Jack Pine Glass Artist

Hand-blown glass by Jack Pine

    Smith Galleries is known for their fine collection of hand-blown glass. New to the gallery is the glass pumpkins and gourds handmade by Jack Pine.
    Jack Pine grew up in Circleville, Ohio, located approximately 29 miles South of Columbus. Circleville is home, to one of the largest pumpkin shows nationwide! Jack has spent the last 20 years perfecting the art of glass-blowing, and is well-known to his native area of Circleville, as well as all over the country for his beautiful pieces of art. Jack’s objective as an artist is to create organic art forms out of glass, using incredibly rich colors and a unique style. Jack’s perfection comes from 20 plus years of careful attention to detail, as well as experimenting with a large variety of precious metals and enamels, by layering them on top of each other, to create the most unique designs. Many customer’s find it hard to believe that all of Jack’s art is created only by glass, and that there are no paints involved during the process, but it’s true!     
     Smith Galleries is located at 1000 William Hilton Parkway in suite J11 of the Village at Wexford on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Gallery hours are 10-6 Monday through Saturday. Follow us on Facebook.

Susan Dyer Jewelry at Smith Galleries

We receive one selection a year of jewelry from Susan Dyer and we only have it for a short time. This selection will be in the gallery through the gallery's 27th anniversary on May 14.

     Susan Dyer is fascinated with the process and the materials of jewelry making. Her pieces are hand fabricated using traditional techniques. Using sterling silver sheet, strip or wire, she fabricates box forms. She often solders these various shaped boxes together to make a more complicated composition. She finishes all of the silver work on the piece and then fill the boxes with polymer clay using various techniques; drilling, stamping and carving.

     Click here to see pictures of the entire show or here to see a slide show.

    Smith Galleries is located at 1000 William Hilton Parkway in suites J11 (upper level) of the Village at Wexford on Hilton Head Island, SC. Gallery hours are 10 - 6 Monday through Saturday. 843.842.2280 smithgalleries@hotmail.com

Daniel Read Artglass at Smith Galleries

Smith Galleries features the hand blown glass of Daniel Read.

Read studied with Dale Chihuly at the Rhode Island School of Design and continued as a member of Chihuly's glassblowing team for twelve years. He has taught workshops at Haystack, Snow Farm, RISD, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and private studios. He has received grants from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, and the Massachusetts Arts Council. Each piece is signed by hand and numbered with the year, month, day, and number of each piece made during the day.

Smith Galleries is located in suite J11 of the
Village at Wexford at 1000 William Hilton Parkway on Hilton Head Island, SC. Gallery hours are 10-6 Monday through Saturday. 800.272.3870

Eileen Sutton Jewelry at Smith Galleries

Eileen Sutton in her studio.

Smith Galleries features the jewelry of Eileen Sutton.

Eileen tells us her story..."I was born and raised in New York, on Long Island. When I pierced my first piece of copper plate at age 17, I was instantly hooked. I was somewhat of a metal purist until my last semester at Tyler School of Art. It was then that I began working with cast resin. Incorporating other elements is sporadic, whereas the constant interest of resin remains. When I finished school, I stayed in Philadelphia because there was a great community of artists and craftspeople.

My first studio was in the space of the late Olaf Skoogfors, a pioneer in the field of art jewelry. It was a shared space with some graduated students from Tyler School of Art. This workspace was more than just memorable, it was an experience that paved the way for where I would go with my work. There is also a strong bicycling community in and around Philadelphia, which became almost equally important to me. Some of my earliest pieces were from lines I saw painted on the road while cycling. It was a thoughtful place to live. I realized then, I didn’t have to go back to N.Y.C. to get inspired.

My forms are definitely influenced by the color and materials I use, along with what I see in the world around me. Now that I have a family, I don’t travel as far to see the world, but presently going to an arboretum or working in the garden is enough to spur some vision."

