Brain Press:
Charles Lewton-Brain

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Master goldsmith Charles Lewton-Brain trained, studied and worked in Germany, Canada and the United States to learn the skills he uses. His work is concerned with Process and with Beauty as well as function. He thinks of decision making in metal as drawing, working with the same sensibilities of mark and commitement as with pen and ink. Many pieces use a 'printmaking' approach to working metal, that is that the work is done in separate steps in groups and layers building towards the finished piece. Process and the tensions between nature and structure are part of his concerns. His work and writing on the results of his technical research have been published internationally. In 1994 Brain Press was established which documents, publishes and markets the results of his research activities. He has worked on the Cage Series of work extensively since 2001. Slide Show at Flick.com. Interview with Charles Lewton-Brain
A distinguished Fellow of the Society of North American Goldsmiths and a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain he has lectured and taught in England, Germany, the United States, Canada and Australia. He is a consultant on the jewelry field, and has written expert witness reports regarding health and safety in US legal cases.
He developed 'fold-forming', a series of techniques new to the metalsmithing field which allow rapid development of three dimensional surfaces and structures using simple equipment. The Rolex Awards for Enterprise chose a project of his on the further development of fold forming for inclusion in a book on innovative developments in science and invention in the world, the Rolex Awards for Enterprise 1991 Edition. He has written six books, 14 monographs and published hundreds of articles in magazines as well as book chapters. He translated the monumental 560 page German “Theory and Practice of Goldsmithing” into English. He is on the editorial masthead at AJM magazine, and has been a contributing editor on a number of books.
He served as a director on the board of the Alberta Crafts Council for five years and six years as the National Crafts Representative on the board of the Canadian Conference of the Arts, where he had national reporting responsibilities and presented the views of Canada’s national crafts organization, the Canadian Crafts Federation of which he was a founding participant. After a year as Vice-President he served over two years as President of the Canadian Crafts Federation/Federation Canadienne des Metiers d’Art. Charles was an essential member of the Craftyear 2007 Project which resulted in over 550 events nationally. He created Alberta's Black Rod for the Legislative Assembly, a major piece of state silversmithing. Similarly he has made maces, chalices and repaired important awards: click here for more.
He has lived in Calgary since 1986 and is long-time Head of the Jewellery/Metals Program at the Alberta College of Art and Design as well as teaching full time, writing articles, exhibiting, consulting and making work. In 1996 he began a web site collaboration with Dr. Hanuman Aspler in Thailand. The Ganoksin Project web site is now the largest educational site in the world for jewelers with over 250,000 different individuals a month visiting and a 6,500 member archived, searchable discussion email list called Orchid. His writing started the site. From 1991-2002 he and his wife, artist Dee Fontans created and ran the Centre for Jewellery Studies in downtown Calgary.
His two daughters Erika Kulnys-Brain and Aniko Lewton-Brain are successful, lovely, intelligent young women. To order Erika Kulnys' 2005 CD "Hurricane" Email Us. His brother Peter Lewton-Brain is a renowned ballet dancer, movement specialist and osteopath, with his partner, Etoile and Principal Dancer Paola Cantolupo and their son Davidé.

Resume Charles Lewton-Brain Go to Top
Education
1986 MFA, SUNY, New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, USA
1984 FGA, Gemmology Diploma, Gemmological Association of Great Britain
1980 ZDF, Certificate in German Language Skills: Goethe
Institut/Volkshochschule, Pforzheim, West Germany (BRD).
1979-80 Studies in design and technique at the Fachhochschule für Gestaltung, Pforzheim, BRD with Prof. Klaus Ullrich.
1978 BFA, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
Attended for a semester or more at Sheridan College (Toronto) as a visiting student in 1976, exhibiting with the graduating class. Attended Haystack Craft School in 1975 with George Van Duinwyck. Studied with Bob Ebendorf in 1976. Worked for companies in the jewelry industry in Toronto, Pforzheim, Halifax. He has taken numerous workshops in various subjects from educators and artists at conferences, summer schools and symposia.

