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Photo: Yael Ksander
Katie's workbench is adjacent to a window behind the facade of the Fine Arts Building.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
Katie creates colored enamel backings for one of the cameos.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
Once the enamels have been fired, they are dunked in a bath.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
The kiln has been heated to 1550 degrees Fahrenheit in order to fire Katie's enamel cameos.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
Katie dons heat-resistant gloves and safety glasses before working with the kiln.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
Katie places the cameos wrapped with photo-decals on a wire-mesh trivet in preparation for firing them.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
A well-stocked spike and hammer cabinet.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
A bustling workstation in the undergraduate metalsmithing program.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
Students work in the large classroom of the Metalsmithing shop.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
A student uses an acetylene torch to heat a piece of metal.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
In the Metalsmithing Hammer Room, tree stumps mounted with vise grips and anvils provide a sylvan work setting.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
In the hammer room, tree stumps mounted with vise grips provide work stations.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
Katie draws from diverse sources of inspiration as she creates her jewelry designs in the studio.
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Photo: Yael Ksander
The metals shop is located in several second-story rooms tucked behind the facade of the Fine Arts Building. A limestone owl perches on a ledge over Showalter Plaza.
Artworks’ Artist in the Making series documents emerging artists.
In September we first got to know Katie Hayden, an art student recently admitted to the BFA program in Metalsmithing and Jewelry Design. In our first conversation, Hayden explained how arduous the program is—from the courses required even before applying to the hours of labor that go into completing a simple chain.
This time, Hayden takes us to the heart of the program, to show just how much work goes into becoming a metalsmith…and just what those sounds that you’re hearing in your art history class might be.
