333_4_HelenShirk9JDCB.PBL.indd 56 3 _ 4 _ H e l 56 ORNAMENTMENT 33.4.33.4.201020 e n S where noted. x 25.420.3centimeters,2004. COMMEMORATIVE CUPXVIIofcopper,patina,coloredpencils;27.9 12.5 x8.91.3centimeters,2009. GREEN AMBERTRACEBROOCH h i r k 9 J D C B . P B L . i n d d

5 6 Photographs byHelenShirk,except

of silver,chinapaint;oxidized, Above : CLARICE’SFANCY S The pendantneckpieces,thecatalog andtheshowitselfarea that day.“Iworeitforher goodluck,”Shirkexplains. including onefromacurrentstudent havingheradvancement reception, Shirkwearsatrioofthesetokensaroundherneck, and cameasatotalsurprisetoShirk.Nowfewdaysafterthe for graduatestudentswhohavecompletedtheircoursework, clearly touchedbythegesture.Itisatraditionusuallyreserved placed onthewallforpurposeofdisplayingthem. each onerestingtheirtokensofappreciationonametalrack thirty-five yearsasaprofessorproceededinlinetowardher, each one.Students,colleagues,peers,thosetouchedbyShirk’s the neckwirestheywore,ahandmadependantdanglingfrom suddenly thosesurroundingShirkreacheduptounclasp and IngridPsutysharedsomewordsabouttheshow, Later thatevening,ShirkandcolleaguesSondraSherman signing theirnotesofgratitudeandappreciationonitspages. yearbook forShirk,withstudentsfromrecentandpastyears doors totheEverettGeeJacksonGallery,readinglikeasortof copy oftheshowcatalogrestedonapodiuminfront her demandingbutever-encouragingtutelage.Aspiral-bound Shirk’s classes,otherssharedmemoriesofworkingunder department. Somearrivedwearingpiecestheycreatedin Professor andHeadoftheJewelryMetalwork as years agocametocelebratehercareerandcontributions A “It feltlikeIwasinsomeancientceremony,”Shirksays, SDSU, Shirk’sstudentsfromasfarbackthirty for PointsofDeparture:HelenShirkandAlumni t SanDiegoStateUniversity’sopeningreception HIRK H

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333_4_HelenShirk9JDCB.PBL.indd 57 3 _ 4 _ H THE e l e n S sense of order and place it gives her. sense oforderandplaceitgivesher. her relationshiptonature,andthe celebratory objects,commemorating own work,vesselsandjewelryserveas at SanDiegoStateUniversity.Inher generation ofjewelersandmetalsmiths craftsmanship andintegritytoanew brought herhighstandardsof For thirty-fiveyearsHelenShirk strong, graphicshapeswitheroded, acid-etchedsurfaces.The inspiration forvesselforms. turning theseimagesintodrawingsthatwouldserveasnew them.” Shebegantophotographnaturalformsandsurfaces, struck bythegrowingstructuresanddisintegrationof “The desertwassortofscaryandexotictome.Ireally California desertsespeciallycaptivatingtheEastCoastnative. her focusturnedtoitsvibrantnaturalenvironment,withthe invigorating afterthegray,rainywinterspentinLondon,and a newdirection.TheSouthernCalifornialandscapewas format ofjewelry. eventually wasdisenchantedwiththesmallscaleandwearable She createdaseriesofsterlingandtitaniumbrooches,but Edward DeLarge,andtheirvaryingcolorsintoherwork. refractory metals,the“new”jewelrymaterialsintroducedby Shirk jumpedatthechancetoincludetitaniumandother polished surfacesandminimalornamentation.Inthe1980s with thecoolnessherworkexuded,itssleeklines,high characteristics ofthispopularstyle.ButShirkwasdissatisfied of a1963FulbrighttoDenmark,andincorporatedthe silver vesselsandjewelryfromthisperiodwereareflection Scandinavian-influenced designsinthe1970s.Hersterling Shirk’s workevolvedovertheyears, professor andcelebratedmetalsmith. testament tothebreadthofShirk’sinfluenceinheryearsasa h i r k 9 J In patinaedcopperandbrass, her earlyvesselsboasted A yearlongsabbaticaltoEnglandin1984movedShirk An innovatorandveteranintheworldofmetals, D C B