Selected Professional Experience
1986-07 Program head (92-07) and metalsmithing instructor at all levels, for conceptual courses, technical education as well as drawing and design. Alberta College of Art and Design.
1980-07 Studio artist and free lance consultant for industry and small scale jewellery production as well as expert legal and safety consulting work.
1986 Instructor, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, summer session
1986 Adjunct instructor, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City
1981-84 Instructor, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
1982 Manager, Frobisher Jewellery Center, a Government of the North West
Territories project, Baffin Island, Canada
1980 Goldsmith, Karl Angermaier GMBH, Pforzheim, BRD
1979 Goldsmith, Richard Bossert GMBH, Pforzheim, BRD
1978 Instructor, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, summer session.
Workshops and Lectures
1979-04 Two hundred+ on various subjects given in Canada, USA, Australia, England
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Selected Grants and Awards
2005 Award of Honour, Provincial, Ablerta Crafts Council
2003 Honorable Mention, Metal Arts Guild National Exhibition.
2001 Alberta College of Art and Design Student Association Teachers Cup.
1999 “Board of Governors Award of Excellence”, “in recognition of significant contributions to the arts in the province of Alberta”, Awarded 1999 Convocation, ACAD, Calgary
Purchase of two works, both fold-formed, by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Permanent Collection.
The Ganoksin web site, a collaboration between Lewton-Brain and Dr. Aspler, won the iJeweler Top 25 Web site award as the “Most Complete and Educational Jewelry Infosite on the Internet”. The site also won the Gemkey (industry group) Award as one of the “Best of the Web” in the Jewelry Information Category.
Nominated for the Canada Council Molson Awards.
1998 Nominated for a Bronfman Award for the Crafts by the Canadian Craft Museum,
1997 Alberta College of Art and Design Student Association Inaugeral Teachers Cup.
1995 Stamford Perrott Innovative Project Grant for computer software development for goldsmiths, Alberta College of Art, Calgary.
1993 Honourable Mention, ‘Relics for the Future’, Dartmouth Nova Scotia
1991 One of two Albertan nominees for the 1992 Bronfman Award.
1990 Alberta Visual Arts Project Grant for giving a paper to the Society of Jewellery Historians and for research on surface colouring of metals.
1990 Selection for publication by the Rolex Awards for Enterprise 1990
Committee. 'Fold Forming, a new system for sheet metal fabrication' was
published in “Spirit of Enterprise: the 1991 Rolex Awards for Enterprise”.
1989 Production Award, Metal Arts Guild Exhibition, Toronto
1986 Society of North American Goldsmiths Research Grant for research into
gold application technology.
1985 Award of Merit, Grand Prix de Quebec, Montreal, PQ
1985, 84 Nova Scotia Talent Trust Scholarships, Dept of Culture, Nova Scotia
1984 Award of Merit, Crafts 18, Pennsylvania
1984 Distinguished Membership status, Society of North American Goldsmiths
1983 Design Award, Metal Arts Guild of Toronto Exhibition
1977 DoFasco Purchase award, Metal Arts Guild Exhibition, Toronto
1974 Muroff-Kotler Award, UCCC, Stone Ridge, New York
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Selected One-Person Shows
2004 "Charles Lewton-Brain", Fleury Gallery, Houston, Texas
2000 “Charles Lewton-Brain”, Riccardo Accurso Gallery, Sheperdstown, WV.
“Gemscapes”, Firehouse Art Center Gallery, Norman, Oklahoma
“Charles Lewton-Brain”, El Camino College, Torrance CA
1999 “Charles Lewton-Brain”, Canadian Craft Museum, Vancouver, BC
“Charles Lewton-Brain: Work”, North Seattle Community College Gallery, Seattle
“Charles Lewton-Brain”, Wesleyan Potters Crafts Cooperative Gallery, Hartford, CT
1998 ‘Charles Lewton-Brain’, New Brunswick School of Crafts Gallery, Fredericton, NB
1998 'Gemscapes: Charles Lewton-Brain', Minds Eye Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
1994 ‘Charles Lewton-Brain’, one man show R. Grey Gallery, Boise, Idaho
1992 'Ten Forward', Muttart Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
1989 'Recent Work', Letki Design Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
1988 'Recent Work: Sets', Fireworks Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia
1987 'Charles Lewton-Brain; Metalwork', University of North Dakota Art Gallery,
Grand Forks, North Dakota
1986 'Charles Lewton-Brain; Recent Work: Metal', Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
1983 Mount St. Vincent Art Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 'Nova Scotia Crafts I: Charles Lewton-Brain'
1982 'Recent Work', Centre des Arts Visuels, Montreal
1981 'Sculpture in Jewellery', Fireworks Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Selected Juried Exhibitions and Group Shows

