Fred Fenster is widely recognized as one of America’s leading metalsmiths. Through a lifetime dedicated to metal, design, and education, Fenster transformed functional objects into works of quiet beauty and precision. His creations, including jewelry and Judaica, invite both use and contemplation and prompt the question, “Is a metalsmith an artist or a craftsman?”
Form and Function
Fenster was born in 1934 and became an influential figure in metalsmithing through both his teaching and his practice. After studying industrial arts at City College of New York, he taught at Cranbrook Academy of Art and worked with Richard Thomas. He later joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1961, where he taught for over four decades before becoming a professor emeritus.
Fenster understood that skill and labor encourage self-learning. As noted by the Art Jewelry Forum (AJF), he told students in 1982 that they would learn more about themselves in his class than about anything else. In a tribute upon his passing in 2024, Fenster was described as a curious intellectual with a deep interest in humanity, culture, and beauty. He believed aesthetic values mattered in craftsmanship, and that is evident in his work. Although he was known for his simple designs, there are fine touches and a precise attention to detail in his creations. His appreciation for beauty was evident in the lines of a sterling silver Kiddush cup, the subtle Star of David of another, and the signature tapered rims on his serving cups.
Kiddush Cup (1995, designed 1988), housed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, exemplifies his craftsmanship. Made from pewter, the cup’s soft surface and minimalist form speak to Fenster’s mastery of elegance. Though pewter lacks the brilliance of silver, it carries a warmth that reflects his sensitivity to material.
An artist’s Hand in Functional Design
Fenster’s pieces invite daily use, yet they’re imbued with an aesthetic that elevates the items above functionality alone. The act of holding or using a finely crafted object could be compared to viewing it in a gallery. The question of whether a metalsmith is an artist or a craftsman becomes more intricate when examining Fenster’s process. Like many painters or sculptors, he emphasized process and material exploration. But his medium demanded technical precision: soldering, raising, forming, and finishing metal to exacting standards.
A silver Kiddush cup might seem, at first glance, a simple vessel. But in an expert craftsman’s hands, an everyday piece holds artistic value comparable to any other creative medium. Fenster captured spiritual and cultural meaning through the restraint of line and the refinement of texture. Fenster worked with both metal and pewter. Unlike harder metals, pewter allows for organic forms and soft edges. He exploited these qualities to express motion and light without ornamentation. His surfaces are rarely glossy; instead, they absorb light, creating quiet tonal variations. Fenster listened to what the metal could do, responding to its behavior rather than forcing it into rigid conformity.
Fenster’s Influence
Beyond his individual pieces, Fenster’s greatest contribution lies in education. The former student writing for AJF said the learners understood craftsmanship more fully after his lectures and critiques, and recognized it as a source of power in art. Generations of students benefitted from his creativity and commitment to his craft – or rather art.
