Board of Directors

Susan Cummins Board Chair

I have taste for small, intimate artworks and jewelry fits that description. I tend to like jewelry that is a bit raw or honest to its materials and making techniques. I am often attracted to pieces that reflect my West Coast attachment to nature and things of the spirit. Oddly enough, I don't care about wearability at all since I rarely wear jewelry... I know it's weird. Many years ago I launched AJF and have an ongoing commitment to AJF because I believe that linking together AJF members--curators, gallerists and collectors--is critical to furthering a healthy and educated audience for jewelers.

Linda Peshkin Membership and Secretary

After a career in corporate America, I am now “emancipated” and fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue my passions, one of which is contemporary art jewelry. I have always been intrigued by this art form, especially jewelry made out of “non-traditional” materials. Unfortunately, I have no natural talent of my own to create it. However, my involvement with AFJ is providing me with the opportunity to broaden my knowledge about the field and develop a whole new level of appreciation and fascination. Best of all, I no longer have to explain (or justify) my jewelry to anyone!

Marion Fulk Treasurer

Marion Fulk describes herself as an art jewelry maniac. She has been collecting since the mid 1990s and cannot seem to quit. One of Marion’s quirks is that if she owns it, she will wear it. So, residents of Little Rock, Arkansas, regularly get to see great art jewelry - at the grocery store, in the office, at church, at art openings - every day. Wearability is one of the themes of her collection and one of the points she is insistent about. Marion’s day job is as senior vice president and senior financial consultant at Stephens Inc., a financial services company which is based in Little Rock. She is married, has one son and neither of the men in her life care much about art jewelry but they have learned to tolerate it.

Susan Kempin Grants Program Director

AJF is my teacher. I have learned so much about studio artist jewelry -- discovered books and websites, galleries and exhibits and have been exposed to work by artists I would never have discovered on my own. My horizon and vision have been greatly expanded since joining AJF.I like to think that my work on the Board, particularly with the award program, helps bring attention to and helps to promote studio jewelry artists and their work to a broader audience. My collection doesn’t have a particular focus, although my husband feels it’s somewhat anthropomorphic. I collect what speaks to me and has the loudest voice at the moment.

Sienna Patti

As an art dealer that represents some of the major influences and artists in contemporary jewelry today I am proud to belong to AJF. I don’t make jewelry, I rarely wear it and yet . . . I love it. The story that it tells is a thread binding us all together, each artist finds their own way to pull this thread just a bit further. My background in non-profit work, otherwise known as owning a gallery, makes AJF an exciting place to assist in carving and building the future of contemporary jewelry. 'Finite to fail, infinite to venture.' (Emily Dickinson)

Damian Skinner Editor

I am a writer and curator. I was trained as an art historian, which means that I was taught to look down on craft. It has been a pleasant few years unlearning this and other prejudices. As the editor of Art Jewelry Forum, I am responsible for managing the website, commissioning new critical writing about contemporary jewelry, and finding ways to present what's going on around the world to our members. I'm always looking for ways in which art history can be transformed so that it becomes a tool for understanding contemporary jewelry. I believe that serious, committed and passionate writing is an important part of a healthy jewelry scene, and I appreciate the opportunity that AJF gives me to put this belief into action.

Nancy Yoneyhama Communications Director

My interest in art jewelry probably originates from when I worked at a boutique during college. I am intrigued by the choices people make in their appearance and what is being communicated as a result. In learning about art jewelry, I've come to appreciate the voice and participation of the maker in this conversation. I have always wanted to use my organizational and administrative skills to support the work of those in creative pursuits and I am grateful to be working with AJF to that end.