Open Letter To Jewelry Design Educational Programs

Regrettably, most existing programs around the United States typically focus on technical skills, particularly in metal smithing coupled with studio work. This approach is dated and out of sync. They train technicians, a few of whom can extend their training into producing critical works of art.

I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Warren Feld, and I am writing to you as a passionate advocate for the field of jewelry design. I have been designing jewelry and teaching jewelry making for the past 36 years. I wanted to reach out and discuss the potential establishment of a jewelry design program at your esteemed institution.

The ever-evolving jewelry making/design industry plays a significant role in the realms of art, fashion, culture, self-expression, business and entrepreneurship. It is important that any applied academic program develop their students in line with learned skills. The most recent (2021) US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that there is an increasing demand for innovative and skilled designers (+1.0% or +600 annually in the US), but at the same time, a decreasing demand (-0.7% annually) for jewelry technicians. At any one time in the US there are approximately 49,000 jewelry designers and technicians in the US, with 6,100 open positions annually. I strongly believe that [University Name] has a remarkable…