Get to know silversmith Kaminer Haislip

12 Questions with Silversmith Kaminer Haislip

1.If you didn’t work with silver, what medium would you create in?  Likely another type of metal, because I enjoy the properties of metal and each one has its own distinct characteristics. Silver just happens to be my favorite for its malleability, ability to retain its form when tension is put in it, and its mirror finish shine.

2.What has been your favorite commission so far? Why? My favorite commission so far was a 14k white gold and forty carat red topaz pendant. The client provided the gorgeous, huge stone, and the project gave me a chance to work outside of my regular comfort zone. The Art Deco design end result was stunning and I really enjoyed working with the client on the piece.

Bar and entertaining tools from the Sounding Series collection

Ms. Haislips Sounding Series is based on a design motif of rounded triangle forms. Pieces in the series include a pitcher, tumbler, beaker, cheese knife, spreader, appetizer fork, condiment spoon, and bar spoon. The original designs are a unique array of contemporary entertaining utensils and cups. The name comes from how a sound changes as it echoes and each piece is a variation on the rounded triangle design. 

3.When you are working on designs where do you draw your inspiration from? Nature tends to be a recurring theme in my artwork and topics I have explored include bird nests, bird forms, coral reefs, and now oysters. I like the challenge of trying to represent something organic in a hard material with my own abstract twist on the subject matter.

4.What do you do to relax, get away? For relaxing I enjoy reading anything from periodicals, jewelry and silver art books, to fiction. My husband and I both work so much getting away can be hard, but we like to take an annual trip to relax on our own and also carve out time to see family.

5.Wine, beer, or hard liquor? Go-to libation these days? I generally drink beer and Michelob Ultra is my go to! With meals wine and I tend to gravitate towards white wine.

6.If you could visit any country in the world, where would you go and why? The Amalfi Coast in Italy is on my bucket list not only for the beauty of the area, but also for the history and architecture.

Kaminer Haislip modeling pieces from her Oyster collection–sterling silver jewelry inspired by the shape of our lowcountry favorite, the humble oyster.

7.What do you listen to in the studio? Podcast or music or silence or something else? Typically, I do not listen to music or podcasts and prefer to focus on my work and the process at hand. The techniques and expensive materials I use require me to be very present or otherwise a mistake can be harmful or costly.

8.If you could have coffee with any artist living or dead who would it be? The colonial Charleston silversmith Miles Brewton would be someone I would love to have a conversation with. It is amazing how much silversmiths could accomplish with limited technology several centuries ago. It would be fascinating to hear how they did it!

9.Last book you read? Glenn Adamson’s Fewer Better Things: The Hidden Wisdom of Objects was the last book I read and I highly recommend it to people interested in material knowledge and three dimensional objects.

Some of the pieces from Kaminer Haislips Oyster series of sterling silver jewelry

10.Guilty pleasure binge watch? I don’t normally watch tv other than the news, but recently my husband Matt and I discovered The Righteous Gemstones, which is filmed in Charleston and on HBO. It is hysterical and spot on with southern stereotypes, which I enjoy being from the south.

11.Favorite Charleston activity? We are very fortunate to have beautiful parks in Charleston and when I lived in the gallery’s neighborhood I took my cocker spaniel Ansel every day to White Point Gardens. Now that we live on the upper peninsula, we frequently got to Hampton Park. Each park not only has beautiful grounds, but a lot of interesting history as well.

12.Dream commission/installation/creation? I would absolutely love to create a contemporary epergne, which is a silver centerpiece for a dining table that usually holds fruit or flowers. It is a historic and traditional object I feel could be reinterpreted in a really exciting, sculptural way.

Holloware Kaminer Haislip displayed at the City Gallery in Charleston, S.C. as part of the exhibition of Interwoven: The Art of Indigo and Silver

Join us on November 1st and 2nd to view Kaminer Haislips collection in conjunction with Classically Contemporary: Julyan Davis and Kaminer Haislip. Artist reception from 5-8pm on November 1st and trunk show on November 2nd from 11-4pm at Helena Fox Fine Art 106-A Church St., Charleston, S.C. for more information please contact us at 843.723.0073 or gallery@helenafoxfineart.com.