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South Carolina Voyager – February 2025

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south carolina voyager

South Carolina Voyager

Rising Stars: Meet Kaminer Haislip of Charleston
February 19, 2025

kaminer haislip silversmith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaminer Haislip.

Hi Kaminer, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
A native of Aiken, South Carolina, I grew up in my family’s hardware and appliance business. This experience directly influenced my interest in creating three-dimensional objects and working with my hands. During high school I became enthusiastic about sculpture and jewelry, so I enrolled in the industrial tech class and learned to weld.

I attended Winthrop University for my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jewelry and Metals and Master of Fine Arts in Silversmithing and Design with a minor in Sculpture. While earning my MFA, I interned at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, taught the Jewelry II and III classes as well as jewelry workshops at Winthrop University. For both of my degrees I studied under Alfred Ward, an internationally acclaimed English silversmith from London.

After graduation, I moved to Charleston, South Carolina and established my studio. I design and create all of my original, handcrafted designs utilizing techniques that have been used for centuries. Inspired by Charleston’s extensive silversmithing tradition, I am dedicated to carrying forth that legacy. In addition to my work as an artist, I am frequently commissioned by individuals to create unique objects and jewelry in silver and gold.

My work has been exhibited internationally and nationally, featured in over sixty publications including Metalsmith, The Magazine Antiques, Traditional Home, Elle Décor, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, Charleston Magazine, Charleston Weddings, and on the TV show Handcrafted America. I was honored with the Made in the South Award in the Home category from Garden & Gun magazine and with The Eric Berg Prize for Excellence in Metal at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show. Additionally, Historic Charleston Foundation honored me with the Samuel Gaillard Stoney Conservation Craftsmanship Award. I am an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the national organization has awarded me four American Heritage Competition awards for my artwork. Finally, I collaborated with Reese Witherspoon’s Southern lifestyle company Draper James on an exclusive silver bowl.

I live in downtown Charleston, South Carolina with my incredibly supportive husband Matthew Quinn and cocker spaniel Hannah.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Silver is a commodity traded on the stock exchange and its price fluctuates based on the market. When the dollar is strong, the price of silver goes down, but when the dollar is weak, the price of silver goes up. Right now the price of silver is high due to excessive government spending and the inflation it has caused. Those fluctuations can be very challenging to a small silversmithing business like mine, because I have to plan accordingly for the silver I purchase for projects and the inventory I keep in stock.

During the 2008/2009 Great Recession, which happened only three years after I started my business, the price of silver was very high. At that time, I started making more jewelry and had to get creative with the amount of silver I used in my functional home objects. Currently, I face similar challenges, but am confident the economy will improve over the next year or so and the price of silver will go back down.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Through my metalwork, I seek to enhance daily life by creating functional handcrafted objects that give a nod to the past but are entirely contemporary in form. I am inspired by the concept of enhancing domestic rituals through traditional metalworking techniques coupled with an innovative approach to design and production. Currently, I am the only practicing silversmith in Charleston and my process is directly tied to the city’s immense craft traditions. As a silversmith working in Charleston, I am carrying on the legacy of the city’s rich history by employing techniques that have been used for centuries.

In my work, art and form combine to create designs for living—the function of the object contributes to that design. In my view, functional objects have visual and conceptual relationships to art and living. The clean-lined visual aesthetic, emphasis on function, and ergonomic relationship to the human form that characterizes my work further enhances that connection. For me, using a thought inspiring yet functional teapot enhances the process of making tea. When a beautiful, well-designed object and domestic ritual are united, a connection between person and object occurs and then an appreciation of function results. In my work, I strive to make these themes evident and to encourage people to interact with form and function.

Fine craftsmanship is also an important hallmark of my hand-fabricated work. All of my objects or jewelry items begin as sheet or wire and then are manipulated utilizing traditional silversmithing techniques, such as forging, raising, and fabricating, to create the final piece. My design approach focuses on a timeless quality that is durable and lasts rather than steered by fashion or fleeting trends. My concepts vary for different series, but all of my metalwork is unified by elegant design and clean lines.

Additionally, designing and creating custom commission jewelry and objects for clients is another facet to my metalsmithing. A commission piece merges the client’s vision for a specific object with my technical and artistic ability. For me this combination is a unique approach to designing, because it creates an opportunity for my work to take a new direction.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
There is no shortcut to experience! Being a successful artist no matter your medium takes time, dedication, discipline, and ambition. It is very difficult to make a living as an artist, so you must have good business and practical skills as well as creative, original designs.

silver oyster dish silver jewelry

silver coffeepot

guilloche necklace

See the full feature on South Carolina Voyager’s website at the link below.

https://southcarolinavoyager.com/interview/rising-stars-meet-kaminer-haislip-of-charleston

Guilloche Lecture – Thursday, April 17, 2025

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acba

American College of the Building Arts

Guilloche Lecture by Kaminer Haislip

Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 6pm

kaminer haislip guilloche grant awarded

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.

silver guilloche pendant

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

https://acba.edu/

 

 

sc arts commission

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

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le brassus switzerland

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

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.

kaminer haislip guilloche

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.

 

rialto pendant small

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!

 

sc arts commisisonThis 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.

New Guilloche Jewelry Series

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guilloche engine turning

New Guilloche Jewelry Series

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.

guilloche silver pendant

Sterling Silver Rialto Pendant Large by Kaminer Haislip

Sadly, my college professor Alfred Ward, an internationally acclaimed silversmith from England, recently passed away. The American College of the Building Arts in Charleston, South Carolina, where I teach an elective metalsmithing and jewelry class, 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. This first jewelry series incorporates the skills I have developed thus far.

sterling silver guilloche earrings

Sterling Silver Rialto Split Drop Earrings by Kaminer Haislip

Inspired by the Art Deco era, an influence over my artwork since I began silversmithing, Rialto Jewelry Series gives nod to the layered, geometric designs of the style and the use of Guilloche to decorate surfaces. This jewelry collection was designed with the glamour and energy of the period in mind.

sterling silver guilloche necklace

Sterling Silver Rialto Split Pendant by Kaminer Haislip

Many years ago, Alf and I discussed going into business together and Rialto, which has associations with Art Deco, was going to be the name of our company. I thought it was appropriate to give this first Guilloche jewelry series that name, since I created these pieces using his machine. It has been very meaningful and special to incorporate Guilloche into this new collection with my mentor and dear friend’s machine and carry forth his legacy with it.

Shop the collection in my website store Jewelry category.

 

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