Need inspiration for holiday gifts? Leave it to the pros: Charleston artists
By Maura Hogan
December 7, 2019
Artistic metal
Silversmith Kaminer Haislip’s jewelry also reflects beautifully on Lowcountry culture. Her artful, modern lines lend a new, fluid twist to Charleston’s favorite bivalve, by way of her sterling silver Oyster Series. From single-shell earrings to luxe linked bracelets, from lustrous cuff links to dreamy dishes, the works join the organic and the minimal to stunning, silvery effect. Prices vary. For more information, visit kaminerhaislip.com.
https://www.kaminerhaislip.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/logo-silver-jewelry-kaminer-haislip-340x156-VERDANA-1.jpg00adminhttps://www.kaminerhaislip.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/logo-silver-jewelry-kaminer-haislip-340x156-VERDANA-1.jpgadmin2019-12-08 15:29:302019-12-13 16:17:33The Post and Courier Holiday Gift Guide 2019
Kaminer Haislip is participating in the annual Night of 1000 Lights in historic downtown Aiken, SC on Thursday, December 12 from 6-8pm. Sponsoring businesses will stay open late, thousands of gorgeous luminaries will line the streets of downtown Aiken, and there will be wide variety of fun holiday activities taking place. This exciting event, organized by the Aiken Downtown Development Association, is a tradition not to be missed!
During the event, Kaminer’s handcrafted silver jewelry, functional objects, and Christmas ornaments will be displayed for sale at her family’s business, True Value Hardware & Appliance, located at 121 Laurens Street. Stop by True Value to see her work and enjoy some holiday cheer!
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My silver Oyster Jewelry Series has been so incredibly popular, I have expanded the collection to include new earrings, necklaces, pendants, and bracelets. I am very excited about these new additions to my oyster jewelry line and spent a lot of time on the designs, construction methods, and wearability of each piece.
What started out as a pair of earrings for a corporate commission based on the Lowcountry oyster has developed into a full collection of original and thoughtful jewelry. When first approached with this corporate gift for a group retreat at Palmetto Bluff, I wanted to create a jewelry design that was a contemporary, abstract interpretation of a Lowcountry theme that mainly is approached literally and cliche. When I began drawing the designs, I focused on designing the oyster shape as organic with enough information it was recognizable but not so much that it was a literal regurgitation of the real form.
I choose square silver wire for the construction, because I wanted the contrast of something organically shaped with geometric material. The four sides of the wire catch the light beautifully and highlight the detailed, hand formed shape of the oyster. The smooth, high shine finish is integral to the design, because the slick surface reflects the light to emphasize the form. Each wire oyster is crafted entirely by hand, which is a labor intensive and time consuming process. The wire shapes look delicate, but in fact they are very strong and durable due to the tension put into the wire from the hand forming process.
An oyster develops characteristics unique to the waters in which they grow, a metaphor for how place can shape an artist’s work and how Charleston has influenced my artwork. The design has elegant, clean lines that are based on the exterior contour of oyster shells found in Bull’s Bay, just north of Charleston. The shape and repetition of the units in several designs reference the continuous connection to the saltwater marshes surrounding Charleston. By interpreting the form to the essential shape, I came up with a completely original and new design.
Charleston has influenced my silversmithing design of home functional objects since I moved here from Charlotte fifteen years ago. It has been a fun, out of my typical element experience to design an entire jewelry collection inspired by a Charleston theme. As I am sure you can tell, I am very excited about this body of work and hope you will be as well!
To view and Shop the entire collection, visit the Jewelry category of my online store. Thank you for your interest in my work!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.”
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.
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/.
https://www.kaminerhaislip.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/logo-silver-jewelry-kaminer-haislip-340x156-VERDANA-1.jpg00adminhttps://www.kaminerhaislip.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/logo-silver-jewelry-kaminer-haislip-340x156-VERDANA-1.jpgadmin2019-06-05 23:06:212019-06-05 23:09:02Baltimore Jewelry Center Exhibition
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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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.
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.
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.
Next, I work the blade with a large planishing hammer to smooth the deep forging marks out of it and further refine the shape.
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.
My silver spreader is made the same way, so check out that piece in my website Shop as well!
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!
Brandy Culp at the American College of the Building Arts
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
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.
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.
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.
John Paul Huguley and Kaminer Haislip after the 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.
This silver and purple heart wood coffeepot is now sold exclusively through Helena Fox Fine Art.
Charleston Gallery Representation
I am extremely excited to announce Helena Fox Fine Art is now representing my handcrafted silver designs in their stunning downtown Charleston art gallery! They are now carrying on an on going basis a curated selection of my silver hollowware, flatware, home objects, and jewelry. Some items, such as the silver coffeepot shown above, will be sold exclusively through them. Noted on my website Shop are those items, so you must get in contact with them or visit their gorgeous art gallery in order to purchase them.
They are formally welcoming me on Friday, March 1 from 5-8pm during the Charleston Gallery Association artwalk. During that event and on Saturday, March 2 from 11am-4pm, a wider selection of my silver home objects and jewelry will be shown. I hope to see you at one of those events!
Helena Fox Fine Art is located in the historic South of Broad neighborhood in downtown Charleston, SC
Helena Fox Fine Art welcomes Charleston Silversmith Kaminer Haislip
CHARLESTON, SC, March 1, 2019 – – Helena Fox Fine Art, LLC is pleased to welcome Kaminer Haislip, Silversmith to the gallery.
We are thrilled to announce that silversmith Kaminer Haislip will be joining our gallery in March. Join us on Friday March 1, 2019 to welcome Silversmith Kaminer Haislip to the gallery—artist reception from 5-8pm during the Charleston Gallery Association spring artwalk.
Ms. Haislip’s work expands
our idea of what can be done with sterling silver. Using basically the same
techniques as colonial silversmiths Kaminer creates sleek and sculptural
objects for the home as well as sophisticated jewelry. Many of her pieces have
hidden meanings—such as the ‘nest bowl.’ In the object you see the layering of
larger and smaller sterling wires that intertwine to create a bowl shape, much
like you might see in a birds nest. Many of her designs are modern
interpretations of the world around us, such as her ‘Oyster’ series of jewelry
which echoes the familiar shape of an oyster shell in sterling wire.
‘I like silversmithing,”
Kaminer explains, “because it is midway between sculpture and jewelry.”
Laughing she adds, “although my parents wanted me to make jewelry since it was
more practical as a career.” After earning her MFA in silversmithing from
Winthrop University in 2005, Southern tastemakers began seeking her out for her
striking pieces. Among them Southern sweetheart and founder of lifestyle brand
Draper James, Reese Witherspoon. She found Ms. Haislip through the Garden and
Gun Made in the South awards where Ms. Haislip was a runner up in the overall
home wares division in 2012.
Join us on March 1st and give our newest artist a warm welcome. Jewelry and home objects will be on display with a larger selection available through Saturday March 2nd.
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