Necklace and Earrings by Eileen Sutton

Smith Galleries is located in suite J11 of the Village at Wexford at 1000 William Hilton Parkway on Hilton Head Island, SC. Gallery hours are 10 - 6 Monday through Saturday. 800.272.3870

Smith Galleries Celebrates 25 Years of Jewelry by Joan Z. Horn

We received a call recently from Joan Horn. She is a fabulous jeweler whom we admire greatly. She said, "Do you know that you purchased my jewelry at the very first show for the trade I ever did twenty five years ago?"

Since that time, there has not been a day when her jewelry was not well represented at Smith Galleries. In addition, we have become good friends with Joan and her husband Burt who is a fabulous high school science teacher.

She went on to say that she had a great selection of pieces on hand that she would like to offer to our customers at special pricing to show her gratitude for their support over these many years. You can see this special selection here.The collection is being offered on a first come, first serve basis. There are only single pieces of each piece and when it is gone, there will be no more at these special prices.

Smith Galleries is located in suite J11 of the Village at Wexford at 1000 William Hilton Parkway on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Gallery hours are 10 - 6 Monday through Saturday. 800.272.3870 info@smithgalleries.com

Victoria Varga Jewelry featured at Smith Galleries

Victoria Varga

Smith Galleries features the jewelry of American artist Victoria Varga.

Victoria Varga received her BS in fine arts from Skidmore College in 1984. After completing her graduate studies in metals at Syracuse University she moved to New York City with her husband, Daniel Brouder, where the couple co-founded the studio that bears her name. After fourteen years in Manhattan Daniel and Victoria relocated their studio to the coast of Maine where they continue to hand fabricate jewelry of Victoria’s design. From her early years in New York Victoria has crafted jewelry that combines precious metals with a variety of materials that are often discounted as  ordinary. Victoria has perfected a process of combing sterling silver, 23 karat gold leaf, resin, crushed stone and common artist pigments to create her signature line of jewelry. Instantly recognized for its timeless good looks, Varga jewelry delights both men and woman with its innovative combination of unexpected materials and whimsical design.

Victoria Varga handcrafts jewelry that reflects in its clean design and bold graphics, the very best tenants of fine art while redefining the modern spirit.

Smith Galleries is located in suite J11 of the Village at Wexford at 1000 William Hilton Parkway on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Gallery hours are 10 - 6 Monday through Saturday. 800.272.3870 info@smithgalleries.com

Smith Galleries Features Stuart Nye Jewelry

Dogwood Pin by Stuart Nye Jewelry

Smith Galleries has featured the jewelry of Stuart Nye for many years. The jewelry is classically designed and inspired by nature.

In the depths of the depression, Stuart Nye bought some second hand tools and a little silver. Without any experience in jewelry or metal work, but with good taste, an eye for beauty and faith in himself, he began to make a few simple bangle bracelets. Through trial and error he learned the nature of his materials and began to fashion silver into the leaves and flowers so characteristic of our jewelry today. From that day in 1933 when Mr. Nye began, our shop has changed in many ways. It has moved from an attic room through a series of additions to a garage to the rustic building built especially for their use in 1948 which is now call "The Shop".

The range of products has changed too. The original work was in Sterling Silver and this continues to be the most popular product. Copper was added during the metal shortages of World War II. Brass was added during the silver price explosion in the winter of 1979-80.

"The Shop" of  Stuart Nye Jewelry

Over the years they have invented many of their production methods. Through trial and error they have refined them and shared them with one another. Their artisans are trained in the shop and seldom have had prior training or experience in metal work or jewelry making.

Their tools are still simple ones. They make chisels from old files, and punches from nail sets or common nails. They make cutting tools and chisels from tool steel and use hammers and anvils large enough to remind one of an old blacksmith shop.

The beauty of their jewelry does not come from the tools. It comes from the inspiration that nature can give to a man who will take the time to look and from the skill and dedication of our craftsmen. We are mountain people with a heritage of craftsmanship.

Stuart Nye jewelry is of a quality that only a hand craftsman with a sense of pride in his work can produce, and it is produced at a modest price so that ordinary people can own and enjoy it. This was Stuart Nye's goal. This is still the goal today.

Smith Galleries is located in suite J11 of the Village at Wexford at 1000 William Hilton Parkway on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. 800.272.3870 info@smithgalleries.com