2005 SOFA Chicago, Metalsmiths Exhibition in Print exhibition.
2004 “Shades”, Object/Design Gallery, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC
2003 "New Art Jewelry", Virginia Christopher gallery, Calgary, exhibition with Dee Fontans.
2001 ‘Once Upon a Time: Artists Examine Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends’, Invitational Wustum Museum, Racine Wisconsin.
“The Year of the Bear” Willock and Sax Gallery, Water ton Lakes, AB, invitational.
2000 “Filtered Senses”, Brookfield Craft Center Gallery, Connecticut. (Curated this show)
“Current Views’ (invitational), Pratt Fine Art Center Gallery, Seattle, WA
“Attitude and Action”, curated by Gail Brown, Birmingham, England
“Exhibition in Motion”, performance, Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference, Boston, MA
1999 “Silver”, Invitational Exhibition, Canadian Crafts Museum, Vancouver.
“Celebration of Alberta’s Jewellery Artists”, Mesa Silver Gallery, Calgary
“Measure by Measure: Jewelers Explore the Four Dimensions”, Invitational, Brookfield Craft Center Gallery, Brookfield, CT
“Fire and Iron”, CANIRON Exhibition, Calgary, and later, “Fire and Iron: Selections from”, Edmonton, AB.
"Identity/Identite", Metal Arts Guild national travelling exhibition
“The End is Near: Artists Look at the Twentieth Century”, Wustum Museum, Racine.
1999 “Millenium in Motion”, fashion performance, Aids Benefit, Jack Singer Hall, Calgary
1998 ‘Unexpected Settings’, Seattle, WA
1997 ‘SNAG link Project, Albuquerque, NM.
1996 ‘Heritage and Diversity’, Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland
1995 ‘Double Vision’, Gallery IO, New Orleans and Wustum Museum, WI
SOFA in Miami, sponsored by Gallery IO, New Orleans.
1994 “Tea with Eros”, Metal Arts Guild national touring exhibition.
1993 “Metal Artists Charles Lewton-Brain and Jeff deBoer”, Edmonton, Alberta
1993 “From the Heart”, invitational exhibition, Zaruba Gallery, Frederick, MD
1993 “Relics for the Future”, NSDCC Exhibition, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
1992, 93 “Chicago International New Art Forms Exposition”, ACC Gallery, Chicago
1992 Inaugural Exhibition, “Treasury of Canadian Crafts”, Canadian Crafts Museum
1991 “Formes et Contrastes”, invitational, Grand Prix des Métier d'Art, Quebec.
1990 'Amphora', invitational vessel exhibition, Jocelyn Gobeil Gallery, Montreal
1990 'The Medium is Metal, the theme is Water', MAG, national touring exhibition
1990 'Show of Hearts', Metal + Gallery, Winnipeg
1990 'Designed for Production; Made for Use', Cartwright Gallery, Vancouver
1989 'Sets, New Canadian Jewellery', Roz Macallan Gallery, Brisbane, Australia
1989 'Rings', Gallerie Jocelyn Gobeil, Montreal,
1989 'On Body Ornamentation', Muttart Gallery, Calgary, travelled in Alberta
1988 'Craft/Innovation', Triangle Gallery, Calgary
Selected Juried Exhibitions and Group Shows continued:
1988 'Trends and Traditions', Cartwright Gallery, Vancouver
1988 'Objects of Magic', Grand Prix des Metiers d'Art, Montreal
1987 'A Closer Look', Harhay and Mckay Gallery, Toronto
1986 'Artists Book Exhibition', Galleri T.V., Malmo, Sweden
1986 'A Garden Party', Clodagh, Ross and Williams Gallery, New York City
1985 'BRAIN CELL 5 and BRAIN CELL 6, Mail art exhibitions, Osaka, Japan
1985 'Charles Lewton-Brain: Pamela Ritchie', Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax
1984 'Jewellery International', American Craft Museum, New York City
1983 'Jewellery in Transition', Prime Gallery, Toronto
1982 'Precious Metal Objects', Centre des Arts Visuels, Montreal
1977 'Jewels', Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery, Ontario
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Selected Further Professional Experience
2004-2006 President, Canadian Crafts Federation/Federation Canadienne des Metier d'Arts
2005 Juror, Saul Bell national Jewelry Competion, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
2002-04 Vice President, Canadian Crafts Federation/Federation Canadienne des Metier d'Arts
2003 Juror, Saul Bell national Jewelry Competion, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
2000-04 Technical Advisor, technical editor, American Jewelry Manucacturer Magazine (AJM)
1995-03 Director for Craft on the Board of the Canadian Conference of the Arts. Member and juror of the national Diplome D’Honneur committee of the CCA and juror for Rogers Communications Award. Juror for the Keith Kelly Award for Cultural Leadership.
2003-99 Speaker, annually, American Gem Trade Association, Tucson, AZ
Speaker, “On New Markets and Professionalism”, Montreal Contemporary Jewelry Symposium. Sponsored by Québec and the Conseil des Metiers d’Art.
2001 “Theory and Practice of Goldsmithing” published, 560 page book translation.
2000 Represented Canada to the First International Crafts Conference in Puerto Rico.
1999 Consultant and technical advisor for the proposal and creation of the Mace for the Legislative Assembly of the North West Territories.
Speaker/presenter, CanIron II international blacksmiths conference, Calgary, AB.
1998 Member, organizing Committee for “The Future of Canadian Craft” Assisted in the formation of the Canadian Crafts Federation, a body which replaces the CCC.
Created the “Black Rod” for the Legistlative Assembly of Alberta, silver and ebony.
1996 Established collaborative educational web site called Ganoksin.com -now the largest free educational site for jewelers in the world with more than 35,000 people a month visiting the site. A 4,500 person mailing list is archived and searchable.
1995-1990 Director on the board of the Alberta Crafts Council.
1994 Founded Brain Press to publish software, books and videos. Authored 4 books since.
1993 Speaker, ‘Dynamic Limitations’, international Enamelling Conference, Ohio
1993 Development of software project for goldsmiths called ‘The Eclectic Goldsmith’
1992 Acting Department Head, Jewellery Department, Alberta College of Art
1991 Visiting Artist at Southwest Crafts Center, San Antonio, TX and in New Brunswick.
1990 Panelist, contemporary jewellery symposium 'Jewellery today--Sculpture or fashion?, Emily Carr College of Art/Cartwright Gallery
1990 Paper presentation to the Society of Jewellery Historians Symposium and
participation in British Museum conference on surface colouring of metals,
London, England and Fold-forming workshop, Sheffield Polytechnic, Sheffield.
1990 Presentation "Fold-forming update' to the SNAG (Society of North
American Goldsmiths) Conference, San Francisco
1980-93 Invention and development of Fold-forming; a system of working sheet metal new to the field characterized by rapidity and complexity of cross section. Go to Top
1985-88 Technical research carried out and monographs prepared on Fold-forming, patination, depletion gilding and gold application technologies.
1988 Speaker to the 1st International Conference of the Jewellers and Metalsmiths
Group of Australia, workshops given in Sydney and Brisbane.
1988 Visiting Artist, Grand Prix des Metiers d'Art Quebec, Montreal
1988 Visiting Artist, Georgia State University, Atlanta
1988, 94, 96 Visiting Artist, Wayne State University, Detroit
1987 Speaker at the SNAG conference on gold application techn iques
1987 Visiting Artist, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
1985 Presentation to the SNAG conference in Toronto Fold-forming.
1984-82 Reconstruction and historical interpretation work for Parks Canada, Halifax

Bibliography
1980-06 Hundreds of magazine articles and books published regularly nationally, internationally and on the World Wide Web.

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A Snapshot of Annual Activity: for the year June 2004-July 2005

Charles Lewton-Brain
The following level of detail fleshes out the selected resume items above.

