Barbara Smith + Blog

For the Lineage and Legacy exhibition next spring:

My work statement:

Traditionally, cameos are miniature sculptural art; windows into the cultural past. They are intended as statements, as commemorative adornment, and are often metaphors for human emotions and experiences. During the 19th century, the subject matter of the cameo shifted to the profile of an anonymous woman, whose identity has been lost through the repetition of reproduction. Typically worn by women, cameos are objects in dialogue with both the body and the psychological self.

The word “cameo” conjures images of beauty in the mind. The tooth as portrait is both beautiful and grotesque, yet the tooth recalls the pale colored profiles of women; it plays with expectation and provides a recognizable starting point for narrative. This juxtaposition of the living body with the lifeless body illicits both attraction and repulsion with the material and the meaning.

My statement about Robin:

I have known Robin Kraft since I first took her beginning metals class at Purdue University in 2002. I have had the pleasure of having her for an instructor, mentor, and co-worker for the last 5 years.

One of the first things that strikes you about Robin is her commitment to the field and her natural affinity with any material she meets. It is evident to everyone that she has this unique affection for metalsmithing, which difficult to describe. In an attempt to put this into words, I would have to say it is a mixture of ingenuity, curiosity, and playfulness combined with both passion and compassion.

Her wealth of knowledge is not only evident in her own work, but in the work of her students. She is happy to share vast amounts of information with anyone who asks; giving all that she can on a daily basis. This enthusiasm and love for art is highly contagious. She is constantly encouraging and challenging others.

Robin is truly admired by students and peers for all of her hard work, honesty, advice, and guidance.

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