Sherida Wank

Sherida Wank, a 1998 honors graduate of the Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Jewelry Repair and Fabrication program and Gemology Certificate Program, is currently a member of the Society of North American Goldsmiths, Wisconsin Designer Craft Council, American Craft Council, and Wisconsin Jeweler’s Association. She also holds certificates from the Gemology Institute of America in Pearls, Pearl Grading, and Advanced Stone Setting.

She has exhibited her work at the Charles Dix Gallery in Delafield and Dreamscape Gallery in Brookfield as well as at the Marion College Heritage Art Festival, Watertown Art Festival, Art on the Quiet Side in Door County, Milwaukee Art Museum Lakefront Festival of the Arts Student Competition, and other southeastern Wisconsin juried fine art shows.

Sherida’s designs are influenced by ancient jewelry, archaeological finds, Roman coins, Egyptian tomb treasures, ethnic and tribal jewelry from around the world, Mexican silver, and African goldsmithing. Her techniques include ancient and modern methods, including bead stringing, pearl knotting, and fabrication with a torch, forging and shaping with hammers, casting in cuttlefish bone and modern centrifuge casting, finishing including burnishing with hand tools and on a modern polishing lathe. While some of her jewelry depends on the rich colors of cut and polished gemstones, other works rely on the intricacy of working metal itself.