Full Time Instructor, Alberta College of Art and Design
Program Head, Jewellery/Metals Program, ACAD
President, Canadian Crafts Federation/Féderation Canadienne des Metiérs D'Arts
Partner and Co-Founder, The Ganoksin Project
Studio Artist
President, Brain Press, and Writer


Studio Artist
Ongoing ‘Cage’ series works, related pieces bound by format, ranging from performance oriented body art to jewellery. The recent concentration has been on jewellery. The jewellery is made by welding stainless steel wire then electroforming in a copper-acid bath, finally thickly gold plated.
Had a review of the one person exhibition at Fleury Gallery in Houston, Texas published in Metalsmith Magazine, written by Diane Falkenhagen
Images of work chosen for and used in a book on Teapots by Donna Meilach. (Schiffer Publishing). Included in Charon Kranson's 500 Bracelets book, and in Meilach's Art Jewelry Today.
Work "Fork", was juried into the 2005 Exhibition in Print, Metalsmith Magazine.
Nominated 2005 for the Alberta Arts Awards, provincial, by individuals.
Nominated 2004 for the Governor Generals Awards, national, by the Alberta Crafts Council.

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Exhibitions of Art Work/Goldsmithing Participated In

2005
"Great Western Hat Stir-Up", Exhibition of Artist's Cowboy hats. Hat featured on City TV interview, Calgary, June, 05.
"Melting Point", Art Central, public, June, Metalphoric Group, June.
"Metal Always", ArtSpace Gallery, commercial, Metalphoric Group, Calgary, March
"Body Ornament West", curator's piece, Alberta Crafts Council Gallery, public, Edmonton, AB, January-April. Note a catalog of the exhibition is on the web. http://www.albertacraft.ab.ca/pages/exhibits/body_west/
"Natural Abstractions", INFLUX Gallery, commercial, , Calgary, January
"Exhibition in Print", publication, juried, Curators Rosanne Raab, Independent Curator/Collection Adviser, and Boris Bally, Designer/Metalsmith. Published summer 2005.
2004
Solo Exhibition, "Charles Lewton-Brain", Fleury Gallery, commercial, Houston Texas, attended opening, and private showing. Sept.
"December Exhibition", La Freniere and Pai Gallery, commercial, Ottawa, Ontario, December.
"Oeuvres récentes de 40 artistes-joalliers, Galerie Noel Guyomarc'h, commercial, Montreal, Québec, November
"Shades", juried show, Object/Design Gallery, commercial, Vancouver, August 12-Oct 30
"ACAD Jewellery & Metals Department Faculty Exhibition", INFLUX Gallery, invited, commercial, Calgary, Dec
"The Shiny Show", INFLUX Gallery, juried, commercial, Calgary, Nov -Dec
"Body Ornament West", Curator's piece, Triangle Gallery, public, Calgary, AB, Sept-Oct. Web published catalog and exhibition pages at: http://www.trianglegallery.com/exhibits/2004format/
"You Wear What You Eat", Juried, Kirkland Art Center, public, Kirkland, WA, USA.
Calgary Rock and Lapidary Club Annual Exhibition, non-juried, Hillhurst Community Centre, Calgary.
ACAD Faculty Exhibition, Illingworth Kerr Gallery, public, Calgary, Alberta.


Academic Activity, Teacher, Program Head

Taught 3 days, 18 contact hours a week, 3 courses of six hours each.
Head of Jewellery/Metals Program.
Member Intellectual Properties committee
Chair, Premiere Visiting Artists Committee. Led committee renewal workshops and meetings to design new membership configuration, funding approach rules etc. Created the written proposals for the changes.
Numerous administrative duties undertaken and assisted with, students counseled.
Created and coordinated new extensions course offerings to better serve alumnae, students and the community. Our Extended studies courses are viewed as an enhancement of our full time program.
Organized and planned a robust summer program, introducing new courses to Calgary, including a summer program which ran through August with credit courses.
Co-ordinated visiting artists to the Jewelry/Metals program. Reviewed direct entry proposals.
Co-ordinated with colleague Joan Irvin the PLE exhibition of ACAD student work, a traveling show of five students work that went to 9 European countries.
Wrote principles and guidelines, with repeated meetings with Vice President and Head of Fine Arts for a Visiting Scholar position at ACAD.
Organized, made contact with and planned "Jewellery Week 2005" (Sept 05), with visiting artists Alan Revere, Kye Yeon Son and Calgary Jeweller Lyn Strelau. Planning began in 2004.
Produced teaching materials, refined lectures and presentations.
Reviewed curriculum and worked on its development.
Worked on practicum placements for students.

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Conference Presentations and Public Lectures Given
2005
"Fold-Forming Workshop", "Charles Lewton-Brain: Work", "Bench Tricks Workshop", Masters Symposium, Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts, San Francisco, Also public lecture on 'Bench Tricks'. May 3-11
“PR and Professionalism”, ACAD 200 class, Calgary, March
"The Ganoksin Project", public presentation at Orchid Dinner, Tucson, Arizona, Feb.
2004
"Bench Tricks", Calgary Rock and Lapidary Club", Calgary, Alberta. December.
"Crafting a Career", panelist, Ottawa School of Art, from the Directions for Craft Series, Ontario Crafts Council, October 04.
"Advanced Fold-forming", lecture demonstration, University of Houston, Texas, Sept 19
"Bench Tricks", lecture, University of Houston, Sept 19
"Fold-Forming Workshop", Workshops at Wolf Design School, Aug 17-19, Portland, Maine.
"Fold-Forming Workshop" Chester Metals Group, Chester, Ct, August
"Bench Tricks Workshop", Celia Bauer School/Allcraft, New York, August
"Fold-forming, Patinas, Tool Making", Celia Bauer School. Allcraft, New York, August. Two days.
"Fold-Form ing Workshop", ACAD, Calgary, AB, July, four days.


