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South Carolina Voyager – February 2025

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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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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.

 

The Charleston Museum Acquires Charleston Rice Spoon by Kaminer Haislip

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The Charleston Museum Acquires Charleston Rice Spoon by Kaminer Haislip

charleston rice spoon kaminer haislip silver

I am incredibly excited and honored to announce The Charleston Museum has acquired my sterling silver Charleston Rice Spoon for their permanent collection! Many thanks to Chad Stewart, Curator of History, for his support of my work and the effort he put into making this acquisition happen.

charleston museum

The Charleston Museum was founded in 1773 and is commonly regarded as “America’s First Museum”. Inspired in part by the creation of the British Museum, the Museum was established by the Charleston Library Society on the eve of the American Revolution and its early history was characterized by association with distinguished South Carolinians and scientific figures including Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Reverend John Bachman and John J. Audubon.

They have an exceptional collection that focuses on the South Carolina Lowcountry and includes artifacts of natural history, historical material culture and both documentary and photographic resources. Their mission is to educate Charleston area residents and visitors about the natural and cultural history of the South Carolina Lowcountry through collections, exhibitions, preservation, conservation, research and related programming.

charleston museum silver gallery

The Loeblein Gallery of Charleston Silver, representing the South’s finest silversmiths, from the colonial era through the present, is my favorite permanent exhibition in the museum. Chad was gracious enough to provide a private tour for the South Carolina Silver Society this past spring and it was wonderful to hear his insights into the important objects they steward.

The Charleston Museum has the largest known assemblage of Charleston­-made silver, so it truly is an honor to have one of my silver pieces in their collection. However, they have many other fabulous exhibits and galleries I highly recommend!

charleston rice spoon kaminer haislip silver

The Charleston Rice Spoon, derived from the English Stuffing, Basting, or Gravy Spoon, historically had a long handle and traditionally was 14-16″ in length. During the 18th and 19th centuries, rice was an immensely important crop to Charleston’s economy and became a diet staple, so the rice spoon was developed.

The Charleston Museum has an amazing collection of historic Charleston Rice Spoons and they influenced my silver spoon design. Even though I am inspired by historic objects, I like to put my own original, contemporary twist on them.

silver magazine

My silver Charleston Rice Spoon was featured on the cover of Silver Magazine for an article I wrote for them last fall. The article can be read on my website Press page.

Additionally, in 2017 my contemporary take on this historic spoon was honored with an American Heritage Award by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The details of that award can be read on my website Blog.

Finally, you can shop my silver Charleston Rice Spoon in my website store Home category.

Garden & Gun Magazine – April/May 2023 Issue

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garden & gun magazine

Garden & Gun magazine highlighted in their 2023 April/May issue Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver, the collaborative exhibition that includes silversmith Kaminer Haislip and indigo textile artist Leigh Magar. The exhibition will be on display at Aiken Center for the Arts in historic downtown Aiken, South Carolina March 30-May 3, 2023. Visit Kaminer’s website Blog for details.

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garden & gun magazine aiken sc

Charleston Magazine Club Event at Helena Fox Fine Art – July 2022

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helena fox fine art

Helena Fox Fine Art in downtown Charleston, SC

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

Charleston Magazine Club Event at Helena Fox Fine Art Gallery – July 2022

Charleston Magazine Club hosted its July gathering at Helena Fox Fine Art gallery in historic, downtown Charleston. The fun event was held two nights due to very positive demand and it was a private reception with premier American painter West Fraser and silversmith Kaminer Haislip.

West is the gallery’s featured artist for August with an exhibition of his recent paintings, so the group was able to preview his new artwork. Kaminer’s silver functional home objects, flatware, and jewelry is regularly carried at the gallery and she exhibited a wider selection than what they typically show for this special event.

helena fox fine art

Kaminer Haislip, West Fraser, and Helena Fox

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

Each night both West and Kaminer gave a presentation on their artwork detailing their inspiration, artistic process, background, and how their careers have progressed over the years.

kaminer haislip

Kaminer Haislip presenting her artist lecture

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

kaminer haislip silversmith

Kaminer Haislip presenting her artist lecture

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

west fraser artist

West Fraser presenting his artist lecture

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

 

west fraser artist

West Fraser presenting his artist lecture with

Kaminer Haislip’s silver tea and coffee service in the foreground

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

Charleston Magazine Club members were treated to delicious refreshments of wine, cocktails, and food by Goat Sheep Cow, Helena Fox Fine Art’s neighbor on Church Street. Kaminer Haislip’s silver appetizer fork and condiment spoon were used to serve the tasty meats, cheeses, and spreads.

silver appetizer fork

Silver Sounding Series Appetizer Fork by Kaminer Haislip

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

silver condiment spoon

Silver Sounding Series Condiment Spoon by Kaminer Haislip

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

After the artist lectures, the guests were invited to view the artwork in the gallery and talk to the artists.

charleston magazine club

Kaminer Haislip with a Charleston Magazine Club member

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

charleston magazine club

Kaminer Haislip with a Charleston Magazine Club member

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

Kaminer Haislip’s silver functional home objects were displayed throughout the gallery and her silver jewelry was shown in a display case.

silver tea and coffee service

Kaminer Haislip’s silver tea and coffee service, silver and glass Ziggurat Tray, and silver Charleston Rice Spoon

kaminer haislip silversmith

Kaminer Haislip’s functional silver objects

kaminer haislip silver

Kaminer Haislip’s silver serving spoons

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

kaminer haislip jewelry

Kaminer Haislip’s silver jewelry

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

silver bangle bracelets

Kaminer Haislip’s silver bangle bracelets

If your group is interested in hosting a similar event with Kaminer, then please get in touch with Helena Fox Fine Art. Kaminer really enjoys sharing her artwork and giving insight into her handcrafted silversmithing process!

