Honoring Karen Johnson Boyd: Art Jewelry/Sculpture to Wear

Karen Johnson Boyd did not just collect art, she wore it. While her attention to ceramics and fiber is well-documented, her notice of and appreciation for contemporary art jewelry deserves further exploration as well. Mrs. Boyd’s admiration encompassed artists who used both precious and non-precious materials such as found objects, wood, shell, titanium, and crystals. Similar to her other collecting areas of interest, she would make intuitive decisions and acquire what appealed to her. While she did not wear everything in equal measure, she was often adorned, favoring brooches over other forms of jewelry.

Interested in collecting nationally and internationally, Mrs. Boyd often turned her attention to artists that were based close to home also. She collected Wisconsin metalsmiths and jewelers Ken Loeber and Eleanor Moty in such depth that they are being shown in the large exhibition.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.