Conferences/Major Meetings Attended
2005
AGTA (American Gem Trade Association) trade show and lecture series. Tucson, Arizona. February
RioGrande/Bell Group Catalog in Motion Educational sessions, Tucson, Arizona, February.
Expo New York Jewelry Conference, Designer Day, Executive Day, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY, March
Innovation Council Founding meeting, (invited) Javits Center, New York, March.
Orchid Dinner, Tucson, Arizona. (These are meetings of the Ganoksin web site list members, with an program, organized by participants, 350 attended, February, Tucson. Gave a speech about the Ganoksin Project. Attended and participated in the New York Orchid Dinner in March.
Las Vegas JCK show, (Manufacturing Jewelers and Silversmiths) trade show, American Gem Trade Association show. Signatures Exhibition. With Press credentials. June.
Saul Bell Design Competition Award Ceremonies, Las Vegas, Nevada as judge. June.
ACAD strategy workshops. January.
2004
Bronfman Awards Ceremonies, Ottawa, Ontario, October.
Canadian Crafts Federation/Fedération Canadienne des Metiérs d’Art AGM and strategy meeting. Chaired meetings as President. Elected as President in October, 2004, acting President from May 2004. Chaired national networking meeting and AGM.
"Crafting a Career", Ottawa School of Art, OCC, October 04.
Jewelry Industry Strategy meetings in Chicago, developing information for strategic planning.

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Curating, Jurying and Editorial Projects
Curator, “Body Ornament West”, organized jurying process, call for entry, exhibition, worked with Kathy Rawson and Amanda Pawson as assistants. Began work on this in 2002, The show opened at the Triangle Gallery in Calgary, Fall 2004, and in January in Edmonton at the Alberta Crafts Council Gallery
Juror, 2005 Saul Bell Awards, jurying took place in Albuquerque, NM. Attended Award Ceremonies in Las Vegas.
Judge, AJM magazine 2004 Innovation Awards. Besides adjudication.
Judge, Jewelry Arts Awards, national, Lapidary Journal, 2005 competition.
Judge, World Champion Blacksmith's Competition, Creative Section, Calgary Stampede.
Judge, Gem and Mineral Federation of Canada Competition, Calgary Rock and Lapidary Club.
Editorial Advisory Board Member for American Jewelry Manufacturer (AJM) magazine. Technical consultant and reviewer for a number of articles.
Co-Editor, Technical, with Rich Youmans, of 'Flexible Shaft Book', author Karen Christians, MJSA publishing, pending publication
Technical Editor, consultant, Woven Wire Jewelry: Contemporary Designs and Creative Techniques by Linda L. Chandler and Christine R. Ritchey, Interweave Press, ISBN: 1-931499-57-8
Technical Editor/advisor for Alan Revere book project “101 Bench Tricks”, MJSA, wrote the introduction.
Jury Member of the Diplome d'honneur and Kieth Kelly Awards committee of the Canadian Conference of the Arts. Serve on this committee as ex-board member
Advisory Board Member, Canadian Institute of Gemmology, Vancouver
Advisor, translation consultant, “Kunstchmiede Praxis” by Friedolein Wols, Blue Moon Press, USA


Membership in Professional Organizations/Subscriptions
Canadian Conference of the Arts
The Canadian Crafts Federation
CARFAC (Saskatchewan and national)
The Alberta Crafts Council
Ontario Crafts Council
Jewellers and Metalsmith's Group of Australia
Society of North American Goldsmiths: Distinguished Member
Metal Arts Guild (National organization)
American Crafts Council
Calgary Rock and Gem Club
The Metalphoric Group
Journal Subscriptions
Metalsmith (USA)
Goldschiede Zeitung (European Jeweller) (West Germany)
Canadian Jeweller (Canada)
Lemel (Australia)
Craft Arts (Australia)
Ornament Magazine (USA)
American Jewelry Manufacturer (USA)
American Craft (USA)
Ontario Craft (Canada)
Saskatchewan Crafts Council Magazine (Canada)
Conseil des Metiers d’Art Journal (Canada)
Magazine of the Crafts Council of Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada)
Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Magazine (Canada)
Manitoba Crafts Council Magazine (Canada)
MAGazine (Canada)
Lapidary Journal (USA)
Automation/CADCAM Systems (Canada)
Aramco World (Arab/Muslim art subjects)

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The Ganoksin Project 1996-07
Continued to expand and build a collaborative public service educational web site with Dr. Hanuman Aspler: The Ganoksin Project. Attended meetings and events for the project. The site has a search engine for jewellery terms and over 650 pages of my original writing and drawings on jewellery techniques. It is the most comprehensive site in the world for jewellers information. Many other sites have linked to my articles. Constructed three new Gateways to my articles external to the site. Currently some 250,000 individuals a month visit the ganoksin site to download information. The Orchid mailing list, with over 6,500 professional members, produces some 50 edited emails a day which are archived and searchable.
Web Site construction and publishing for Brain Press. This site I built includes book reviews and a large public education section. http://brainpress.com/Ganoksin.html#Articles. It has some links to some 180 articles and book extracts of my writing and reporting on research, constituting over 700 pages of text and graphics. Added a number of articles in this period.

