah island house

The guests were able to peruse my work, discuss it and my handcrafted process with me during the event. As I do with most of my lectures, I brought a selection of my tools and silver works in progress to illustrate how I create my pieces from silver sheet and wire. The majority of the time, people only see the end product, so by incorporating the tools and in process pieces, I add an educational component to my presentations. They very much enjoyed seeing the works in progress along side the finished items!

handcrafted silver jewelry display trunk show

The home overlooks a gorgeous lagoon you can see from the expansive window views, open floor plan, and porches. The immense amount of light coming in through the numerous windows created a lovely illumination over my display and made my silver pieces really sparkle!

hammered silver jewelry silver bangle bracelet silver pendant silver necklace silver box
silver jewelry silver vase silver baby cup baby spoon hammered silver bowl silver cufflinks

I very much enjoy sharing my silversmithing work and doing a private trunk show. I welcome inquiries on how to bring my silver presentation to your special group, so please feel free to email me at kaminer@kaminerhaislip.com for details and fees. Thank you for your interest in my work!

Forged Silver Cheese Knife

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Silver cheese knife silver tray cheese plate appetizer serving accessories charcuterie plate

Forged Silver Cheese Knife

I am constantly asked how I make my silver pieces, so I am highlighting some of my processes on my website Blog to give insight into my handcrafted techniques. All of my designs are created with sterling silver sheet and wire through skilled fabrication techniques. Each object is made individually by my hands and I do not use casting or other mass manufacturing processes. For this blog post, my forged silver cheese knife illustrates one way I use forging in my silversmithing work.

Kaminer Haislip silversmith forged silver cheese knife silversmithing studio

Forging is a traditional metalsmithing technique that moves the metal by hammering the surface, and I mainly use this on flatware and utensils, because it gives the silver immense strength. Using a heavy hammer, forging stretches the metal and creates tension and toughness at the molecular level. Durability is of the upmost importance for functional objects and silver gains enough strength to hold its form precisely when work-hardened. Additionally, silver’s natural antiseptic properties make it the ideal medium for flatware and serving utensils.

silversmith workshop forging technique hammered silver

I begin my cheese knife by forging the shape from thick, solid sterling silver sheet. The blank begins smaller than the final form because it enlarges and expands during the hammering process on the dense steel block.

silver forging silversmith workshop handmade silver utensil

Next, I work the blade with a large planishing hammer to smooth the deep forging marks out of it and further refine the shape.

hammered silver cheese knife silversmith process handcrafted flatware

The hammer marks are then removed and the blade edge is honed razor sharp so that it will slice easily and work effectively. Finally, the entire knife is brought to a high shine on the polishing machine.

Polishing is another highly skilled process I will discuss in a future Blog post, so stay tuned.

silver cheese serving knife dining accessory silver flatware

My silver spreader is made the same way, so check out that piece in my website Shop as well!

silver spreader appetizer serving utensil handcrafted flatware pimento cheese server

For more information on how I handcraft my designs, visit the Handcrafted Process page on my website. Thank you for your interest in my silversmithing work!

Charleston Silver Lecture

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American College of the Building Arts silver lecture
Brandy Culp at the American College of the Building Arts
American College of the Building Arts silver lecture
Kaminer Haislip at the American College of the Building Arts

Charleston Silver Lecture by Brandy Culp and Kaminer Haislip

Brandy Culp, the Richard Koopman Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Wadsworth Atheneum, and I have recently given several lecture presentations on Charleston silver, so I was inspired to write a blog post discussing our unique collaboration. We have presented to private organizations and groups and last week we gave a lecture on Charleston silver for the American College of the Building Arts. The pictures in this post are from that event.

Kaminer Haislip and Brandy Culp at their Charleston silver lecture
Kaminer Haislip and Brandy Culp at their Charleston silver lecture

When Brandy and I collaborate on a Charleston silver lecture, we begin with her discussing colonial Charleston history and silversmithing. She is an expert in the decorative arts field and in particular metalwork. Brandy earned her Master of Arts degree with an emphasis in American decorative arts from the Bard Graduate Center. There she completed her thesis on the 18th century Charleston silversmith Alexander Petrie and the Carolina silver trade. The topic of metalwork remains one of her greatest interests, and she is currently working on a permanent exhibition of the Wadsworth’s English and American silver collections.

American College of the Building Arts Charleston silver lecture
Lecture attendees looking at Kaminer Haislip’s silversmithing tools, silver objects in progress, and finished silver items

Brandy ties my contemporary silversmithing brilliantly to historic forms and processes. I discuss in detail how I design and create my original, silver designs and use tools and in progress silver items to illustrate the relationship between my silversmithing techniques and past silversmith practices. Additionally, I bring a selection of finished silver hollowware, flatware, and jewelry for attendees to see in person during the lecture and up close after our slide presentation is over.

American College of the Building Arts Charleston silver lecture
Brandy Culp with lecture guests

We always save time for a question and answer session at the end of our lecture and spend time with guests after the event to take additional questions and socialize.

American College of the Building Arts Charleston silver lecture
John Paul Huguley and Kaminer Haislip after the lecture
American College of the Building Arts Charleston silver lecture
Brandy Culp with guests after the lecture

Brandy and I both are incredibly passionate about silver and very much enjoy sharing our silver knowledge. The combination of her historic metalwork expertise and my contemporary silver designs has been extremely well received each time we have done a presentation. If you are interested in having us speak to your group, organization, or college, then please email me at kaminer@kaminerhaislip.com. I can provide details, fees, and press material.

Thank you for your interest in silver!

Portfolio Items