Posts

Silver and Indigo Charleston Exhibition Lecture – September 8, 2018

silver and indigo

 

Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver Exhibition Lecture

Saturday, September 8 at 2pm

Works by Kaminer Haislip, Leigh Magar, and Jack Alterman

Curated by Brandy S. Culp

August 25, 2018 – October 7, 2018

City Gallery
34 Prioleau Street
Charleston, South Carolina

The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs presents Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver, on view at City Gallery through October 7, 2018. This exhibition features approximately 60 works by three contemporary Lowcountry artists who explore indigo and silver as both conceptual inspiration and materials of handicraft. Silversmith Kaminer Haislip, textile designer Leigh Magar, and photographer Jack Alterman exhibit independent pieces as well as collaborative installations in media ranging from silver hollowware, flatware and jewelry to textile art, portraiture, and photography. The exhibition was curated by Brandy S. Culp, Richard Koopman Curator of Decorative Arts at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut, who has worked closely with these artists over a two-year period.

An artists’ talk will be held at City Gallery on Saturday, September 8 at 2 p.m. Both the gallery and lecture are free and open to the public.

Charleston Magazine – September 2018

Charleston Magazine interviewed silversmith Kaminer Haislip about the collaborative exhibition Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver, which includes her, textile artist Leigh Magar, photographer Jack Alterman, and curator Brandy Culp. Maura Hogan wrote the lovely complimentary Charleston Magazine article below. The exhibition will be on display at the City Gallery in historic downtown Charleston, SC August 25-October 7, 2018. An artist lecture will take place Saturday, September 8 at 2pm.

Visit Kaminer’s website Blog for details.

 

charleston magazine september 2018

 

charleston magazine september 2018 cover

Forging Ahead

By Maura Hogan

Kaminer Haislip was more or less born with a silver spoon in her mouth. “We always had a set of silver for every day,” she recalls of her childhood in Aiken. It’s no wonder she now creates functional works of art in the precious metal—from sleek pitchers to delicate jewelry. After she earned her MFA in silversmithing from Winthrop University in 2005, stylish Southerners began seeking Haislip’s striking pieces; among them was Reese Witherspoon, whose lifestyle brand, Draper James, included her “Magnolia Bowl” in its inaugural 2015 collection. Haislip’s latest project is an exhibit at the City Gallery, “Interwoven: The Art of Indigo & Silver,” guest curated by Brandy S. Culp, which displays her work alongside that of photographer Jack Alterman and textile artist Leigh Magar.

Early inspiration: I grew up in my family’s hardware and appliance business. Being around all of the tools and equipment showed me that working with my hands could be a career. I became interested in metalsmithing in high school when I saw the metal sculptures at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC.

Artistic aesthetic: My work is clean, fluid, and modern. I like the traditions of silver, but I try to design within my own time and not just replicate the pieces my grandparents had.

On the process: I make everything entirely by hand through almost the same techniques as colonial silversmiths. Fortunately for me, technology has advanced—I have rolling mills for silver sheet, compressed gas for my torch, and polishing machines for buffing.

 

silversmith Kaminer Haislip

Silversmith Kaminer Haislip’s elegant-but-practical works are on display in a new City Gallery exhibit

Hidden meanings: Most of my pieces have an underlying concept. My “Nest Bowl,” made of woven sterling silver wire, stems from the idea that how one builds a home by selecting objects is similar to how a bird collects things like twigs and branches for a nest.

Creating a home: My home décor is very eclectic—everything from midcentury vintage and antique pieces my husband and I have inherited to Michael Moran furniture. Contemporary art rules the walls, but we collect from all craft media and periods.

“Interwoven”: Indigo and silver were integral to Charleston’s early economy. Indigo crops generated wealth, and silver was a literal display of that capital. While Leigh and I are both inspired by our mediums’ historical significance, our work is very contemporary in form. Jack’s photos explore indigo and silver through portraits of other local artists who are also influenced by the materials.

Exhibit highlight: Leigh and I collaborated on an installation inspired by the silhouette and the miniature, both traditional Lowcountry art forms. I made three silver oval frames, and Leigh created silhouette-inspired indigo textile portraits to go inside.

To see the full feature, visit http://charlestonmag.com/features/forging_ahead

Silver and Indigo Exhibition Opening + New Designs

silver and indigo exhibition

Silver Rice Spoon by Kaminer Haislip and Boo Hag Blue Indigo Baskets by Leigh Magar
Photograph by Jack Alterman

Silver and Indigo Exhibition Opening + New Designs

Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver exhibition opens to the public this evening, Friday, August 24, with a reception at City Gallery from 5-7pm. See below post for details on this Charleston silver and indigo exhibition and the Press page on this website for publicity. An artists’ lecture will take place at City Gallery Saturday, September 8 from 2-3pm. Both events and the gallery are free and open to the public.

Kaminer Haislip’s silver objects and jewelry exhibited in Interwoven is for sale. Purchases can be made by going to the Interwoven Exhibition Shop category on this website or by emailing info@kaminerhaislip.com. To view the pieces in the exhibition, visit the Interwoven Exhibition Portfolio category on this website. Both categories are temporary and will only be up for the exhibition duration.