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Brain Press
Continued to run Brain Press Ltd, and constructed its web site which consistently comes up in the top three on google in searches for it. This project has involved managing and growing a company, publishing, the internet, business and marketing.
Continued to learn about using Dreamweaver. Working on Fold-Forming CDROM using html. It currently has over 5000 files, and 1,500 photographs which I took for the project. In progress.
Writing a Fold-Forming book to be published by Brynmorgen Press in Maine. Editor: Tim McCreight. Meetings held with the editors in August 04 in Portland, Maine.


Writing: Articles Authoredby Lewton-Brain and Published
2005
"SNAG Conference 2004" event review, MAGazine, Spring/Summer 2005, pp 26-27.
"Move, Sit and Stand Right", magazine article, Lapidary Journal, May 2005, pp 68-70
"Tech Sheet: Ergonomics For Jewelers", Insert and Tech sheet, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, May, 2005
"A Way with Wax", magazine article, At The Bench, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, June 2005, pp 65-66
"Clever Carvers, part 2", magazine article, At The Bench, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, May 2005, pp 69-70
"Clever Carvers", magazine article, At The Bench, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, March 2005, pp 60-61
"Is it Art? Is it Craft?", Online magazine The Bead Bugle, 3 printed pages, March 05, http://www.beadbugle.com/test/isitart-
"Shop the Show", Online magazine The Bead Bugle, 3 printed pages, January 05,, http://www.nfobase.com/html/shop_the_show_.html
"A Safer Shine", magazine article, At The Bench, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, February 2005, pp 62-63
"The Shinier the Better", magazine article, At The Bench, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, January 2005, pp 48-49
2004
"Art versus Craft", magazine article, MAGazine, Winter 2005, pp 16-17
"Introduction" essay, book, 101 Bench Tips for Jewelers, by Alan Revere, MJSA/AJM Press, ISBN 0-9713495-3-3, p 4.
"Got It Pegged?", , magazine article, At The Bench, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, October 2004, pp 55
"Tooling a Round", magazine article, At The Bench, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, September 2004, pp 67
"The Final Cut", magazine article, At The Bench, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, August 2004, pp 47
"Casting Safety", chapter in the book The AJM Guide to Lost-Wax Casting, MJSA, New York, 2004
"Ornament. Body. Jewellery.", Curator's Catalog/Exhibition essay, Body Ornament West, Catalog, Triangle Gallery, Calgary, p 2,
"Report on the America Craft Council", Internal document, Canadian Crafts Federation, 6 pages, distribution to NGO's, Canada Council for the Arts, PCC boards.
Media Interview: 'Body Ornament West', A Channel, Calgary, News, Sept 22, 29th
Media Interview: 'Body Ornament West', A Channel, Calgary, Arts and Entertainment, Sept 22, 23, Big Breakfast, Oct 6th.
Media Interview:Wired, Oct 21, 22 'Body Ornament West', Calgary
Media Interview: 'Body Ornament West', Shaw Television, aired numerous times Sept 22-26th.
Published a number of articles at the Ganoksin Project, online disseminating research.

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Bibliography: Articles by Writers Where Lewton-Brain is Mentioned
2005
Work juried into the book 500 Bracelets, judged by Charon Kransen, Lark Books, pending.
"Expo Education Sets the Standard", magazine article, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, April 2005, pp 20
Falkenhagen, Diane, "Charles Lewton-Brain: The Cage Series", Exhibition Review in Metalsmith Magazine, summer 2005, p 56
Janzen, Kathleen, "Alberta College of Art and Design", college review article, MAGazine, Spring/Summer
National Jeweler Magazine article , "Artisans to Lead Workshops", 1/16/05
Tanguy, Sarah, "Edible Jewelry", View, magazine article, Metalsmith Magazine, Spring 2005, pp15-16
Shanahan, John, "The Tao of Bur", "Expo Education Sets the Standard", magazine article, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, April 2005, pp 50-52
2004
Alberta Craft Magazine, Profiles, Charles Lewton-Brain, Summer 2004, p 3
AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, "2004 AJM Innovation Awards Judges", December 2004, pp 46
Ebendorf, Robert, juried, book, 1000 Rings, Lark Books, pp 205, 410,
Greenbaum, Toni, "Art Jewelry Today", book review, Metalsmith magazine, Summer 2004, page 12-13
"In Our Own Backyard", magazine article, Alberta Craft magazine, Fall 2004.
Meilach, Dona, book, Teapots, Makers and Collectors, Schiffer Publishing,, pp 135,
"Members News", SNAG News, September 2004, Vol. 12, No 4, pp 7
Metalsmith Magazine, 'Think', RioGrande full page ad on Charles Lewton-Brain, inside back cover.
Owen, Tara, "Heady Stuff for the Average Craftsperson?", magazine article, Alberta Craft Magazine, Summer 2004, p 6
Wade, Suzanne, "Shining Solution", magazine article, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, December 2004, pp 33-34
Youmans, Rich, "Carving a Niche", magazine article, AJM (American Jewelry Manufacturer magazine, December 2004, pp 38-40
Web Published citations: currently an internet search for web pages with “Charles Lewton-Brain” (this brings up only relevant pages) gives: Google 14,700, AskJeeves and Teoma 3,650, Yahoo 46,500, alltheweb 45,800, MSN 3,242.


