Inner Glow - Holding Place

Materials: Copper, acrylic Ink
Dimensions: 8.5"h x 7.5"w x 7.5"d

Photo credit: Gipson Lori

Lori Gipson
Kent, OH. USA

My fundamental interest in hollowware comes from the making process. I find the sound of the hammer blows to be soothing and comforting, creating a repetitive rhythm that lets my mind go to a quiet state where my thoughts organize themselves, problem solve and design pieces. I love seeing the piece grow and come to life in my hands, developing a unique personality.

While working in an undergraduate program, I challenged myself to master the material. I experimented with how the metal moves and its plasticity while learning and gaining control. Mastering the movement of metal has allowed me to continue to push the boundaries of what metal will do when being formed.

As a Master’s Candidate at Kent State University, I have switched the visual focus from the outside to the inside of the vessel, exploring the idea of functionality and questioning what a vessel is meant to contain.


These containers and vessels definitely hold their place in the world of stunning art objects as well as in the world of metalsmithing.

Since the dawn of time humans have created containers to hold things that were important to them, from large vessels to hold food and harvests to intimate containers for small precious things. They might hold memories, ashes, medicine, beverage, fruit or food - but all spring from the imagination and skill of the maker. Some have specific religious functions, some are meant for everyday use. When one thinks of a vessel or container the inclination is to think of something with solid walls - yet many of these works involve the exploration of positive and negative space, and the use of negative space to help create the illusion of the wall of the vessel.

As the world’s largest jewelry related internet site, Ganoksin strives to develop exhibitions showcasing work from around the world. This exhibition was open to all metalsmiths, professional and amateur, advanced and beginner. Participants are from The Netherlands, the USA, Canada, Australia, Costa Rica, the United Kingdom, Israel, Hong Kong, Colombia, Romania, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia and Denmark. While most of the pieces are by an individual metalsmith, some are collaborations, one of three artists spanning 50 years.

In total 319 artists contributed 729 show pieces for the permanent online exhibition.

Objects in the exhibition include boxes, lockets, urns, ash containers, bowls, wine cups, reliquaries, match holders, vases, teapots, pitchers, sugar bowls, baskets, nests, pillboxes, clutches and a range of sculptural forms. A variety of techniques are showcased covering a wide range of metalsmithing techniques. Materials used include everything from gold and silver to less expensive metals. Ornamentation includes the addition of enamel, chasing and repousse’, gemstones and found objects.

The exhibition was curated by Beth Wicker, President of the North Carolina Society of Goldsmiths in the United States, and Adjunct Instructor at Northeastern Technical College in South Carolina. Director of the exhibition is Hanuman Aspler, founder of The Ganoksin Project, the world’s largest internet jewelry site.

http://www.ganoksin.com/exhibition/var/albums/HoldingPlace2013/Lgipson1.jpg