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5 7 Jill A.DeDominicis beginning withherearly studio, 2010. x 5.1centimeters,1975. HEMATITE BRACELETofsilver,copper,brass,delrin,hematite;7.6x Photograph byCarlChase. Above: Helen ShirkinherLaMesa,California, 66/22/10 11:47 AM / 2 2 / 1 0

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A M 333_4_HelenShirk9JDCB.PBL.indd 58 3 _ 4 _ H e l 58 ORNAMENT 33.4.2010 e n S were “affirmations of survival, growth and connection,” and were “affirmationsofsurvival,growth andconnection,” jewelry series.”Fabricatedin layersofsilverandgold,they micro-torch, andwhatemerged fromtheexperiencewasa I wasdyingtowork.Davidhad alittlestudioathomeand thriving systemofnaturallife.“Afteraboutthreemonths, bush notsevereandthreateningassheexpected,butrathera she reflects.ShewassurprisedtofindtheareaandAustralian and timefornewexperiences.Andyoujusthavetosee,” just evolvedasitdid.Itwasreallygivingmyselfthatspace some showthatIwasgoingtodotheminutegotback—soit the landscape.“Ididn’tmakeithardformyself—Iset the intentiontodraw,photographandabsorbcharacterof no concreteplansforabodyofwork,butrathersetoutwith aesthetic. Giventherelativelyshorttimeframe,Shirkmade Australia—a pivotalmomentthatwouldsolidifyShirk’s exchange withDavidWalkerofCurtinUniversityinPerth, appearing evermorefragileandtentative. development becamemoreintricate,thevesselsweresimplified, for theworkaswell.Assheexperimentedandherpattern joints.” Theearthyrangeoftonespatinasoffersuitedthesource grow. Theygrowinlayers;theydon’tfabricated when Iwenttothesource,itfitsowellwithwaythings that thoseweredecisionsmadeforpracticalreasons,but and two-dimensionalbending.Thestrikingthingaboutitwas processes athome.Sobasicallyitwouldallbepatternwork all becoldconnected,thiswayIcouldhandlethescaleand parameters formyself,”shesays,“whichwasthatitwould advantage oftheUniversity’sstudiofacilities.“Imadesome birth tosonNathaniel,sowasunableworklateandtake her homestudioinconjunctionwithteachingandhadgiven cycles oflifeanddeath.Atthetime,shewasworkingfrom organic texturessuggesteddecompositionandthenatural BRACELET TR8ofsilver,titanium;anodized,1982. h i r k 9 J In 1993Shirkmadeplansforasix-monthfaculty D C B . P B L . i n d d