Other Professional Activities for the Community
President, Canadian Crafts Federation/Féderation Cannadienne des Métiers d'Arts
Member, Nominations Committee, Canadian Crafts Federation/Féderation Cannadienne des Métiers d'Arts.
Member, National Craft Year 2007 committee, Canadian Crafts Federation/Féderation Cannadienne des Métiers d'Arts. Wrote and co-wrote guidelines and text for Craft Year 2007 Web Page: http://www.canadiancraftsfederation.ca/html/craftyear2007.html
Member, Executive committee, Canadian Crafts Federation/Féderation Cannadienne des Métiers d'Arts.
Member of Nominations Committee,.
Assisted Alberta Crafts Council meetings. Consulted with ACC.
Member Awards Committee, Canadian Conference of the Arts.
Consultant, Mark Pearce (Mystic Forge), DICA project on metalworking in Bali, Indonesia, melting and casting troubleshooting.
Consultant Expert Witness Report regarding Studio Safety for Abrams, Gorelick, Friedman & Jacobson, P.C., New York, New York
Consultant regarding Studio Safety and silica exposure for Dodson Law Offices, P.C., Beaumont, Texas
Donor of artwork for various charitable/scholarship activities. Contributed work to One Yellow Rabbit Fundraiser, Autism Fund Raiser, Student Fund raisers, Ganoksin project silent auctions and events (Tuscon, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, New York, Massachusetts, SNAG benefit auction, and a number of others.
Advised and assisted with creation of an official replica of the Grey Cup. (with Intergold Company)
Photographed the work of the Metalphoric Group's members and created CD's for them. This is Calgary's metal arts organization.
Maintain a list of over 400 metals, jewelry and art links circulated via email and published as links lists at several web sites, for example at the Society of North American Goldsmiths http://www.snagmetalsmith.org/snag/links.asp and The Metal Web News: http://tbr.state.tn.us/~wgray/jewelry/jewelry-link.html.
Belong to a num ber of mailing lists and once a month compiled a 10 page list of opportunities and exhibitions for jewelers and Canadians. This is emailed to people, posted to the MAG list, Canada’s national metals mailing list and the Metalphoric list, Calgary's metals organization.

Note: In this reporting year there were a number of articles published on the web, that is writing published on web sites, a number at the ganoksin site, and several electronically republished articles on magazine's web sites (AJM for instance). Some were at other sites. These citations have not been listed above.

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Charles Lewton-Brain:
Professional History Detail

Professional Artist since 1981. Exhibited and published widely with national and international recognition for his contributions as an artist, educator and cultural sector worker. Visiting Artist at numerous colleges in Canada, the United States and Australia, and speaker at conferences in Canada and the United States, England, Australia, Portugal. In 1984 was granted Distinguished Membership status from the Society of North American Goldsmiths and Juried Membership Status in the Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council, Halifax. In 1999 the Alberta College of Art and Design awarded him the "Board of Governors Award of Excellence", "in recognition of significant contributions to the arts in the province of Alberta". In 1997 and 2001 he won the Student Association's "Teachers Cup"‚ for outstanding teaching and inspirational work for students.

Important contributions to historical development: Maintained a strong practice and exhibition record since 1981. Published images of work and opinions widely. Writing subjects ranged from critical to technical, from PR methods and photography for artists to studio safety and research papers on historical and technical subjects. Personal artistic research into process and compositional systems is reported to the field internationally in the form of books, videos and articles. Thousands of metalsmiths internationally have adopted methods he developed and use them in their work. His inventions and working techniques are taught around the world in jewelry programs.

He invented fold-forming, a large system of working sheet metals that is completely new to the world. It uses simple hand tools to produce complex three dimensional and relief forms and structures rapidly. There are hundreds of shapes possible, and the results are widely used for sculpture, installation, decorative blacksmithing and jewellery making. Numerous colleges and schools worldwide now offer courses using these techniques. The British Museum research lab (Metals Head, Paul Craddock) and the Rolex Awards for Enterprise have confirmed this is a new, original approach to working metals (1990).

As an educator he has influenced many students, and directly taught his ideas about position, philosophy, learning and technique to several thousand people through workshops and lectures. Many students credit his teaching for their success in the United States and Canada. He taught at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design from 1982-84, 86 and in Calgary since 1986 at the Alberta College of Art and Design, where he has been jewellery/metals program head for over ten years. He has given over two hundred workshops and lectures internationally.
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Lewton-Brain translated the 560 page book "Theorie und Praxis des Goldschmieds" by Erhard Brepohl (from German into English). A 13 year "service to the field" project (two complete editions were translated). This book is the most important, comprehensive book in the metals field (2001). He has written four books for jewelers, the last one, on safety for metal workers has become a standard resource in the field. Some eight published monographs have sold tens of thousands of copies internationally.

Past President of the Canadian Crafts Federation/Fédération Canadienne des Métiers d'Art, Canada‚s national organization for the craft sector. He was a founding member of the group in 1999. He spent six years as a member of the Board of the Canadian Conference on the Arts (CCA) as the national representative for Craft with reporting and representational responsibilities to the eleven provincial craft councils and to the Canadian Crafts Federation. His reports (every six months) from 1996-2002 were influential in national Craft development and as references for provincial and federal bodies. He served as an Alberta Craft Council Board member1991-95. He has participated in many provincial cultural intitiatives, conferences and workshops provincially and nationally.

