LeeAnn Herreid
[1991, Jewelry & Metalsmithing]
Based in Warren, RI
Individual Icon’s RISD Craft Gallery
LeeAnn Herreid‘s jewelry is something the 21st century traveler should never be without. Compass rings and pendants set in sterling silver ensure you never lose your way, spirit level earrings keep you in balance, stainless steel ruler bracelets give you the measure of things, and thermometer earrings keep you cool. These are just some of the pieces in Herreid‘s line of functional and innovative jewelry; more than just decorative, they are pieces with purpose.
For several decades, LeeAnn has been making custom work and one-of-a-kind pieces out of sterling silver, stainless steel, 18 karat gold, and platinum. This technically complex work inspired her to achieve a Graduate degree in gemology at the highly esteemed Gemological Institute of America.
LeeAnn‘s work is available in galleries and museum shops throughout the United States and abroad. Her pieces have been praised internationally and featured in numerous magazines & multimedia. She is an Accredited Jewelry Professional with 30 years at the bench.
What are some of the most important practices for your creative process?
A well thought out and streamlined design is very important to me. To distill the idea into the most important elements and to strip away everything that is superflous to the idea is very important in the finished product. To make clean, wearable and well constructed work is my primary mission.
How does your current creative practice tie into your time spent at RISD?
Every single day I use what I learned at RISD: challenging myself to make a cleaner, stronger design, paying attention to the minutiae of detail which differentiates good jewelry from the great. The connections and constructions are all clean and well thought out.
Is there a work/body of work that you are particularly excited about sharing with us at RISD Craft this year?
The pieces I have recently been making for the Metropolitan Opera are exciting to me. I have been using the fabric from their costume department and making all sorts of jewelry with it, embossing (rollerprinting) the original fabrics into sterling silver. One of the fabrics I have been working with often is the original golden silk curtain from the Metrolpolitan Opera’s first opening night at the Lincoln Center in NYC.
Any recent press, exhibitions, achievements or awards you’d like to share with us?
Have a piece on tour with the “Innovative Merger of Art and Guns”, a show curated by Boris Bally. The show was first opened at the Society of Arts and Crafts in Boston, and is currently on exhibit in St. Louis. 100 metal Artists were each sent an inoperable handgun that was confiscated or bought back by the police Department in Pittsburgh. We were asked to make a piece of art out of some part of the gun. I made a squash blossom necklace (A traditional Native American/ Navajo jewelry Design). The squash blossom necklace has spun off into several different ideas and pieces. I will be submitting some of these for a competition for the RI Coalition against Gun Violence. Hopefully, it will make a difference!
