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New Guilloche Design Development

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new guilloche design development

Kaminer Haislip at the American College of the Building Arts

Silversmithing Studio in the Blacksmithing Shop

Photography by Paul Cheney

New Guilloche Design Development

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.

guilloche engine turning

guilloche engine turning hall straight line machine

guilloche engine turning hall straight line machine

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 rialto silver cuff bracelets

Sterling Silver Rialto Cuff Bracelet I & II 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 learned how to use it for both my artwork and to teach my students.

guilloche engine turning

guilloche engine turning hall straight line machine

The journey has been fascinating and sometimes frustrating as it is an extremely difficult process. It has been very meaningful and special to incorporate Guilloche into my work with my mentor and dear friend’s machine and carry forth his legacy with it. Rialto was my first Guilloche jewelry series and is a tribute to Alf.

guilloche rialto silver earrings

Sterling Silver Rialto Split Earrings by Kaminer Haislip

In March of 2025, I traveled to Le Brassus, Switzerland to study Guilloche with Calina Shevlin, one of the few experts in the world that teaches it. Coincidentally, or not, it worked out for me to leave on March 15, Alf’s birthday.

My travel and studies were funded in part by a grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission and the American College of the Building Arts. It was an incredible experience and I learned so much in just one week! Learning more about the mechanics of the machine was one aspect of my training, but expanding my Guilloche skills was the main focus of my time there.

guilloche engine turning

guilloche engine turning hall straight line machine

guilloche engine turning hall straight line machine

guilloche engine turning hall straight line machine

I’m so incredibly grateful for the support of the American College of the Building Arts not only for purchasing Alf’s Guilloche machine, but also for seeing the value in adding this unique process to our educational offerings at the college. It truly is an obscure art that very few metal artists ever have a chance to learn or experience.

My students in my Beginner Jewelry Making, Textures on Metals, and Intermediate Jewelry Making classes all have used it to put patterns and designs into their metal creations. Learning Guilloche in depth from a true master in Switzerland was important for not only building my skills, but being able to teach it to my students. I cannot wait to see what they craft next!

american college of the building arts guilloche

 

american college of the building arts guilloche

Two images above: Kaminer Haislip with her ACBA student Riley White, a Blacksmith

Over the past year since returning from Switzerland, I have honed my skills by practicing with the machine on lots of brass sheet before moving to silver. It is operated manually through a series of specific settings to achieve different engraved patterns on metal. Each engraved line is cut individually by hand to create the pattern, so it requires a lot of focus and concentration and is an extremely slow process.

guilloche engine turning hall straight line machine

guilloche engine turning hall straight line machine

guilloche engine turning hall straight line machine

After making prototypes in brass, then I make the final piece in silver. This past fall I introduced several new jewelry pieces to the Rialto collection. As my technique has progressed, I have been developing new Guilloche designs. I’m currently working on a new series, so stay tuned for those new pieces coming soon!

guilloche basketweave engraved pattern

 

Shop the current collection in my website store Jewelry category.

 

guilloche rialto silver pendant

Sterling Silver Rialto Fan Pendant Large by Kaminer Haislip

 

 

Canvas Rebel – March 2026

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canvas rebel

Canvas Rebel – “Meet Kaminer Haislip” – March 2026

guilloche canvas rebel

We recently connected with Kaminer Haislip and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kaminer, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

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. For both of my degrees I studied under Alfred Ward, an internationally acclaimed English silversmith from London. Alf introduced me to crafting functional silver objects, which was the perfect combination of my interest in jewelry and sculpture. When I graduated in 2005, I moved to Charleston, South Carolina and established my silversmithing studio and business.

For the past twenty years, I have been a professional silversmith focused on creating functional objects and hollowware. I have also produced numerous silver jewelry lines and worked in gold for custom commission projects. Sadly, Alf recently passed away, but he inadvertently introduced me to a new technique to add to my skillset.

The American College of the Building Arts in Charleston, South Carolina, where I teach an elective metalsmithing and jewelry class, purchased many of the 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 started learning how to use it for both my artwork and to teach my students. The journey has been fascinating and sometimes frustrating as Guilloche or Engine Turning is an extremely difficult process. Rialto was my first Guilloche jewelry series and is a tribute to Alf.

