Sarah is a Chicago-based metalsmith and jeweler whose sculptural objects and jewelry attempt to confront her conflicted relationship with expected power roles. Sarah received her BFA in Crafts: Material Studies and Sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University and her MFA in Studio Art from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Sarah currently lives, works and teaches in Chicago, Illinois.The struggles to obtain prestige and power are active in my objects. Utilizing the formats and histories of badges, medals and trophies, my objects negotiate power through material, process and function. Rigid industrial steel is heated to red-hot and through the muscular process of blacksmithing is rendered into delicate and ornate curves. Silky and fleshy stockings are transformed into structural knotted veins that control and maintain shape and order. Presenting objects where material expectations are reversed yet opposing materials visually relate works to confront my conflicted relationship of expected power roles.
www.sarahholdenmetalsmithing.com
Education
2008 – 2011 Master of Fine Arts, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Studio Art, Milwaukee, WI.
2004 – 2008 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Virginia Commonwealth University, Major in Crafts/Material Investigation, Minor in Sculpture, Richmond, VA.
Select Exhibitions
2013 Monochrome Noir, Velvet da Vinci Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Chain, A CASA Museum of Brazilian Object, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
2012 One and Only, ARTspace Gallery, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI.
JAWAchic: Jewelry and Wearable Art, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, IL.
Re-Fresh, Brooklyn Metal Works, Brooklyn, NY.
Raising Awareness, Big Old Building, ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI.
Stamina, Work Gallery, Detroit, MI
Charmed III: Third Times a Charm, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburg, PA.
La Noche del Broche, Equinox Gallery, San Antonio, TX.
2011 JAWAchic: Jewelry and Wearable Art, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, IL.
Wisconsin Artists Biennial, Anderson Arts Center, Kenosha, WI.
Connect, Georgetown Art and Cultural Center, Seattle, WA.
Cooperation Tableware, Fancy Gallery, Seattle, WA.
Staple, Goods Seattle, Seattle, WA.
In der Sudsee, Friends of Carlotta Galerie, Zurich, Switzerland,
online exhibition, http://www.foc.ch/suedsee_doku.php
North American Graduate Art Survey, Katherine E Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN.
2010 Form, Fabricate & Forge, Southern Illinois Metalsmith Society Student Exhibition, Carbondale, IL.
Art of the Table, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
Would You Wear This?, Exquisite Corpse Gallery, Kalamazoo, MI
2010 National Juried Exhibition: Textural Patois, Allen Priebe Gallery Oshkosh, WI.
Kate Brandt Pink, University of Wisconsin Union Art Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
Earrings Galore, Heidi Lowe Gallery, Rehoboth, DE
Charmed, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA
20/3/20, Mike Ruta Gallery, Chicago, IL.
2009 Fibers Expanded, Luke and Eloy Gallery, Pittsburg, PA
Port Moody Wearable Art Awards, first prize in brassiere category,
Port Moody Arts Centre, Port Moody, BC, Canada
Present/Represent, Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference
Juried Digital Student Exhibtion, Philidelphia, PA
Earrings Galore, Heidi Lowe Gallery, Rehoboth, DE
2008 Metal Inclinations, The Society for Midwest Metalsmiths,
International Online Juried Exhibition, http://www.smm-metalinclinations.org/
Materials Hard and Soft, Greater Denton Arts Council, Denton, TX
School to Market, American Craft Council Show, Baltimore, MD
2007 Driven, Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference,
Juried Digital Student Exhibtion, Memphis, TN
Radical Jewelry Makeover, Quirk Gallery, Richmond, VA
Body Coverings: Bikinis to Burkas, Red Thread Studio, Suffolk, VA
Juried Fine Arts Student Show, Anderson Gallery, Richmond, VA
2006 Wearable Art 9: Uber, 1708 Gallery, Richmond, VA
Experience
2012-present Jewelry Instructor, The Art Center - Highland Park, Highland Park, IL.
2012-present Jewelry Instructor, Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL.
2011-present Metal Sculpture Instructor, Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL.
2011-present Assistant Manager, Responsible for photography, web design, print design, sales and customer contact as well as booth design, installation & de-installation at both retail and wholesale trade shows, Laura Tanner Jewelry, Evanston,IL.
2011 Visiting Artist Lecture and Demonstration, School of The Art Institute of Chicago,
Sculpture Department, "Unusual Connections," Chicago, IL.
2010 – 2011 Project Assistant, Responsible for maintaining compressed gas and spending records
for the Metals and Sculpture Areas, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI.
2009 – 2010 Installation Assistant, Sienna Gallery, SOFA Chicago, Chicago, IL.
2009 – 2010 TA, Instructor of Record, Sole Instructor of 18 Introduction to Jewelry and
Metalsmithing students, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
2008 – 2009 Project Assistant, responsible for maintaining compressed gas and spending records
for both the Metals and Sculpture Areas, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee,
Milwaukee, WI.
2008 – 2009 Teaching Assistant, shadowed and assisted professor Frankie Flood, University of
Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
2007 – 2008 Assistant Bench Jeweler, Chamblin Design, Richmond, VA,
2006 – 2007 Jeweler’s Services, Inc., polisher and bench assistant, Richmond, VA,
2007 1708 Gallery, volunteer internship to non-profit gallery, Richmond, VA
Awards and Honors
2010 Graduate Student Project Assistantship, assistant in the Jewelry and Metalsmithing and
Sculpture Areas, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
2009 Graduate Student Teaching Assistantship, Instructor of Record – Introduction to Jewelry
and Metalsmithing, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
2008 Graduate Student Project Assistantship, assistant in the Jewelry and Metalsmithing and
Sculpture Depts, University of Wisconsin, Milwuakee, Milwaukee, WI
Chancellor’s Graduate Student Award, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
2007 Undergraduate Research Grant, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Undergraduate Fellowship, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA
Allan A Eastman Founders Fund Award, Department of Craft, Virginia Commonwealth University,
Richmond, VA
Tuition Scholarship, Peters Valley Craft Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Layton, NJ
Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference Scholarship,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Memphis, TN
Publications
2007 Kingsley, Susan. Hydraulic Die Forming for Jewelers and Metalsmiths. Carmel: 20 Ton Press,
2007: pg 11. Image of original artwork.
2006 Cue: Style Weekly’s Fashion Quarterly. “Swirly Ring.” Pg 6. Image of original artwork