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Legacy of a Mentor: The Artistic Influence of Alfred D. Ward – 2025

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alfred d ward winthrop university galleries exhibition

alfred d ward silver and ebony teapot

Silver and ebony teapot by Alfred D. Ward, Photography by Alexis Lorraine Howard

kaminer haislip silver purple heart teapot

Corresponding to an echo as it travels (teapot II), silver and purple heart, by Kaminer Haislip, Photography by Alexis Lorraine Howard

Legacy of a Mentor: The Artistic Influence of Alfred D. Ward

alfred d ward silversmith jewelry designer artist

October 13 – November 15, 2025

Winthrop University

Rutledge Gallery & Elizabeth Dunlap Patrick Gallery

Reception: November 13, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Featuring work from select alumni and previous students of Alf Ward.

Coordinated by Winthrop University Galleries

https://www.winthrop.edu/cvpa/galleries/index.aspx

133 McLaurin Hall

Rock Hill, SC 29733

kaminer haislip alfred ward university of london sir john cass

Kaminer Haislip and Alfred D. Ward at University of London Sir John Cass Silversmithing Studio in 2004

It truly is an honor to be invited to exhibit in Winthrop University’s exhibition Legacy of a Mentor: The Artistic Influence of Alfred D. Ward. This special exhibition will be on display from October 13 – November 15, 2025 in the Rutledge Gallery & Elizabeth Dunlap Patrick Gallery.

I studied under Alf at Winthrop for both my BFA in Jewelry and Metals and MFA in Silversmithing and Design. Alf was an internationally acclaimed British silversmith from London and I was extremely fortunate to have learned my skills from him. He had an immense impact on my life and put me on the path to where I am now.

alfred ward platinum brooch winthrop university exhibition

Platinum Brooch by Alfred D. Ward

 

A select group of alumni that studied under Alf have been invited to participate and show artworks that relate to Alf for this commemorative exhibition. My artworks include a silver teapot (pictured above), coffeepot, cream and sugar set, and Rialto Pendant Large (pictured below).

 

kaminer haislip silver Rialto Pendant guilloche

Rialto Pendant Large by Kaminer Haislip

A catalogue about the exhibition is being published by Winthrop University Galleries and will be available for purchase through them.

I will be in attendance at the reception on Thursday, November 13 from 5:30pm-7pm and I hope to see you there!

Bold Journey – August 2025

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bold journey

Bold Journey

Finding Your Why: Meet Kaminer Haislip

kaminer haislip bold journey

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

Hi Kaminer, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

Originally from 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.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

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.

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.

I am excited to present a silver lecture at the South Carolina State Library in Columbia, SC on Thursday, August 7, 2025 at 6:00pm. I will discuss historic Charleston silversmithing and how it relates to my contemporary silver designs. Additionally, I will display a selection of my silver functional home objects and jewelry and attendees will have an opportunity to purchase items.

This fall I have an exhibition and several holiday trunk shows coming up, so check my website Blog for those details coming soon.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Throughout my journey as a silversmith, the three qualities that have impacted my career the most are a strong work ethic, discipline to put in the long hours required to develop the extremely technical skills of a silversmith, and sound business practice. You must be a creative designer, willing to work hard, and tenacious to earn a living as a silversmith. Also, it is imperative that you know how to run a business and understand the precious metals market.

My best advice to people who are early in their careers is, there is no shortcut to experience! Being a successful artist no matter your medium takes time, dedication, 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 original designs.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

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 my late professor Alfred Ward’s 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 to teach oneself. Rialto, my first Guilloche jewelry series, incorporates the skills I have developed thus far.

This past 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. I am very excited to include the new patterns and skills Calina taught me into more jewelry designs and eventually functional home objects.

guilloche engine turning straight line

guilloche silver necklace engine turnedcontemporary silver pitcher silver oyster dishes

 

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

Palmetto Life – April 1, 2024

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palmetto life

live 5 news charleston

 

palmetto life helena fox fine art

Palmetto Life – April 1, 2024

Lights, Camera, Action! On April 1 Palmetto Life on Channel 5 in Charleston, South Carolina featured Helena Fox Fine Art and my silversmithing for a segment on Charleston’s First Friday Artwalk, organized by the Charleston Gallery Association. I was thrilled to be a part of an episode on this fresh new show that lights up weekday mornings at 9am on Live 5 WCSC.

Helena Fox Fine Art, who represents my work in their beautiful downtown Charleston gallery, gives a little glimpse behind the curtain, where they display my sterling silver hollowware and jewelry alongside many talented artists.

Thank you Charleston Gallery Association for highlighting Helena Fox Fine Art and my silversmithing designs for this wonderful Lowcountry television program!

View the exciting segment at the link below.

https://www.palmettolifesc.com/video/2024/04/01/video-first-friday-art-walk/

palmetto life helena fox fine art

 

 

The Scout Guide – Scouted Makers in the East, South, & Texas You Should Know About – 2024

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the scout guide beaufort & bluffton

the scout guidesilver coffeepot

The Scout Guide – Scouted Makers in the East, South, & Texas You Should Know About

Many thanks to The Scout Guide for highlighting my sterling silver and purple heart wood coffeepot in this exciting national feature! It truly is an honor and I sincerely appreciate the recognition of my silversmithing. Also, thank you to The Scout Guide Beaufort & Bluffton for their continued support of my work!

To read the article and see the other talented makers, please visit the link below.

Scouted Makers in the East, South, & Texas You Should Know About

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.

garden & gun magazine

garden & gun magazine aiken sc

Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver Exhibition – Aiken, South Carolina

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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

March 30, 2023 – May 3, 2023

Artworks by Kaminer Haislip and Leigh Magar

Aiken Center for the Arts
122 Laurens Street SW
Aiken, South Carolina

Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver brought together three contemporary artists—a silversmith, textile designer, and photographer—and a curator in 2018 at City Gallery located in Charleston, SC. Curator Brandy Culp worked with Jack Alterman, Kaminer Haislip, and Leigh Magar to weave a story based on their artwork and the Lowcountry’s deep culture both past and present. Haislip and Magar are now bringing a second version of this exhibition to Aiken Center for the Arts situated in historic, downtown Aiken, SC.

This exhibition explores the intersection between the past and present while recognizing that ultimately contemporary art and craft must be rooted in its own time. Inextricably linked, indigo and silver are transformative as raw materials, imbued with symbolism that transcends time and cultures, and imbedded within the early cultural fabric of the Carolina Lowcountry. Although inspired by Charleston’s cultural heritage, each artist brings unique contemporary perspective and original artwork to the exhibition. Interwoven will include silver hollowware, flatware and jewelry, textile art, and artist renderings.

Kaminer Haislip is the only practicing silversmith in Charleston that continues to employ traditional metalworking techniques and tools that have been used for centuries. As a contemporary silversmith, she is inspired by as well as carrying forth the city’s long-standing silversmithing tradition—the silver and metals manufacturing trade was vital to Charleston’s economy from the eighteenth through the early-twentieth centuries. With a nod to the past, she is most inspired by today’s domestic rituals and enhancing daily life through the creation of functional handcrafted objects that are entirely contemporary in form.

Additionally, Haislip received an artist grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission for a film project about her silversmithing. A television screen in the gallery will have the videos playing for the visitors to view. In the films, Haislip demonstrates traditional silversmithing techniques, such as how to make a silver bowl and silver serving spoon, and discusses her work in detail. This engaging educational element will enhance the viewer’s experience of the exhibition and illustrate silversmithing in an exciting way.

