L. Brent Kington (1934-2013) is credited with introducing blacksmithing into the contemporary art dialogue in the United States. After receiving his Master’s degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1961, he became a Professor of Metalsmithing at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (SIU). At SIU, Kington started the U.S.’s only Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts programs for blacksmithing, training the next generations of influential artist blacksmiths, including James Wallace, the Founding Director of the Metal Museum.

While his toys, weather vanes and sculptures have been exhibited and permanently installed around the country, his jewelry has never been displayed for the public because he created these pieces as expressions of his love for his wife, daughter, son and sister-in-law. Reflecting the style of his larger scale projects, the jewelry was given to family members as gifts for Christmas, birthdays, Mother’s Day and other important milestones. The individual pieces do not have titles and their exact dates were not recorded. A few pieces have specific memories tied to them, but most are small parts of the larger cumulation of Kington’s lifetime of consideration and care.