New South Finds – December 2021

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New South Finds – December 2021

New South Finds is an online magazine by Linda Jerkins, a longtime newspaper features writer who wrote a column called Southern Made for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. In the column, which appeared twice a month for six years, she profiled more than 400 artists from across the South, including Kaminer Haislip. Her enthusiasm for discovering and writing about Southern artists and their work continues with newsouthfinds.com.

She and Kaminer recently reconnected and she interviewed Kaminer about her current artwork for the December issue of New South Finds. The lovely, complimentary feature is below.

silver pitcher silver cup

Kaminer Haislip wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth. But she creates stunning silver spoons and more in her South Carolina studio.

The artist: Haislip grew up in Aiken, SC, and worked in high school at her family’s True Value hardware and appliance store, cutting keys and working around lots of tools and equipment.

The experience influenced her interest in sculpture, jewelry and working with her hands. So she signed up for an industrial tech class to learn how to weld.

After high school, Haislip earned a BFA in jewelry and metals and an MFA in silversmithing and design from Winthrop University. There she studied under Alfred Ward, an internationally acclaimed silversmith from London.

The company: Founded in 2005, Kaminer Haislip Designer + Silversmith is based in Charleston.

The art & materials: Sterling silver hollowware, functional home objects, serving utensils and jewelry. She also works in gold for custom commissioned pieces.

What’s popular:

  • Sounding series hollowware, tumblers, appetizer serving utensils ($140 to $3,250).
  • Oyster jewelry ($110 to $1,735).
  • Baby gifts ($125 to $425).
  • Custom designs.

Other favorites:

  • Oyster dishes ($175 to $500)
  • Bar spoons ($165 to $185)
  • Wine coasters ($415)
  • Men’s accessories ($110 to $325)
  • Christmas ornaments ($70  to $160)

Inspiration: The concept of enhancing domestic rituals through traditional silversmithing techniques coupled with a contemporary yet timeless design.

“For me, using a thought-inspiring yet functional teapot enhances the process of making tea,” she said. “When a beautiful, well-designed object and domestic ritual are united, a connection between person and object occurs — and an appreciation of function results.”

 Fun, special or unusual requests: Custom-designed commissioned work is a big part of her business. This year she had one large commission that stood out.

“It was a large silver globe titled ‘Mother Earth’ (pictured right) that required many different processes and a lot of problem solving. It was one of the most complicated objects I have ever made and I really enjoyed the challenge.

Big break(s): Two notable collaborations, including:

– A silver sculpture titled “Pillinger” created with designer Constantin Boym for the Museum of the City of New York’s exhibition, “New York Silver, Then and Now” in 2017.

– A silver Magnolia Bowl for Draper James, a Southern lifestyle company founded by Reese Witherspoon in 2015.

 Awards:

  • SC House of Representatives house resolution honoring artwork and Daughters of the American Revolution American Heritage Award, 2021
  • Daughters of the American Revolution, American Heritage Contest, First Place in Crafts: Jewelry category, 2021
  • Samuel Gaillard Stoney Conservation Craftsmanship Award, Historic Charleston Foundation, 2014
  • Made in the South Awards, Home category, Garden & Gun magazine, 2012

Honors:

  • Her work has been featured in more than sixty publications, including Metalsmith, The Magazine Antiques, Elle Décor, Garden & Gun, and on the TV show Handcrafted America.
  • This year the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, CT, created a film about her work as a silversmith for its “Virtual Visit” series. She collaborated with museum curator Brandy Culp on the project.
  • Her work has been exhibited internationally and nationally, including at The Netherlands Silver Museum in Schoonhoven, the International Design Museum in Munich, and the Metal Museum in Memphis.

What’s new: A small new jewelry collection titled “Gorget Jewelry Series.” ($135 to $175).

Where to buy: kaminerhaislip.com. Also at Helena Fox Fine Art in Charleston.

Get social at: Instagram: @kaminerhaislip

See the full feature on New South Finds’ website at https://newsouthfinds.com/kaminer-haislip/

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

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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!

Quail Forever Benefit Event – November 22, 2021

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quail forever

Quail Forever Benefit Event – Monday, November 22, 2021

I am very excited to participate in this Lowcountry holiday market and benefit event for Quail Forever co-hosted by the Charleston Mercury! I will have my silver jewelry, functional home objects, and Christmas ornaments displayed for sale.

The event will be held Monday, November 22 at the Boone Hall Cotton Dock in Mt. Pleasant, SC from 4-9pm and the details are above. I hope to see you at this festive, Southern event!

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

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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

 

“How did you get into silversmithing?”

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“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 he 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!