Amy Tavern

b. 1974, Cooperstown, NY

Education

2017
MFA, Fine Arts, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA

2002
BFA, Metals, Postbaccalaureate, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

1996
BA, Interdisciplinary Studies: Arts Administration, State University of New York College at Fredonia, Fredonia, NY

Awards and Grants

2022
Center for Cultural Innovation Quick Grant, San Francisco, CA

2011
United States Artists Project Grant, United States Artists, Chicago, IL
Finalist, Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Transformations: Contemporary Works in Small Metals, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA

2013
First Place Award, Handcrafted 2013, Maria V. Howard Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC

2009
Searchlight Artist, American Craft Council, Minneapolis, MN

Residencies

2023
Hafnarborg Centre for Fine Art and Culture, Hafnarfjörður, Iceland

2019
Bær Art Center, Hofsós, Iceland

2017
Ramon’s Tailor, San Francisco, CA

2016
SÍM, Reykjavík, Iceland

2015
SÍM, Reykjavík, Iceland
Textílsetur Íslands, Blönduós, Iceland

2014
SÍM, Reykjavík, Iceland

2013
Nes Artist Residency, Skagaströnd, Iceland

2009-2012
Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC

Solo and Two Person Exhibitions

2019
And the ground will move anyway, Quirk Gallery, Richmond, VA
To What Depths, The Great Highway Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2017
Rock, Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco, CA

2015
In Between, Veður og Vindur, Reykjavík, Iceland

2014
In Between and I Live Here Now, Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco, CA
I Live Here Now, Four, Gothenburg, Sweden

2013
Parallel Constellations, Raissa Bump and Amy Tavern, Gallery Lulo, Healdsburg, CA

2012
Observation/Translation, Galerie Beyond, Antwerp, Belgium

2011
This is How I Remember It, Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco, CA

Group Exhibitions, Invitational (Select)

2023
Restringing the Pearl, The Jewelry Library, New York, NY (curators: Biba Schutz, artist, New York, NY; Petra Class, artist, San Francisco, CA)
Witness | Holding Time, Penland Gallery, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC

2022
Adaptations: LAND, The Drawing Room, San Francisco, CA
Naiad Cove, Museum at the Cliff, San Francisco, CA (curators: John Lindsay, owner, Great Highway Gallery, San Francisco, CA; Nicole Meldahl, Executive Director, Western Neighborhoods Project, San Francisco, CA)
Earth Day on the Walkway, The Great Highway Gallery at Great Highway Park, San Francisco, CA

2019
Women to Watch: Surfacing Histories Sculpting Memories, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA in conjunction with the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC (curator: Claudia Schmuckli, Curator-in-Charge of Contemporary Art and Programming, Fine Arts Museums, San Francisco, CA)
...to take root among the stars, The Galallery, San Francisco, CA (curator: tamara suarez porras, artist, independent curator, Berkeley, CA)
Alma Mater: Methods, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA

2018
Personal/Universal, Penland Gallery, Penland, NC
Inside, Veður og Vindur at Kjallarinn, Geysir Heima, Reykjavík, Iceland
Nes Artist Residency Alumni Exhibition, Nes Artist Residency, Skagaströnd, Iceland, Deiglan Gallery, Akureyri, Iceland 

2017
Inspired: Work by 32 Artists from Penland’s Resident Artist and Core Fellowship Programs, Penland Gallery, Penland, NC    

2015
The Grass is Always Greener: Overseas, Platina Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden at Munich Jewelry Week, Munich, Germany

2014
Art of the Brooch, Gallery C.A.J., Kyoto, Japan (curator: Hiroko Yamada, artist, Madison, WI)

2013
Off the Wall, Grey Gallery, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC (curators: Bob Ebendorf, Professor of Art, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC; Tara Locklear, artist, Raleigh, NC [catalogue])

2012
Drawing, Permanence and Place 2, Kunstmuseen der Stadt Erfurt, Galerie Waidspeicher im Kulturhof Kronbacken, Erfurt, Germany (curators: Elizabeth Turrell, artist, Bristol, UK; Melissa Cameron, artist, Seattle, WA; Beate Gegenwart, artist, Frankfurt, Germany)
Heat Exchange, Shemer Arts Center, Scottsdale, AZ (curators: Elizabeth Turrell, artist, Bristol, UK; Melissa Cameron, artist, Seattle, WA; Beate Gegenwart, artist, Frankfurt, Germany)

2011
The Barns 2011, Penland Resident Artist Exhibition, Penland Gallery, Penland, NC
In Line/In Metal, Aaron Faber Gallery, New York, NY and SOFA Chicago

