UCO professor’s art displayed in premier London museum
 “Tart Server,” a silver serving piece inspired by botanical forms handcrafted by UCO Art Professor Charleen Weidell was recently on display at London’s famous Victoria & Albert Museum, the premiere museum for decorative arts in England. |
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London recently honored University of Central Oklahoma Assistant Professor of Art Charleen Weidell by displaying one of her works of art.
The Victoria and Albert Museum is considered by many to be the premier museum of decorative arts in England.
Weidell, head of Jewelry/Metalsmithing and Sculpture at UCO’s College of Arts, Media and Design, said her piece, Tart Server, began as a concept during the Society of American Silversmiths’ student competition nearly six years ago.
She said a collector of antique bladed servers, Benton Seymour Rabinovitch, sought to commission contemporary silversmiths to create new servers that would double as works of art.
With only Weidell’s talent and an eye for elegant beauty to guide her, she set out to craft a silver piece inspired by botanical forms. The result reflected a server inspired by nature that displayed a curved-leaf blade and twining tendrils forming the handle.
In the end, Weidell won the grand prize and subsequently received a commission from Rabinovitch.
“I was overwhelmed by the honor of being in the company of so many fine metalsmiths,” Weidell said after presenting Tart Server to Rabinovitch in 2001.
Weidell’s piece went on exhibition and traveled throughout the United States and Scotland in 2003, and most recently was featured in the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Contact: Susan Parks, marketing and promotions director, College of Arts, Media & Design, 1.405.974.3774