Art Smith
Art Smith was an American jewelry designer who was born in Cuba in 1917 and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He was one of the most important African American jewelry designers of the mid-20th century and his work is highly collectible today.
Smith began his career as a dancer and studied at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York. He began making jewelry in the 1940s and opened his own studio in Greenwich Village in 1946. His designs were highly innovative and experimental, featuring abstract and sculptural forms that were unlike anything else being created at the time.
Smith's jewelry was often made from materials such as silver, copper, and brass, and he incorporated a range of techniques including casting, hammering, and soldering. His work was highly influenced by African and Asian art and he often used bold, geometric shapes and asymmetrical designs.
Smith's jewelry was worn by many famous clients, including Lena Horne, Marilyn Monroe, and Eleanor Roosevelt. He was also the first African American jewelry designer to have his work featured in a major fashion magazine, when Vogue profiled him in 1949.
Today, Art Smith's jewelry is highly collectible and is featured in the collections of major museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. His work remains an important and influential part of the history of American jewelry design.
Smith began his career as a dancer and studied at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York. He began making jewelry in the 1940s and opened his own studio in Greenwich Village in 1946. His designs were highly innovative and experimental, featuring abstract and sculptural forms that were unlike anything else being created at the time.
Smith's jewelry was often made from materials such as silver, copper, and brass, and he incorporated a range of techniques including casting, hammering, and soldering. His work was highly influenced by African and Asian art and he often used bold, geometric shapes and asymmetrical designs.
Smith's jewelry was worn by many famous clients, including Lena Horne, Marilyn Monroe, and Eleanor Roosevelt. He was also the first African American jewelry designer to have his work featured in a major fashion magazine, when Vogue profiled him in 1949.
Today, Art Smith's jewelry is highly collectible and is featured in the collections of major museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. His work remains an important and influential part of the history of American jewelry design.
