Arts Galleries

Mica Gallery Welcomes New Artist Evelyn Kline

Evelyn Kline, artist

Mica Gallery, of Bakersville, presents its newest and youngest artist, Evelyn Kline, who is working to complete a BFA in studio art with a concentration in metalsmithing and jewelry design at Appalachian State University (ASU). She is the daughter of Stacey Lane and potter Michael Kline. Lane is also a jeweler and the manager of community collaboration at Penland School of Craft.

“Kline’s work mixes metals, fabrication methods and enameling,” says Mica artist Lisa Joerling. “Her ideas are youthful, whimsical, kitschy and pop.”

Kline began experimenting with metal while in high school, taking her first metalsmithing class at ASU. Seeing her daughter grow into art has been satisfying for Lane, who introduced her to Shrinky Dinks, a creative playset she had discovered in her own childhood. “I think that is the first jewelry I remember her making,” Lane says. “She would make drawings of fruit, animals or other little objects and I would bend wires for them to be earrings.”

Patience and an attention to detail help greatly with jewelry making, and Lane says her daughter exhibits both in her work. “In all honesty, she surpassed me in skill in many areas years ago,” she says. “The emphasis of my work is lost-wax casting and I will solder when I have to, but I still don’t feel like I’m that good at it. Evelyn can tackle incredibly complicated soldering jobs with no problem. I also love seeing her work in enamel and how it has brought color into her storytelling in metal.”

The joy of narrative is something that the mother and daughter artists have in common. “We both share a love of stories and I think that shows up in each of our jewelry work,” Lane says. “There is often a narrative quality or backstory to things we make, even if it is not obvious to the viewer. I think we also share an appreciation of a combination of humor and elegance in our work.”

Evelyn Kline, artist

Kline, who also works as a part-time bench jeweler at Foggy Mountain Gem Mine, says the beauty—and humor—of everyday life offer inspiration to her as she creates. “I hope the wearer of my jewelry will feel confident to take on the joyful, playful quality of my characters and illustrations as they carry them out into the world.”

See the work of both Kline and Lane, as well as that of Mica’s other member artists, on Friday, May 24, from 5–7 p.m. when the gallery holds its Kick Off to Summer, a special event for sipping and browsing the gallery after hours.

Mica is located at 37 North Mitchell Avenue, Bakersville. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 12–5 p.m. For more information, visit MicaGalleryNC.com, call 828.688.6422 or follow on Facebook at Mica Gallery NC.

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