About the Jewelry and Metalsmithing Program

Program Overview

The three-year MFA graduate program is a 60-unit course of study in studio, art history, and professional practice, ranked in the top 5 MFA programs in Jewelry and Metalwork by US News and World Report. Technical support and facilities are provided to enable access to the broadest range of materials and processes, including digital fabrication. A weekly graduate seminar offered each semester provides dialogue that challenges students to be curious, fearless, rigorous, and inventive thinkers and makers.

Discipline-specific courses are complimented by multi-disciplinary graduate seminars, and studio electives, as well as dedicated graduate level professional practices, and college teaching experience courses. The program hosts an international roster of visiting artists/critics each semester. The diversity of work produced in the program is evidence of the program’s philosophy, which supports the individual voice as opposed to a program identity. The consistent character of the work is sophisticated personal expression, finding integrity in the contexts/subjects of jewelry and metalwork: domestic or personal scale, the inherent socio-political functions of decorative arts and fashion, conceptual design, and the languages of material and skill.

Past graduates of the MFA program have pursued many models of practice and are among the well-known studio jewelers and metalsmiths, designers, gallery owners, and university faculty throughout the U.S. and abroad.

Program Faculty

Jessica Andersen, Applied Design, Jewelry and Metalsmithing

Lecturer
jnanderson@sdsu.edu
View Jessica Andersen's Bio + Portfolio

Kerianne Quick, Jewelry and Metalsmithing

Associate Professor
kquick@sdsu.edu | Office: A-406
View Kerianne Quick's Bio + Portfolio

Sondra Sherman, Jewelry and Metalsmithing

Associate Professor
ssherman@sdsu.edu | 619-594-5116 | Office: ARTN-406
View Sondra Sherman's Bio + Portfolio

Leslie Shershow, Jewelry and Metalsmithing

Lecturer
leshershow@sdsu.edu
View Leslie Shershow's Bio + Portfolio

Helen Shirk, Jewelry and Metalsmithing

Professor Emeritus
hshirk@sdsu.edu
View Helen Shirk's Bio + Portfolio

Program Facilities

Jewelry and Metalsmithing Facilities

Non-ferrous Jewelry and Metalsmithing Workshop

The Jewelry and Metalsmithing studios are on the 4th level of the art building. The main non-ferrous metals facility consists of the following:

three large interconnected workshops providing jewelry bench space with torches for 24
a well-equipped metalsmithing studio with pewter-working area
adjacent ventilated annealing/patina area
sheet and wire rolling mill

metal band saw
small and large drill presses
3 belt sanders
titanium rectifiers
oxygen/acetylene torches
micro torch
watch lathe
grinder and buffing machines

disc cutters
50 ton hydraulic press
copper electroforming
spray etching
aluminum anodizing baths
large enameling kilns
36″ sandblaster
laser cutter

The studio also has centrifugal and vacuum casting equipment including a wax injector, vulcanizer, electromelt, and large burnout kiln. A photography set-up and camera for small-scale work is available in the metals studio for student use.

Full Interdisciplinary Facilities

To see all facilities that the School of Art + Design has to offer, please view our “Tour the Facilities” page.

Visiting Artists

Jewelry and Metalsmithing Visiting Artists

Jessica Andersen

Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Applied Design

Sofia Bjorkman

Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Applied Design

Metal flower with intricate floral designs embossed

Jeff Clancy

Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Applied Design

Ruudt Peters

Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Applied Design

Kerianne Quick

Jewelry and Metalsmithing

Sondra Sherman

Jewelry and Metalsmithing

Leslie Shershow

Jewelry and Metalsmithing

Helen Shirk

Jewelry and Metalsmithing

For a list of visiting artists and artist in residencies related to all disciplines, visit the Visiting Artist Programs page.

Related Student Organizations

SNAG (for Jewelry and Metalsmithing students)

Student Membership

SNAG is arguably the most recognized professional organization in the field of jewelry and nonferrous metalsmithing. Students are encouraged to join at a discounted rate to gain access to a professional network of ceramic artists, exhibitions, competitions, conferences, publications, and other resources.

About SNAG

“The Society of North American Goldsmiths stands for passion, innovation and excellence in jewelry, design and metalsmithing. SNAG creates community, professional connections, and the unfettered exchange of information.

Through SNAG, you will be a part of the unique jewelry and metals field at its source.