2010
Sparkle Plenty 6, Quirk Gallery, Richmond, VA
Spectrum, Heidi Lowe Gallery, Rehoboth Beach, DE

2009
Delicate Beauty, Penland Gallery, Penland, NC
The Stimulus Project, Sienna Gallery, Lenox, MA

2008
21st. Century Jewelry, Bainbridge Arts Council, Bainbridge Island, WA (curator: Mary Lee Hu, artist, Seattle, WA)

Group Exhibitions (Select)

2024
360 Degree Ring Show, College Art Gallery, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA

2023
Hardly Strictly Mini, Bolinas Art Museum, Bolinas, CA
Summer in the Sunset, Sealevel, San Francisco, CA

2022
LAND, The Drawing Room, San Francisco, CA

2020
Digital, Slash Art, San Francisco, CA (juror: Dorothy Santos, independent curator, San Francisco, CA)

2017
That Which Can Only Be Felt, MFA Exhibition, California College of the Arts, Fused Space, San Francisco, CA

2014
Fieldwork, SÍM, Reykjavík, Iceland

2013
Handcrafted 2013, Maria V. Howard Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC (juror: Marc Maiorana, artist, Cedar Bluff, VA)

2012
Transformations 8: Contemporary Works in Small Metals, Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize Finalists Exhibition, Society for Contemporary Crafts, Pittsburgh, PA (jurors: Natalya Pinchuk, artist, Pittsburgh, PA and Bruce W. Pepich, Executive Director and Curator of Collections, Racine Art Museum, Racine, WI [catalogue])

2005
Refined IV: Innovation, Stephen F. Austin University Gallery, Nacogdoches, TX (jurors: Jennifer Sholtis, Assistant Professor of Metal/Jewelry, Stephen F. Austin University, Nacogdoches, TX and David A. Lewis, Chair Art Department, Stephen F. Austin University, Nacogdoches, TX)

2003
Big Little, Craft and Cultural Arts Gallery, Oakland, CA (juror: Deborah Lozier, Adjunct Professor, California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA)

Bibliography, Print Media (Select)

2023
Maya Kini, “Career Topographies: Conversations in the Middle,” Metalsmith Magazine, Volume 43, No 1 - 2023 p. 65-88

2020
Loretta Lam, Mastering Contemporary Jewelry Design, (Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.), p. 16.

2018
Ellen Mueller, Remixing and Drawing, (Abingdon-on-Thames, UK: Routledge), p. 65, 105-106.

2017
Mark Fenn, Narrative Jewelry: Tales from the Tool Box, (Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.), 267-277.
Daniela Malev, To the Point, (Leipzig, Germany: Edition Winterwork), p. 120, 128.

2016
Jean McLaughlin, Editor, Inspired: Life in Penland’s Resident Artist and Core Fellowship Programs, (Penland, NC: Penland School of Crafts), p. 180-183.

2015
Julie K. Hanus, “Begin Again,” American Craft Magazine, October/November, 2015, p. 40-42.

2014
Michael Dale Bernard, “Material Complexity,” Metalsmith Magazine, Volume 34, No. 1, Spring, 2014, p. 20-23.

2012
Pepin Roojen, Exceptional Jewellery, (Amsterdam, The Netherlands: The Pepin Press), p. 8-17, cover.
Nicolás Estrada, New Earrings, (London, UK: Thames & Hudson LTD), p. 80, 83, 88.

2011
Lola Brooks and Cindy Strauss, Jurors, “Exhibition in Print,” Metalsmith Magazine, Volume 31, Issue 4, Fall 2010, p. 52, cover.
Marthe Le Van, Editor, Talya Baharal, Juror, 500 Silver Jewelry Designs, (New York, NY: Lark Crafts/Sterling Publishing, LTD), p. 232, 361.
Nicolás Estrada, New Rings, (London, UK: Thames & Hudson LTD), p. 30.

2009
Marthe Le Van, Editor, Susan Kasson Sloan, Juror, 500 Plastic Jewelry Designs, (New York, NY: Lark Crafts/Sterling Publishing, LTD), p. 174, 375.

Bibliography, Online Publications (Select)

2015
Sierra Stinson, “Getting to Know Amy Tavern,” Creatives in the Community, Prairie Underground. https://www.prairieunderground.com/2015/07/amy-tavern/

2014
“Gestavinnu Stofan,” STARA, Samband Íslenskra Myndlistarmanna, March, 2014, p. 2-5. https://issuu.com/stara-sim/docs/stara1tbl/12

2013
Missy Graff, “Raissa Bump and Amy Tavern: Parallel Constellations,” Art Jewelry Forum, September 29. https://artjewelryforum.org/articles/raissa-bump-and-amy-tavern-parallel-constellations-2/

Bibliography, Television

2014
Christine Lentz and Stacey Mosteller, “Metal Sculptor Amy Tavern,” Arts and Culture Shorts, WSKG Public Broadcasting Service, Binghamton, NY, November 3, 2014. https://www.wskg.org/arts/2015-03-08/metal-sculptor-amy-tavern

Publications as Author

2016
“The View from a Distance: Moss Diamonds and Fishbone Necklaces,” HA Magazine, Number 4, December 2016, Arnar Fells Gunnarsson, editor. (Reykjavík: Icelandic Design Center Publishers), p. 120-121.

