51³Ô¹ÏÍø

Andrew Kuebeck

Andrew Kuebeck is Assistant Professor and Area Head of the Jewelry/Metals/Enameling program at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø.  He received his BFA from Bowling Green State University in 2008 and his MFA in Jewelry Design and Metalsmithing from Indiana University in 2011. Kuebeck works in a variety of formats ranging from functional jewelry to sculptural objects and vessels.  He has extensively lectured and has taught workshops on the incorporation of photographic images into jewelry pieces, vessels, and enamel.  He has exhibited regionally and nationally and has had his work appear in numerous publications including 500 Enameled Objects, Wrap, Stitch, Fold, and Rivet, and Metalsmith and Niche magazines.  He is represented by Charon Kransen Arts, New York.

Participation in the arts was always important to me growing up. A strong arts program in high school influenced my decision to pursue a degree in the arts. I chose the arts program at Bowling Green State University in northwest Ohio where I discovered and fell in love with jewelry and metalsmithing. I was introduced to many artists, including Michael Boyd, who became an inspiration for me.

Upon graduating with my B.F.A. in 2009 I apprenticed for Michael Boyd at his studio in Colorado. That experience turned into a nine-year adventure where it ended with Michael and I as partners in the Colorado Center for Metal Arts. It was with Michael that I learned to work with and manipulate stone, adding a new element to my love of jewelry design.

Since having started my business, Ryan Gardner Designs, in Colorado in 2010, I have moved back to Ohio and now operate my studio in my hometown. I showcase my work in galleries and shows as well as teach workshops across the country and online.

Artist Statement

My work comes from a playful experimentation with stone and metal, combining the two materials in a fun and cohesive way. Exploring new materials, shapes, colors, and processes are some of my favorite things to do and include in my work. It is very important for me to let the materials speak for themselves. I typically like to begin my process with a rough rock. Most of the stones I use I cut, polish, and sometimes carve by hand. I then hand fabricate one-of-a-kind pieces from silver and gold to really showcase the stones.

Joshua Kosker is a contemporary jeweler and visual artist living and working in western Michigan. Drawing from unexpected and often ephemeral materials, his work explores craft, materiality, and the body while challenging traditional hierarchies of value and permanence within jewelry and objects. Joshua received his M.F.A. from Bowling Green State University and his B.F.A. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He exhibits nationally and internationally, with his work recently published in several books including New Brooches: 400+ Contemporary Jewelry Designs; To the Point: Pin Mechanisms and Brooch Back Design; and Narrative Jewelry: Tales from the Toolbox. Joshua has furthered his career through residencies at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and Touchstone Center for Crafts. In addition to his creative practice, he has held teaching appointments at Indiana University–Bloomington, Bowling Green State University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Currently, Joshua is the Art Shop Supervisor and Area Coordinator of Foundation Art in the Frostic School of Art at Western Michigan University, as well as a Lecturer in Digital Fabrication & Design at UW–Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts