Arline Fisch

Arline Fisch was born on August 21, 1931 in Brooklyn. She taught to sew by her mother, and made her own clothes. Fisch received her B.S. degree in art education from Skidmore College followed by an M.A. from the University of Illinois. In 1956-57 she studied silversmithing at the School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen and in 1966-67 returned to Denmark for further training in metalsmithing.

Fisch taught at Wheaton College (1954–1956) and Skidmore College (1957–1961) before many years at San Diego State (1961-2000) where she established the University’ program in Jewelry and Metalsmithing.

After teaching drawing, painting, and design at Wheaton, Fisch spent time in Copenhagen on a Fulbright grant to study silversmithing. She received additional Fulbright grants which led her to Austria as well as Uruguay. She also attended and has taught at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts where she was introduced to weaving by Jack Lenor Larsen and Ted Hallman. By the 1960s she was beginning to "incorporate weaving in her jewelry" and think about "structuring metal in woven form.”

Regarded for her incorporating various materials and textile processes by knitting, plaiting, and weaving, in her jewelry. Her wearable craft is often crocheted using metal wire.

“Fisch has played a central role in the revitalization of jewelry as a contemporary art form. Her outstanding contribution has been the introduction of weaving techniques into the field of jewelry making. Employing flattened gold and silver wire, she knits, braids, plaits, and crochets lightweight, flexible forms with dense, light-reflective patterns, subtle textures, and glowing color. She first encountered artistic jewelry in the Egyptian collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which she frequently visited as a child. Along with other historical ornaments there early impressions continue to influence the form and meaning of the work. In 1985, Fisch was declared a ‘Living Treasure of California’ by the State Assembly.”

Her work can be found in the collection of Mingei International Museum, Arkansas Arts Center, Racine Art Museum, Museum of Fine Art, Boston, Museum of Arts and Design, Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution, among others.