Academic Info
Kitty Schneider is a Jewellery Artist who began her career in 1981 at Stellenbosch University where she qualified in a “BA Beeldendekunste/Jewellery Design” under Dieter Dill.
Brooch, copper and gold plate
Kitty also studied at the Escola Massana in Barcelona, Spain where she specialized in Jewellery Design and Enammelling under Ramon Puig Cuyas during 1990-91.
From 1999 to 2003 Kitty worked on her Masters Degree in Fine Art at Stellenbosch University but did not complete it though the work was invaluable. Having grown up in Johannesburg, she has mostly lived in small towns and Smithfield has been her home town since 2003. Kitty has exhibited throughout the years in South Africa, Botswana, Germany and Spain. She has taught Jewellery Design at the (then) Technicon of Pretoria (1994-95) and Stellenbosch university(2001-02). She has been co-founder of Associations for Jewellery, namely CAJOSA (Creative Artist Jewellers Of South Africa 2002-05) and “The Forum For Creative Jewelers” (1992-93). Kitty has also designed and run a workshop “Stimulation and Inspiration” for all visual artist mediums.
“Feminine Landscape 2” Brooch, copper with oxide and silver.
Current work: Jewellery
“Pregnant Neglige” Pendant, Copper, silver, enamel 18ct gold.
Kitty creates her own style of ‘once-off’ pieces which are collected by many people with an eye for her very original, once-off art jewels. Usually these pieces are made for an exhibition where the collection is then shown in an art gallery. All her work is technically well made with a reverence for the dying tradition of hand-made jewellery pieces such as Faberge Eggs. Her love for colour led her to study glass enameling which she uses in her jewellery alongside suitable metals and stones.
Commissions:
Kitty often does commissions of rings (wedding, engagement or just for an individual) . Some collectors of her rings are other artists like Hilton Nel and Walter Meyer. Often people want to have old jewellery made up into something new so Kitty uses the same stones and metal and designing is done with the clients personal input via email. The result is a piece of jewellery which is unique and not ever to be seen in the highly commercial retailer outlets.
Commissions for jewellery are very welcome by emailing Kitty at kittschn@gmail.co
Jewellery Ranges to order:
Various rings.
Kitty Schneider also makes certain pieces which she repeats and in this way are made to order. They are however never identical as each time a piece is made it is often made with design developments. She often gets requests for a similar piece to one she has made before and so another design process is started resulting in a different piece.
Current Work: Water Colours
From designing her glass enamels, Kitty Schneider developed her miniature water colour paintings. These have since grown into semi-surrealistic style landscape paintings which she also has exhibited and sold.
“Orange River Angel” water colour by Kitty Schneider
The jewellery is absolutely stunning. Unique craft and skill. Wish I was a rich man….