Milliner turned textile artist, Leigh Magar has established a small-batch label that combines art, fashion, history, and performance. The “Seed to Stitch” project was inspired by her sea island home’s Indigo history; both rich and tangled. The story of a young girl; Eliza Lucas Pinckney who had the vision of planting indigo and with the work of the enslaved, it was made into a cash crop in South Carolina during the mid 1700s. She interweaves design and nature with her local garden where indigo is grown and then used to create one-of-a-kind collections. Her work includes hand-dyed and hand-stitched garments and goods, textile art, and installations. Magar is inspired by traditional and simple sewing techniques, such as quilt making, rag quilting, and hand sewn-textiles, which she interlaces with contemporary, non-traditional elements.

In addition, Haislip, and Magar will create a collaborative installation for the exhibition inspired by the silhouette and miniature—art forms with long-standing Lowcountry traditions. Providing a modern look at historically significant mediums, these artists are transforming materials important to Charleston’s cultural fabric into contemporary art and inspiring appreciation of waning craft traditions among future generations. Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver will be a unique showing of silver and textile art as it relates the theme of indigo and silver.

Opening Reception – Thursday, March 30 from 6-8pm

Aiken Center for the Arts will host an opening reception for Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver on Thursday, March 30 from 6-8pm. It will be a great opportunity for the public to meet the artists in person and talk to them in the gallery with their artworks.

Stories from the Big Chair – Friday, March 31 from 6-8pm

Friday, March 31 engage with the exhibition during a free wine reception from 6-6:30pm in the main gallery and the power and craft of storytelling beginning at 6:30pm in the upstairs Brown Pavilion. Limited seating for storytelling, reserve your chair for $10 on Aiken Center for the Arts’ website. Join the guest speakers as they share perspectives, build points of connection, and unearth the wisdom and inspiration amongst us. Exploring the meaning of “Interwoven” from their perspectives will be Kaminer Haislip, silversmith, Madame Magar, indigo artist, and Dr. Walter Curry, local author and a mystery speaker.

Artist Lectures – Saturday, April 1 from 1-3pm

Lectures by artist Leigh Magar of the textile design studio Madame Magar and silversmith Kaminer Haislip will take place in the upstairs Brown Pavilion on Saturday, April 1, 2023 from 1pm-3pm.

Kaminer Haislip will present a lecture on the history of colonial Charleston silversmithing and how it relates to her contemporary silver designs. She will describe her handcrafted process in which she uses tools and techniques employed by silversmiths for centuries. Nationally recognized for her metalwork, Kaminer is the only silversmith practicing in Charleston. Inspired by Charleston’s long-standing silversmithing tradition, she feels compelled to carry it forth.

Madame Magar will present a lecture about her work and indigo farm that is inspired by nature, art, and history. She will talk about the rich yet tangled South Carolina indigo history that inspired her “seed to stitch” design philosophy and Madame Magar Blue School. Leigh will discuss her thought provoking, out of the box, one of a kind collections that intertwine art installations and performance with her design studio and shop.

For additional information on the exhibition, events, and programs visit www.aikencenterforthearts.org.

 

South Carolina 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.

Helena Fox Fine Art Trunk Show – December 2 & 3, 2022

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helena fox fine art

helena fox fine art

Helena Fox Fine Art in historic, downtown Charleston, SC

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez Photography

Helena Fox Fine Art Trunk Show – Charleston, SC

Helena Fox Fine Art represents my handcrafted silver designs and regularly carries a curated selection of my silver hollowware, flatware, home objects, and jewelry in their stunning historic, downtown Charleston art gallery. They are hosting a special event featuring my artwork on Friday, December 2 from 5pm-8pm and Saturday, December 3 from 12pm-4pm. Our Friday event will be part of the downtown Charleston artwalk for the month of December and we are thrilled to participate. I will exhibit a wider variety of my silver functional home objects, original jewelry designs, and Christmas ornaments than what the gallery usually shows during this festive holiday shopping event. I hope to see you there! Helena Fox Fine Art 106A Church Street Charleston, SC 29401 843-723-0073 www.helenafoxfineart.com

Silver Showing with The Charleston Silver Lady – December 8, 2022

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the charleston silver lady

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 Thursday, 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 Counseling Center next door.

This festive holiday shopping event will be very shiny and bright!