Next Up: Spring Pop-Up Art Market April 20th 11am-5pm

Jasper Open Face Ring

Sterling silver and jasper

Kristina Malcolm

Reversed Venus Flytrap Ring

Sterling silver

Kristina Malcolm

Artist Statment:

Recently my work has reversed direction entirely. Swinging from being mostly finance driven to entirely a form of expression. When we first went into lock-down, I stayed in bed for six weeks. Thank goodness one day I had the epiphany that I needed to stop judging myself by other people’s standards. Somehow this let me move forward and later that day I went to my studio. There, I needed a simple project to get my motor running. I concluded that I needed to make something for myself. Whatever I wanted; not for sale. The result was the Open Face Jasper Ring shown here. I posted images online and people generously responded “Yay! Keep going!” So I did. Since that point, I’ve made fifteen pieces. The second image being my latest creation, which is kinetic. I also brainstormed ways I could compensate for my loss of income through shows and workshops. The first decision was to increase my social media presence and do research on driving a business with social media.

My research suggested #tbt posts were beneficial, so I started sharing information and images of historical metalsmiths. Then I opened an Etsy shop (HawkEyeSilverStudio). And most excitingly, I’ve started to write and sell basic metalsmithing tutorials with the idea that I can assemble these into a book. (One of my personal goals is to write a textbook for college/university introductory level metalsmithing.) I’ve also been thinking seriously about the impact of the COVID on Craft (with a capital c). There is a renaissance of the arts happening right now. We have to embrace what is uniquely ours and take risks as artists and makers. This will be our legacy.

Bio:

Kristina started her adventures in art at the University of Akron where she double-majored in Sculpture and Metalsmithing. Continuing her education on the West Coast for ten years, then she studied Installation Art, Metalsmithing, Classical Sculpture, Performance Art, and Feminist Art History. In 2003, the artist returned to Summit County, Ohio where she started her own silversmithing business. Kristina has been supporting herself as a full-time, self-employed artist for the past sixteen years as a metalsmith, instructor, writer, lecturer, and actively participates in the arts all over Ohio. In 2014, she was selected out of fourteen entries to create an outdoor sculpture for Boettler Park in Green, Ohio and then in 2015, she returned to the University of Akron as part-time faculty. Continuing at that University in 2016, the artist was also awarded “Best in Show” at the Akron Arts Expo and Art-A-Palooza (nationally recognized fine art festivals). One year later, Kent State University awarded her with a full tuition remission and stipend where she completed her MFA in late 2018. The following year was spent expanding her business and further developing materials such as glow-in-the-dark enamel; for which she was recognized in The Art of Fine Enameling, published in November 2019 and also was a recognized artist again for Akron Arts Expo. During the COVID 19 pandemic, Kristina has 24 pieces – titled TinkeRings that are online representing Ohio’s Designer Craftsman and work in the Baltimore Jewelry Centers, the Magnet Show. She is currently writing a metalsmithing textbook, online tutorials, stocking her Etsy account, and experimenting with her work. Kristina truly loves what she does and works toward increasing awareness and appreciation of the arts, entrepreneurship, and craftsmanship.