Last March, I traveled to Switzerland to learn Guilloche from Calina Shevlin, one of the few experts in the world that teaches it. My travel and studies were funded in part by a grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission and the American College of the Building Arts. It was an incredible experience and I learned so much in just one week!

Over the past year I have honed my skills, introduced several new jewelry pieces to the Rialto collection, and am currently working on a new Guilloche series. Stay tuned for the new collection coming soon!

silver martini shaker etched designKaminer, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I design and create all of my original, handcrafted silver 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. 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.

Fine craftsmanship is also an important hallmark of my hand-fabricated work. Each of my objects or jewelry items begin as silver 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 my metalwork is unified by elegant design and clean lines.

My artwork has been exhibited internationally and nationally, featured in over sixty publications, including Silver Magazine, 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. Finally, I collaborated with Reese Witherspoon’s Southern lifestyle company Draper James on an exclusive silver bowl and The Charleston Museum acquired my silver Charleston Rice Spoon for their permanent collection.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Silver is a commodity traded on the stock exchange and its price fluctuates based on the market. Since late 2025, the price of silver has been hitting record highs and has been bouncing up and down at a rate that is difficult to keep up with. Those dramatic variations can be very challenging to a small silversmithing business like mine, because I must plan accordingly for the silver I purchase to make pieces and the inventory I keep in stock.

Historically, when the dollar is weak, the price of silver goes up and when the dollar is strong, the price of silver goes down. However, inflation is down and growth is up, so investors seem to be flocking to it for other reasons. Supply and demand also affect the price of silver. Silver is used in a lot of technology, industrial, and medical products, which has recently skyrocketed demand. Deregulation is opening up more mining in the US, but it can take years to scale up production. It is a lot to track, and I only took basic economics in college, so it is knowledge I have gained by following the business sector.

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, so I must approach my business model in the same way as I did during the last silver price spike.

guilloche chevron rialto cuff bracelet

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Even though I started my business after graduate school twenty years ago and have made some challenging yet extraordinary objects over the course of my career, I still feel like I learn something new every day! Silversmithing is a lifelong pursuit that can never be truly mastered or perfected. It requires a strong work ethic, discipline to put in the long hours required to develop the extremely technical skills of a silversmith, and fortitude to meet the intense physical demands. You must be a creative designer, willing to sacrifice free time, and tenacious to earn a living as a silversmith. For me it is well worth the extra effort to spend each day following my passion.

I recently started teaching elective metalsmithing and jewelry classes at the American College of the Building Arts and presenting lectures on the rich history of silversmithing and how it relates to my contemporary silver designs. Being more involved in the academic and intellectual side of my medium has been very rewarding. At this point in my career, I enjoy sharing my knowledge, passing on my skills to the next generation, and educating the public on silversmithing.

Most of my lectures are presented at institutions or museums as public events and I teach one day jewelry and silversmithing workshops that are open to the public through a partnership with the American College of the Building Arts and Redux Contemporary Art Center. Please check my website Blog for those events, dates, and how to sign up!

silver teapot purple heart wood handle

Image Credits

Personal Photo Credit: Paul CheneyTeapot Photo Credit: Alexis Lorraine HowardMartini Shaker and Bracelet photos all taken by artist.

https://canvasrebel.com/meet-kaminer-haislip/

Charleston Magazine – November 2025

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Charleston Magazine

Holiday Gift Guide

November 2025

Many thanks to Charleston Magazine for highlighting my sterling silver Rialto Bracelet in their 2025 Holiday Gift Guide! It was such a lovely compliment to be included with my gallery representative Helena Fox Fine Art in this festive shopping feature.

charleston magazine holiday gift guide

charleston magazine holiday gift guide

Charleston Magazine – July 2025

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Charleston Magazine

Charleston Makers

July 2025

Many thanks to Charleston Magazine for featuring me as one of their Charleston Makers! To learn more about Charleston Makers and to view my video on their website, visit this link.

charleston magazine charleston makers

charleston magazine charleston makers

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.