Ebendorf inducted into Hall of Fame

(Oct. 21, 2004)   —   East Carolina University professor of metals Robert Ebendorf has been inducted into the National Metalsmiths Hall of Fame in the artist/arts educator category.The prolific artist, who recently was honored with a 40-year retrospective exhibition at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., is known for new approaches to the fabrication of jewelry. No longer do artist jewelers rely on the metals and settings that come to mind as the archetype of the medium. Ebendorf, for example, incorporates steel and found objects with gold and silver to create innovative and fresh pieces.

The committee that selected Ebendorf for the honor also designed and crafted the award, a silver tessellated piece that stands on a wooden stand, covered by a handsewn royal purple cover.

Ebendorf thanked the National Metalsmiths Hall of Fame for their “prestigious vote of confidence.”

In 2005, the artist is slated to receive a “Masters of the Medium” award from the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. The award is extended to four artists every two years and is considered capstone recognition.

Ebendorf, who serves as the Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Chair at the East Carolina University School of Art and Design recently produced a book, “1000 Rings,” appeared in colleague Linda Darty’s to-be-released book “The Art of Enameling,” lectured at the Northwest Jewelry/Metals Symposium at the Seattle Asian Art Museum this month, and has works on display at the Faculty Art Exhibition at the Wellington B. Gray Gallery on the campus of East Carolina University as well as at the Penland School Retrospective at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design in Charlotte.