Interwoven will be on view August 25-October 7, 2018. Do not miss this rare chance to see Kaminer’s silver objects and jewelry in person! Her fine art exhibitions mainly take place in the northeast and in museums around the country. It is extremely uncommon for her large scale hollowware to be seen in Charleston due to the lack of contemporary craft and design venues. We hope you will not pass up this extraordinary opportunity!

Kaminer’s website has been updated with her latest designs created specifically for Interwoven. Visit the Interwoven Exhibition categories mentioned above to view the artworks in the exhibition and to make purchases. Also, visit her Home and Jewelry Shop categories for additional new designs that are not in the exhibition.

Rio Grande

 

A wholesale supplier to jewelers and metalsmiths since 1944, Rio Grande is proud to sponsor the work of acclaimed silversmith Kaminer Haislip in Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver.

 

 

Kaminer Haislip’s involvement in this exhibition is funded also in part by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Program, through their joint administration of the Lowcountry Quarterly Arts Grant Program, and by the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation.

Charleston Magazine – August 2018

Charleston Magazine highlighted in their August issue Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver, the collaborative exhibition that includes artists Kaminer Haislip, Leigh Magar, Jack Alterman, and curator Brandy Culp. The exhibition will be on display at the City Gallery in historic downtown Charleston, SC August 25-October 7, 2018. Visit Kaminer’s website Blog for details.

charleston magazine august 2018

charleston magazine august 2018

Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver Exhibition – Charleston, SC

indigo and silver

Silver Nest Bowl by Kaminer Haislip and Boo Hag Blue Indigo Baskets by Leigh Magar
Photograph by Jack Alterman

Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver

Works by Kaminer Haislip, Leigh Magar, and Jack Alterman

Curated by Brandy S. Culp

City Gallery
34 Prioleau Street
Charleston, South Carolina

August 25, 2018 – October 7, 2018
Opening Reception August 24 from 5-7pm
Artist Lecture September 8 from 2-3pm

The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs presents Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver, on view at City Gallery August 25 through October 7, 2018. This exhibition features approximately 60 works by three contemporary Lowcountry artists who explore indigo and silver as both conceptual inspiration and materials of handicraft. Silversmith Kaminer Haislip, textile designer Leigh Magar, and photographer Jack Alterman will exhibit independent pieces as well as collaborative installations in media ranging from silver hollowware, flatware and jewelry to textile art, portraiture, and photography. The exhibition is curated by Brandy S. Culp, Richard Koopman Curator of Decorative Arts at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut, who has worked closely with these artists over a two-year period.

City Gallery will host an opening reception for the exhibition on Friday, August 24 from 5-7 p.m. An artists’ talk will be held on September 8 at 2 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.

An interdisciplinary showing of indigo and silver as they relate to contemporary craft, Interwoven brings together three artists who are deeply influenced by Charleston’s cultural heritage. For centuries, indigo and silver have been highly prized commodities among various cultures and the objects created from these raw materials are infused with symbolism and significance. Indigo and silver were essential to the early history of the Carolina Lowcountry—one a product that generated wealth, the other a literal display of this capital, and both integrally tied to enslaved labor. Works such as Haislip’s rice spoons, Magar’s rag quilting, and Alterman’s portraits demonstrate the artists’ profound appreciation of history and place, acknowledging complex, intertwined legacies.

“Providing a modern look at historically significant mediums, these artists are transforming materials important to the city’s history into contemporary art,” Culp says. “Through this project, the artists and I hope to create a dynamic and innovative exhibition that celebrates current design in Charleston as well as inspiring appreciation of waning craft traditions.” While compelled by Charleston’s rich and diverse heritage surrounding indigo and silver, each of the artists brings a unique, contemporary perspective to the exhibition.

Nationally recognized for her metalwork, Kaminer Haislip is one of few formally trained silversmiths practicing in Charleston. Her work was most recently highlighted in the Museum of the City of New York’s exhibition New York Silver: Then and Now. Inspired by Charleston’s long-standing silversmithing tradition, Haislip feels compelled to carry it forth. “Through my metalwork,” she explains, “I seek to enhance daily life by creating functional handcrafted objects that give a nod to the past but are entirely contemporary in form.” Hand-forging her flatware, hollowware, and jewelry, Haislip uses the very tools and techniques employed by silversmiths for centuries. Interwoven features nearly 30 of her handcrafted objects, as well as several hand-drawn designs and select forms in progress, all to illuminate the art of the silversmith.

Milliner turned textile artist Leigh Magar has established a small-batch label that combines art, fashion, history, and performance. Her “indigo seed to stitch” project was inspired by Eliza Lucas Pinckney, who brought this cash crop to the Carolina Lowcountry in the mid-1700s. Magar interweaves design and nature with her local garden, where indigo is grown and then used to create contemporary hand-dyed, hand-stitched garments, goods, and textile art. Interwoven highlights Magar’s wide range of indigo-dyed textile artworks, including items rooted in traditional quilt making and rag quilting as well as those which feature contemporary, non-traditional elements.