Lewton-Brain created a major competitive commission for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the 'Black Rod' made of sterling silver, gold and ebony, 42" long. Only the British Parliament and Ottawa have this symbolic object. Alberta is the first other commonwealth Legislative Assembly to have one. The British Parliament, the Government of Sri Lanka and the Royal Canadian Legion were all sponsors of the project (1996-97). Other public commissions include the Mace for the Technical University of Nova Scotia in Halifax and a chalice made for the Pope's visit to Halifax in 1984.

His contributions to significant contemporary practice include: Wearable art, exposed in the form of public performances, lectures and published images. Risky work, challenging audience and wearer. Contemporary jewellery shown to the public in numerous venues and disseminated through magazine and catalog images, as well as the internet.

He has focused since 1997 on 'Cage' series works, related pieces bound by format, ranging from performance oriented body art to jewellery. The recent concentration has been on jewellery. The jewellery is made by welding stainless steel wire with an orthodontic fusion welder, then electroformed, literally grown in a copper-acid bath, finally heavy gold electroplating.

He has served as a jury member on a number of juries, Saskatchewan Craft Council, Metal Arts Guild (national), ACAD awards committee member 1990-2001. Member of Diplome D'Honneur committee of the CCA and juror for the national Diplome d'Honneur and for the Rogers Communications Award (English) (Media Competition). Juror for the Keith Kelly Award for Cultural Leadership, and juror for the Saul Bell Awards in 2003. Canadian curator and national coordinator for "Handwerk 96", international exhibition at the Munich Handwerksmeße, Germany for nine years (1989-98). Curated 'Body Ornament West" in Calgary and Edmonton in 2004 and has curated a number of exhibitions of contemporary jewelry in North America. Technical editor and advisor for books by other authors. Editorial advisor and columnist for AJM magazine.

Lewton-Brain's web published articles have touched thousands of artists and craftspeople. In concert with Dr. Hanuman Aspler, he developed the Ganoksin Project (1996-05), now the largest educational resource web site in the world for jewelers and metalsmiths. http://ganoksin.com/ Over 600 pages of his writing are published there. The Ganoksin Project has up to 2,500,000 hits a month, people linger for an average of 20 pages, some 6000-9000 unique individuals visit a day. The 5500 member mailing list 'Orchid' generates some 50 edited messages a day, all archived and searchable. The impact worldwide is huge, and the site provides access to critical, business, PR and technical information to tens of thousands who would not otherwise have it. The Ganoksin Project has created and facillitated partnerships for information sharing with over 12 international jewelry magazines and a number of trade, industry and art jewelry oganizations. A history of the Ganoksin Project is here.

He maintains a list of some 400 metals, jewelry and art links which are widely circulated via email and have been published at several web sites, (SNAG, Metal Web News, Australian Jeweller). He regularly compiles and submits lists of exhibition opportunities to Canada's national metals group (MAGlist) and to the Orchid list.

Influence of his research into compositional systems can be traced in the work of many people nationally and internationally.


Galleries representing Charles Lewton-Brain's artwork and goldsmithing.

Alberta Crafts Council Gallery
,
10186-106 St. Edmonton, AB
T5J 1H4 , Canada, Tel: 780-488-6611, Fax: 1-780-488-8855, Email.
Gallerie Noel Guyomarch,
137 Laurier W., Montréal, Québec, H2T 2N6, Canada, 514-840-9362 Email
Harbinger Gallery, 22 Dupont St. E., Waterloo, ON N2J 2G9,Canada, Phone: (519) 747-4644
Email
INFLUX Gallery
, 2nd level, Art Central, 100 - 7th Avenue S.W. , Calgary, Alberta, T2P 0W4, Canada, Tel: 403.266.7527, Email
La Freniere and Pai Gallery,   13 Murray St., Ottawa, ON Canada K1N 9M5  Tel:  613.241.2767, Email
David Rice Gallery, 100 Osborne Street South, Winnipeg, Canada R3L 1Y5   Tel: (204) 453-6105    Fax (204) 453-1024., Email
R. Grey Gallery, Boise, 818 W. Idaho Street, Boise, Idaho 83702, USA, Email
Willock and Sax Gallery, Box 85, 305 Windflower Avenue, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada, TOK 2M0, Tel: 403.859.2274 or toll-free at 1.866.859.2220, Email
A slide showof Images of Cage Series Work


Collections housing Lewton-Brain's Work Go to top

Alberta Foundation for the Arts
Legislative Assembly of Alberta (made Black Rod)
Royal Canadian Legion, Calgary Branch
Wustum Museum, Racine, Wisconsin
Ralph Turner Collection, London, England
Department of External Affairs, Ottawa, Canada
Technical University of Nova Scotia (made University Mace)
Nova Scotia Art Bank
Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council Permanent Collection.
DoFasco Steel Corporation of Canada, Hamilton, Ontario
Ken Thompson Collection, Toronto, Ontario
Wolf Collection (Barbara Rockefeller Associates), New York, New York
Knapp Collection, New York, New York
Sobel Collection, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
Frosh Collection, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

Lewton-Brain's Teachers and Students
His important teachers included Bob Ebendorf, Jamie Bennet, Klaus Ullrich, Walter Zeiss, Christian Gaudernak, Kurt Matzdorf, John Cogswell, Harold O'Connor, Haaken Bakken, Bill Ottermiller, George Van Duinwyck, and Orland Larson.

His successful students are many, who include Jeff De Boer, Brigitte Clavette, Louise Perrone, Steve Fong, Kari Woo, Devon Clark, Shona Rae. He has taught over 2000 individuals personally through workshops. Some have national Canadian or international fame, and those who have adopted techniques he pioneered from workshops include Harold O'Connor, Cynthia Eid among others.

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