2010
“Part of the Process,” Trachodon Magazine, Issue 1 Summer/Fall 2010, John Carr Walker, editor. (Saint Helens, OR: Independently published), p. 16-23.

Teaching Experience (Select)

2024
Connections and Contradictions, Jewelry/Metal Arts, Adjunct 1 Professor, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA, Spring Semester.
Senior Project, Jewelry/Metal Arts, Adjunct 1 Professor, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA, Spring Semester.

2023
Exploring Process, Building a Language, California College of the Arts Extension Program, San Francisco, CA, October-November.
Reflect, Inspire, Create: Deep Dive into the Creative Process, Shakerag Workshops, Sewanee, TN, June 18-24.
Exploring Process, Building a Language, Level 2 (Virtual), Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft, Columbia, NC, February 10, 17, 24.

2022
BFA Conversations Respondent (Virtual), California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA, December 9.
Exploring Process, Building a Language (Virtual), Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft, Columbia, NC, April 9, 16, 23.

2018
Form vs. Function, First Year Core Program, Adjunct I Professor, California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA, Fall Semester, September 5-December 14.

2015
Exploring Process, Forming a Language, Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle, WA, May 8-10.

2014
A Complete Thought, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC, August 24-30.

2011
Innovating the Chain, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN, September 22-September 28.

2013
Bezel Setting 101, Pullen Arts Center, Raleigh, NC, November 16-17.

2013
Basic Embroidery, Nes Artist Residency, Skagaströnd, Iceland, June 19.
Basic Embroidery, Textílsetur Íslands, Blönduós, Iceland, June 19.

2012
Jewelry 101: Technique, Process, Design, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC, March 11-May 5.

2011
It’s the Little Things, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN, August 28-September 3.
Innovating the Chain, Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft, Columbia, NC, February 17-20.

2010
It’s the Little Things, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC, August 29-September 4.

2008
Beginning Jewelry, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC, September 24-November 15.

2005
Jewelry/Metalsmithing I, Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle, WA, September 12- November 14.

Lectures (Select)

2024
Guest Lecturer, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA

2023
Guest Lecturer, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA

2022
The Drawing Room, San Francisco, CA

2014
Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, NY, February 6.

2013
Alchimia Jewelry School, Florence, Italy, April 12.
Metals Department, Long Beach City College, Long Beach, CA, February 26.
Metals Department, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, February 26.

2011
Meet the Maker Lecture Series, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC, April 4.

2010
Making in the Real World Series, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC, April 22.

Visiting Artist Experience (Select)

2015
Lecture, workshop, critiques, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, March 31.

2014
Resident artist, lecture, critiques, California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA, October 6-25.
Lecture, Rhode Island School of Design, September 18.
Lecture, critiques, SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, November 5.
Lecture, workshop, critiques, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, September 25-26.

2013
Lecture, workshop, critiques, East Carolina University, Italy Intensives Study Abroad Program, Certaldo, Italy, April 8-12.

2011
Lecture, workshop, University of North Carolina, School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, NC, January 25-26.
Lecture, workshop, critiques, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, November 3.

Conference Presentations

2021
Artist Presentation, “This Place Gives Me Room,” Iceland. Mobility, Spatiality, Virtuality Symposium (Virtual), (Arts) Territory Exchange, Centre for Mobilities Research and Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts at Lancaster University, Ströndin Studio, Seyðisfjörður, Iceland, October 20.

2013
Lecture, “Observation/Translation,” Yuma Arts Symposium, Yuma, AZ, February 21-23.

2012
Spotlight On Presenter, “This is How I Remember It,” Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference, Phoenix, AZ, May 23-26.
Creative Process Workshop, Material Topics: Shifting Traditions Symposium, East Carolina University, January 13-15.
Lecture/Graduate and Undergraduate Critiques, Handcrafted Entrepreneurship Symposium, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, November 15-16.

2010
Lecture, Making a Living-Making a Life Conference, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, October 1.

2008
Lecture, Crosscurrents: Navigating Toward New Markets, Professional Development Seminar, Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference, Savannah, GA, March 5-8.