5 8 Eventually thepiecesleftboundariesofroundvessel lighter senseofoptimismthantheearlieracid-etchedvessels. in vividbluesandgreens,richredsyellows,bringinga ideal solution,andsooncoveredthehammeredmetalsurfaces control overtheendresult.Coloredpencilsprovedtobean diversity seeninAustralian She wantedgreaterrangeofhue,tomatchthefantastic allow, Shirkexploreddifferentmethodsofcoloringhervessels. Sustaining SpiritXVIvessel. protruding outofaconicalbase,inworkslikeherlarge pieces,” they losttheirbackgroundsandkindofcameoutthe Gradually Iwantedthosepartstobethreedimensionaland dimensional, butbasicallywithatwo-dimensionalsurface. a three-dimensionalperson,andthepieceswerethree Soon Shirkwantedtotakethepiecesevenfurther.“I’mreally liked workingoffthoseformsandIcoulddoitathome.” inches indiameter—thebiggesttheirlathecouldhandle.I home. “Theyrangedanywherefromtwentytotwenty-four one.” ShefoundalocalprecisionmetalshopnearherLaMesa because ifIscreweditupknewhadtomakeanother grunt work,andIfeltlikewasn’ttakingtheriskswantedto shop, furtherfreeingherforexperimentation.“It’skindof decided tohavethevessels’cylindricalbasesspuninametal ones beforethem,”saysShirk.“AndIjustgotlooser.”Shirk became muchmorefreeandcolorful,moodythanthe a moreopenandsensuousapproach.“Thebowlsjust but eventuallyrevertedtoherinterestinvessels,thistimewith an antithesistoherearlierhighlypolishedwork. sea. Theirhammered,texturedandfile-finishedsurfaceswere reflected Shirk’sinterestinnaturalforms,ofbothlandand the localflora. developed whileonfacultyexchange inPerth,Australia,inspiredby centimeters, 1994.Thisbroochispart ofthejewelryseriesHelenShirk BROOCH AS8SPIRALofsilver,eighteen karatgold;11.4x5.12.5 In thequestforawiderspectrumoftonesthanpatinas She continuedtheseriesuponreturningtoSanDiego, an evolution visible in the raised botanical elements, an evolutionvisibleintheraisedbotanicalelements, Banksia and other plants, and more andotherplants,more 66/22/10 11:47 AM / 2 2 / 1 0

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A M 333_4_HelenShirk9JDCB.PBL.indd 59 3 _ 4 _ H e l e n S been commemorative, it’s been functional, it’s been storage. It been commemorative,it’sfunctional,storage.It categories havethishugehistoryofthevessel.Thevesselhas “It’s thehistory.Ialsoloveceramicsandbothofthose interpreting designs.OfherinterestinthisformShirksays, like thelargesketchesshemakeswhenbrainstormingand has astrongattractiontothevesselandanurgeworkbig, career. Whileappreciativeofthetraditionjewelry,Shirk larger formatofthevesselcontinuestoplayaroleinShirk’s are present. it provides, the paradoxofnature’sbeautyanddecay,protection of illuminate someofthedeepermessagesinShirk’swork—that reflects the illusionofasortcrackled liver ofsulfur,thesedepressionsareoxidizedblack,giving marks untouched.Later,whenthe sits onthehighestspots, When laiddownonthesurface,pencilpigmentnaturally pencil furtheraccentuatesthedimensionalityofhervessels. for theseworks. and thatinherSouthernCaliforniahomeasinspiration again calleduponthelushflorashewitnessedinAustralia, Reflecting botanicalformsbothseenandimagined,Shirk hollowware, particularlythetraditionofcommemorativecups. in theirownright.ThisshiftfitwellwithShirk’sinterest altogether, becomingthree-dimensional,freestandingforms h i r k 9 J The swingbetweentheintimatescaleofjewelryand Her combinationofhighlytexturedsurfacesandcolored D C B light. Beyondthevisualeffect,thistensionseemsto . P B L . i n but alsothedarkerdangeranduncertaintiesthat d d

5 9 SUSTAINING SPIRITXVIofcopper, patina,coloredpencils;16.5x58.4centimeters,1999. leaving the crevices between hammer leaving thecrevicesbetweenhammer surface thatboth vessels are dipped in a bath of vessels aredippedinabathof absorbs and her coloredpencilsforchinapaint,thepigmentislaiddown sparingly andwithmore“violence,”asShirkdescribes.Foregoing the Tracesseriesstillemployscolor,althoughmuchmore shadows behindthem. filtering throughtheirnegativespaces,leavingpatternsof exhibition, thebroochesweremountedonwallplaques,light them tothrowshadows.”InthePointsofDeparture so partofthatiswhythey’regrayorblackandIwanted going tobelikeforthem?Itwasakindofthoughtfultime, you listentothisalldaylongandstartwonder,whatisit warming. Ihaveason,andmypartnerhasgrandchild, of AlGore’smovie,andeverybodywastalkingaboutglobal sense ofmelancholy. and intensityofhervessels,butwithaquiet,moredeveloped influenced compositions.Theworkcarriesasimilartheme the broochesfeaturepiercedsterlingsilversheetinbotanical- body ofjewelrysinceherreturnfromAustralia.CalledTraces, appropriate tohermessage.Sheisnowworkingonfirst communicate findsherreturningtotheformatwhenitis Shirk’s respectforthemedium’shistoryandcapacityto flat onthebodyandit’snotinspace.” Australia werealittlemoresculptural,butbasicallyit’sworn is usuallybroochesandthey’reveryfrontal.ThethingsIdidin and justhashugepossibilities.Ilovejewelrybutmy has beensopurposedinourlives,andit’sthreedimensional Much moretwo-dimensionallyorientedthanhervessels, “I startedthisbodyinthesummer.Itwassummer While shemaynotconsiderherselfajewelerperse, 66/22/10 11:47 AM / 2 2 / 1 0

