Program Overview

Program Overview

The University of Iowa's School of Art, Art History, and Design offers a comprehensive program in Jewelry and Metal Arts. This program emphasizes the development of individual artistic expression while focusing on conceptual and technical skills necessary for professional achievement.

Program Details

Undergraduate students who have completed a requisite amount of coursework and who have been approved through a process of portfolio review may be granted a space in the jewelry and metal arts BFA Room. This secured workspace has 7 individual bench areas that include personal storage, communal tools, a flex-shaft workstation, and a utility sink. This space provides the opportunity for students to pursue ambitious, advanced work in a community setting. BFA students are also eligible for employment as student monitors, allowing for broader access to the jewelry and metal arts facility and resources, useful professional experience, and meaningful contributions to the metal arts community.

Curriculum

Through coursework and individual investigation, students are challenged with three essential creative elements: ideation, material knowledge, and technical exploration. They are encouraged to explore the meaningful impact that both technology and tradition have on the field of craft by engaging in a wide variety of materials and production methods. Students are exposed to traditional and contemporary metalworking techniques including:

• Metal fabrication
• Small- and large-scale metal casting
• Metal forming
• Enameling
• Anodizing
• Electroforming
• Lathe and CNC work
• Etching
• Patination
• Polishing
• Powder coating
• Hydraulic forming

Specialized Curriculum

The Jewelry and Metal Arts Area offers a handmade bicycle curriculum. Over the last 13 years, the Design, Build, Ride curriculum - part Jewelry and Metal Arts - has become the top handmade bicycle curriculum nationally and internationally, attracting internship opportunities for students and international acclaim. The curriculum, comprised of three courses, is the place for learning finely tuned bicycle design and the time-honored metal fabrication techniques of handmade bicycles.

Faculty and Staff

The program is led by experienced faculty and staff, including:

• Lonna Huisingh (Keller), Visiting Assistant Professor
• Steve McGuire, Professor and Area Head, Jewelry and Metal Arts
• Bethany Wood-Hebert, Instructional Services Specialist

Facilities

The program is housed in the Art Building West (ABW) and the Visual Arts Building (VAB), providing students with access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, including:

• Equipment and labs
• Office of Visual Materials (Archives)
• Thesis Rental Gallery
• Art Library
• Stanley Museum of Art

Conclusion

The University of Iowa's Jewelry and Metal Arts program offers a comprehensive education in the field, with a focus on individual artistic expression, technical skills, and professional achievement. With its experienced faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and specialized curriculum, this program provides students with the ideal environment to explore their creativity and develop their skills in jewelry and metal arts.