A native of Charleston and an award-winning photographer, Jack Alterman has participated in numerous multimedia exhibitions and one-man shows. With a new photography series focusing on color, texture, and creation, Alterman conceptually explores indigo and silver through portraits of local artists who are influenced by or who directly work with these materials. This series complements Magar’s indigo and quilted portraits of key figures, such as musician Nina Simone and Eliza Lucas Pinckney. “When I began this collaboration with an indigo artist and a silversmith, my thoughts were mainly focused on the raw materials with which they worked,” Alterman says. “Then I expanded my vision to capture a wide variety of contemporary artists [in Charleston] who are influenced by the shades and textures of indigo and silver. They are each unique, but all are connected by this time, this place and their use of indigo and silver as they seek to capture our unique culture.”

This exhibition has been organized and curated by Brandy S. Culp. The project is funded in part by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department through their joint administration of the Lowcountry Quarterly Arts Grant Program, and by the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina. Additional support has been provided by Rio Grande, a wholesale supplier to jewelers and metalsmiths since 1944.

City Gallery, located at Joe Riley Waterfront Park, is owned by the City of Charleston and operated by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, presenting an annual program of exhibitions and events featuring the finest contemporary art from local, regional, national and international artists, with a focus on the Lowcountry. City Gallery provides access to the visual arts for everyone in Charleston, visitors and residents alike, by offering exhibits that are all admission-free.

City Gallery is located at 34 Prioleau St. in downtown Charleston, and gallery hours of operation are 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday as well as 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information and holiday closures, visit www.charleston-sc.gov/citygallery or call 843-958-6484.

 

Rio Grande

 

A wholesale supplier to jewelers and metalsmiths since 1944, Rio Grande is proud to sponsor the work of acclaimed silversmith Kaminer Haislip in the “Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver” exhibition.  

 

Silver Magazine – July/August 2018

Silver Magazine highlighted in their July/August issue Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver, the collaborative exhibition that includes artists Kaminer Haislip, Leigh Magar, Jack Alterman, and curator Brandy Culp. Silversmith Kaminer Haislip’s handcrafted silver pitcher was the feature image on the far right side of the second image below.

The exhibition will be on display at the City Gallery in historic downtown Charleston, SC August 25-October 7, 2018. Visit Kaminer’s website Blog for details.

silver magazine

silver magazine feature

MISC – Everything Murrells Inlet

everything murrells inlet

 

MISC – Everything Murrells Inlet Art Gallery

The gorgeous art gallery MISC – Everything Murrells Inlet is now carrying a selection of my silver, handcrafted jewelry! Located in the Historic District of Murrells Inlet, SC, they have a stunning array of artwork, home interior furnishings, decorative art objects, and handmade jewelry by talented South Carolina artists. They also offer custom picture framing and interior design services by Going Coastal Design.

In April I was invited to give a lecture to the Daughters of the American Revolution Carolina Gold Chapter in this beautiful space and so enjoyed it! I had a great time making new friends, seeing all the great artwork, and getting to know the wonderful owner Bernie Delgado. It was fun to connect with other DAR ladies over silver and art!

Visit this lovely gallery at 4493 Highway 17 Business in Murrells Inlet, SC or call 843-357-3507 for more information. Hours are Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5pm.

misc

Charleston Trunk Show – May 10, 2018

Noddy Trunk Show

Trunk Show at Noddy with Kaminer Haislip and Cameron Schwabenton’s The Mommy Pop Shop!

I am so excited to collaborate with my friend and incredibly talented interior designer Cameron Schwabenton and gorgeous downtown Charleston southern goods boutique Noddy for this trunk show!

My handcrafted silver jewelry and home interior products will be shown for sale during the trunk show. Cameron’s new company The Mommy Pop Shop will display for sale her couture mid-century inspired Mommy Pop pillows. The Mommy Pop Shop is fondly named after Cameron’s beloved southern grandmother and her handcrafted pillows come in a wide range of colors.

Noddy proudly represents each state in the South and offers items for the home, men, women and man’s best friend. The majority of their curated products were made by southerners—thus creating an extraordinarily refreshing shopping experience. Noddy is located at 86 A Queen Street in downtown Charleston.

Come shop the fun variety of items and enjoy a glass of wine!

https://www.noddycharleston.com/

https://www.mommypopshop.com/

https://www.cameronstewartdesign.com/

 

“How did you get into silversmithing?”

“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 his father 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!

 

Corporate Gift Commissions

oyster earrings

Corporate Gift Commissions

Kaminer Haislip offers services for corporate gift commissions that include custom designed jewelry and silver products. A recent custom corporate gift that is featured on this post was commissioned for a company retreat held at the resort Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, SC.

Kaminer was inspired by the shape of a Lowcountry oyster shell and designed these silver Oyster Earrings and Oyster Dish specially for the group in attendance. The ladies were given the silver earrings and the men the silver dish as the company retreat gift.

Additional previous corporate gift commissions include silver condiment spoons for the ladies and silver bar or cocktail spoons for the men, custom designed Christmas ornaments, and cufflinks.

Visit the Commission page on this website to find out how to commission Kaminer to design and create a unique gift for your company or corporation!

 

oyster dish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Portfolio Items