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6 0 she taughtforthefirsttime.“I liked teachinginpartbecause would becomeadrivingforcein Shirk’scareer.Itwasherethat influences inShirk’swork. techniques shelearnedunderPardon,leavingobvious beyond themoretwo-dimensionalandcolor-centric Alma EikermanatIndianaUniversity.tookShirk grant toDenmark,andin1967startedgraduatestudywith metalsmithing techniquesincollegeandonherFulbright artist. ForShirk,therewasnocontest.Shecontinuedto compliment comingfromaninfluentialmetalsmithand Pardon hopedShirkwouldstickwithmetals—agreat on oneortheother.Ofcourse,asofhisbeststudents, that Earleventuallysatherdownandencouragedtofocus natural perfectionist,Shirkexcelledatfibertoo,somuch time, ShirkstudiedweavingunderPardon’swife,Eunice.A and shefoundthetechnicalchallengesenticing.Atsame requirement. Herfondnessforworkingmetalwasimmediate, Earl Pardon’sjewelryclassestofulfillher3-Ddesign She discoveredmetalsatSkidmoreCollege,enrollinginoneof and herloveforthematerialdrivesworkaesthetic. trying tomakeitexpedient.” of arrangementsyoucanmakesoIneedthattime—I’mnot cut onepieceatatimeandthen,ofcourse,there’snumber crannies ofthepath.IthinkwhileI’mcutting.Andcanonly cutting thepiecesIdon’thave.likelittlenooksand all thesepartslayingoutandthenIstartassemblingthem later assemblingthem.“I’mkindofphysicalaboutit—Ihave work andcomposition,firstcuttingamultitudeofparts mechanized process,Shirkchoosestoremainclosethe may beinclinedtohavepiecescutbywaterjetorsomeother the workretainssamesenseofintimacy.Wheresome able tocarryitaroundonyou,”shesays.Shirk’sprocessfor small, with format. Iwantedtomakesomethingwearable, a does does athingthatnothingelsedoes,it’sreallyinteresting that thebrooc that thebroochessitonbody,closetoheart.“Jewelry delicate yetunyiel delicate yetunyielding,awarningtemperedwithtracesofhope. explains. Thefina explains. Thefinaleffectispowerful,hauntingandprecious, important parti important partisthewaythatitabradedandscratched,”she rough filetoboththepaintandsilve rough filetoboththepaintandsilveritself.“Tomemost in gestural,unevenstrokes.Oncethepaintisset,Shirktakesa oxidized, 12.7x6.41.3centimeters,2008. 2008. BROOCH ofsilver,chinapaint;oxidized,12.7x7.61.3centimeters, pencils; 45.7x27.917.8centimeters,2002. CURVED PODCOMMEMORATIVECUPXIofcopper, With sucha Indiana Universityalsoopened upanotheravenuethat The meritsofjewelryorvesselsaside,Shirkisametalsmith, With suchapersonalmessageofreflection,itisfitting Bottom: the intimacy that this scale can give you, and being the intimacythatthisscalecangiveyou,andbeing GARNET/RUST TRACEBROOCHofsilver,chinapaint; Middle: TURQUOISETRACE patina, colored patina, colored study 66/22/10 11:47 AM / 2 2 / 1 0

