News
Jewelry and Metals Students travel to West Coast for Annual Goldsmith Conference
June 29, 2018
VMA students in the Jewelry/Metalsmithing program attended this year's Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) conference in Portland, OR May 23-27.
This year's conference was titled MADE: Makers Across Disciplines. While celebrating traditional and innovative techniques alike, the conference sought to engage makers and other creative individuals who push the boundaries of our field with a cross-media sensibility. Peter Antor, GVSU Art&Design 2011 alum, and Caitlin Skelcey, Jewelry and Metals Adjunct Professor, were featured speakers as Emerging Artists in the field.
Peter discussed how architecture influences his work and the impact he sees it making across multiple disciplines. He will also cover how understanding his material has allowed him to take this influence and apply it to jewelry, sculptures, and furniture. Skelcey discussed her research and practice, where, through digital and traditional fabrication, she explores the relationship between human anatomy and the technology we use to enhance, deviate, extend, and create an identity.
The annual event is an opportunity for students to get in touch with active professionals in the field, watch keynote lectures, attend portfolio reviews, and participate at the already famous pin swap. at this moment of camaraderie, attendees bring pins and exchange with other conference attendees and network, talk shop, and have fun.
Scholarship monies to attend the conference were awarded to current students: Alexis Wethy, Holly McDermott and Castina Bombardo from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship.
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Front Row: Alex Zielinski Gabrielli, Alexis Wethy,
Betsy Vollmar, Beverly Seley, Castina Bombardo, Sookyung Augustin,
Caitlin Skelcey; back row: Linnea Songer, Holly McDermott, Tabatha
Gulino, Sarah DeKeivit King, Abbey Hunter, Peter Antor, David Huang