Valerie James is living and working in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Valerie translates the gesture and psychology of traversed spaces. Walking is a way of knowing the body—the subtle movements it makes and how it interacts with surrounding landscapes. Using traditional mark making techniques such as engraving, she conveys these observations, the mobility of jewelry, and the agency it instills both in and out of the studio. 




Education 
MFA, Jewelry + Metalsmithing, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI.2019 
BFA, Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. 2016 

Grants + Awards 
CERF+ Get Ready Grant, CERF+ The Artists Safety Net, Montpelier, VT. 2021
Marzee International Graduate Prize, Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen, NL. 2019 
Marzee for Starters Fellowship, RISD, Providence, RI. 2019 
SNAG Educational Endowment Scholarship, Society of North American Goldsmiths, Eugene, OR. 2018 
2 x 4 Educational Endowment, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI. 2018
Graduate Project Grant Fellowship, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence RI. 2018 
Tiffany and Co. Foundation Scholarship, Tiffany and Co., New York, NY. 2017 
RISD Graduate Fellowship, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, 2017     
Peggy Kirby Award, Women’s Jewelry Association, Poughkeepsie, NY. 2017 
Tiffany Rosen Scholarship, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI. 2017 
Saul Bell Design Award, “Emerging Artist” Finalist, Rio Grande, Albuquerque, NM. 2017 
MJSA Education Foundation Scholarship, Providence Jeweler’s Club Foundation, Providence, RI. 2017 

Teaching 
Instructor, Brooklyn Metal Works, Brooklyn, NY: Introduction to Engraving. 2021 
Critic, Rhode Island School of Design, Jewelry + Metalsmithing, Providence, RI: Junior 3D Modeling and Rendering, From CAD to CAM. 2020-present
Adjunct Instructor, Tyler School of Art, Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA: Senior Metals and Plastics. Junior Metalsmithing, Business Practices, Jewelry 1. 2020-present 
Teaching Assistant, Rhode Island School of Design, Jewelry + Metalsmithing, Providence, RI: Junior Jewelry + Metals. 2019 
Instructor of Record, Rhode Island School of Design, Jewelry + Metalsmithing, Providence,RI: Jewelry Introduction, Subtractive Jewels. 2017-2019 
Teaching Assistant, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. 2014-2016 

Work History
Metals Finisher, Independent Casting, Philadelphia, PA. 2021-present 
Bench Jeweler/CAD Designer, Studio Patina, Amsterdam, NL. 2020 
Gallery Assistant, Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen, NL. 2019-2020 
Graduate Assistant, RISD Museum: Conservation Department Providence, RI. 2019
Gallery Assistant, Ornamentum Gallery, Hudson, NY. 2018
Fine Arts Woodshop Monitor, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI. 2018-2019
Graduate Student Liaison, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI. 2017-2018
CAD Designer, International Manufacturing CO., Philadelphia, PA. 2016-2017
Studio Assistant, Joy Stember Metal Arts, Abington, PA. 2015
Bench Jeweler, Ilsa Loves Rick, Newtown, PA. 2014-2018 

Professional Activity
(upcoming) Workshop, Intro to Engraving: Making Your Mark, Peters Vallery School of Crafts, Layton, NJ. 2022
Workshop, Intro to Hand Engraving, Baltimore Jewelry Center, Baltimore, MD. 2021
Lecture, Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM program, Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA. 2021
Workshop, Walking + Jewelry, Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM program, Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA. 2021
Lecture, Mapping Other Spaces, Betwixt and Between seminar, RISD, Providence, RI. 2021
Online Workshop, Intro to Engraving, Baltimore Jewelry Center, Baltimore, MD. 2020
Curator, Processing, Intro by Marzee, Amsterdam, NL. 2020
Curator, Surface Level, Intro by Marzee, Amsterdam, NL, 2020
Curator, Intro Inaugural Exhibition, Intro by Marzee, Amsterdam, NL. 2020
Artist in Residence, Baltimore Jewelry Center, Baltimore, MD. 2019 
Lecture, Instants//Intervals, Brooklyn Metal Works, Brooklyn, NY. 2019  
Lecture, Line Break, Baltimore Jewelry Center, Baltimore, MD. 2019 
Lecture, New England Graduate Media Symposium, Emerson College, Boston, MA. 2019 
Lecture, Betwixt and Between seminar, RISD, Providence, RI, 2019 
Guest Critic: Alternative Metals course, Department of Furniture, RISD, Providence, RI. 2019 
Co-Curator, Souvenir, J+M Graduate Biennial, Sol-Koffler Gallery, RISD, Providence, RI. 2018 

Solo + Two Person Exhibitions 
Quiet Temperament, Lido Knitting Mills, NYCJW, Brooklyn, NY. 2020
Pop-Up: Line Break, Baltimore Jewelry Center, Baltimore, MD. 2019 
Instants//Intervals, Brooklyn Metal Works, Brooklyn, NY. 2019 

Selected Group Exhibitons
There are Many Ways of Telling/18 Perspectives on Voice, Sol Koffler Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI. 2021
Hearts and Flowers, Brooklyn Metal Works, Brooklyn, NY. 2021 
Self-Medicated, New York City Jewelry Week, www.selfmedicatedexhibition.com. 2020
AMEND, Secret Identity Projects, www.amendexhibition.com. 2020 
Online Quarantine Exhibition, Ornamentum Gallery, www.ornmanetumgallery.com. 2020 
As Good as Gold: We Are SNAG Membership Series, SNAG//SPACE, online exhibition. 2020  
Dream Machine, NYCJW, Abrons Art Center, New York, NY. 2019  
Marzee International Graduate Show, Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen, NL. 2019 
RISD Graduate Thesis Show, Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI. 2019 
Juried Student Exhibition, SNAG Conference, The Loop: Coming Full Circle, Chicago, IL. 2019 
Gorham Silver: Designing Brilliance 1850-1970, RISD Museum, Providence RI. 2019 
Drawing Down, Baltimore Jewelry Center, Baltimore, MD. 2019 
Shape Shifters, Jewelry + Metalsmithing Triennial, Woods-Gerry Gallery, Providence, RI. 2019
Souvenir, Sol Koffler Gallery, Providence, RI. 2018 
Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM Senior Exhibition, Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA. 2016 
Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA. 2015 
Lamina, Jewelry Exhibition and Sale, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. 2015 






Mark