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A M 333_4_HelenShirk9JDCB.PBL.indd 61 3 _ 4 _ H e l e n S metal, paper,felt,silk,andother materials.Inbothjewelryand University alumni,whoshowed theirhandatfineworkin of others,itisonlyfittingthat PointsofDepartureincluded people getensnaredintheperfection.” you addtothatandkindoftweakthose.SometimesIthink and handletraditionaltechniques,butyoudon’tstopthere, practice; it’slikeasport.It’simportanttolearnworkwith really strong,”shesays.“Metaltakesconcentrationand today’s societyofinstantgratification.“Ithinkyouhavetobe understands thechallengesmetalsmithsface,particularlyin welcome studentstoworkwithalternativematerials.Shirkalso encourage explorationandreinventingoftradition;they for excellence.ShirkandAssociateProfessorSondraSherman developing an“attitudetowardmaterials”andageneralquest away withmost.Itisaboutacquiringrefinedskills,butalso a passionforthefieldarequalitiesshewantsstudentstowalk for craftsmanshipandqualitydesign.Afinecriticalsense tools andtechniquestoworkmetal—alwayswithakeeneye Shirk workedhardtoprovideherstudentswiththeproper Needless tosay,shestayedbeyondthatinitialyear. second year,soShirkheadedforsunnySouthernCalifornia. were one-yearpositions,butSDSUofferedthepossibilityofa soon appliedforapositioninSanJoseandDiego.Both growing andthereweremanyopportunitiestoteach.Shirk she says.Whengraduated,metalsmithingprogramswere process anditmademecleareraboutwhatIwantedtodo,” a clue,attheendyouunderstanditbetter.Ithelpedmy if youhavetoexplainsomethingsomeonewhodoesn’t h i r k 9 J For someonewhodedicatedso muchtotheeducation A demandingbutunwaveringlysupportiveprofessor, D C B . P B GARNET/OCHRE TRACEBROOCHofsilver,chinapaint;oxidized,12.7x7.61.3centimeters,2008. L . i n d d

6 1 Points ofDeparture:HelenShirkandAlumniSDSU. SUGGESTED READING she smiles. and Ineverwaswithoutit.So,I’llseewhathappensnow,” think it’sreallyhelpedmyworkalot.But,thatwaslife gather, andwithschoolit’sagiven.Itcanhappenthere,soI your studioalone,soyouhavetotaketimeoutreconnector endeavor that’snotcollaborative,alotofitishardworkin computer. Oneofthethingsaboutmetals,oranyartistic get informationtoo,muchmoresonowbecauseofthe constantly presentedwithnewinformationbecausestudents there’s agraduateprogram,you’reconstantlychallenged, affected itanincredibleamount.Firstofall,especiallybecause like seeingpeoplecatchfire.That’sthebiggestthing,”shesays. opening theireyestothepossibilitiesinmetalsmithing.“I but also,shehopes,stimulateanewgenerationofstudentsby celebrate andilluminateherincredibleservicetothefield, Shirk impartstoherstudentsispalpable.Thesepiecesnotonly non-wearable work,thelegacyoftechniqueandconcept Le Van,Marthe. Meilach, DonaZ. Metcalf, Bruce. Strauss, Cindi. In turn,teachinghasinfluencedShirk’sworktoo.“It www.aandibooks.com, 2010. Asheville: LarkBooks,2005. Vol. 16,No.3(Summer1996):45. Publishers, 2007. Drutt Collection.

“HelenShirk:ContemporaryJewelry1970-1995,” Ornament asArt:Avant-GardeJewelryFrom theHelenWilliams

Penland BookofJewelry:MasterClassesinJewelryTechniques

Art JewelryToday. The MuseumofFineArts,HoustonandArnoldsche Art Atglen, PA:SchifferPublishing,Ltd.,2003. SanDiegoStateUniversity: Metalsmith .

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