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.
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
Sculpture Technician, 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 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
(upcoming) There are Many Ways of Telling/18 Perspectives on Voice, Sol Koffler Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI. 2021
(upcoming) 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
Download full CV here
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
Sculpture Technician, 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 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
(upcoming) There are Many Ways of Telling/18 Perspectives on Voice, Sol Koffler Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI. 2021
(upcoming) 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
Download full CV here