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Education

• MFA, Indiana University
• MA, Iowa State University
• BFA, Iowa State University

Expertise

• Basic Jewelry Hand Skills
• Metal Fabrication Skills 
• Hollow Construction
• Metalsmithing
• Casting
• Enameling
• Collage

Biography

Jeanne Beaver is an Associate Professor of Jewelry and Metalsmithing in the Department of Art & Design at Murray State University. She received a BFA degree in 1993 from Iowa State University in Craft Design with an emphasis in Jewelry and Metalsmithing. In 1995 she received an MA degree in Craft Design with an emphasis in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from Iowa State University. In 1998 she received an MFA degree in Art with an emphasis in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from Indiana University. Prior to beginning teaching at Murray State University, she taught Metals and Foundations at Iowa State University.

Her main research interests include the physical, formal and conceptual aspects of tension, the psychology of miniatures, the joyous and mercurial nature of fashion, sustainability as it pertains to fashion, the practice of hand skills as culture-conservation, and the undeniable need to fit things perfectly inside of other things, which brings order to chaos, even if only momentarily. Her research skills are in hollow construction, fabrication, enameling, casting, and metal-forming, all exploiting the dual nature of metal as both rigid/strong and malleable. Curiosity, reveling in the mystery of all things, and pushing and challenging both intellect and skill through problem-solving are paramount in both her personal practice as well as her teaching.  

In 2024 one of her enamel works was included in the Metal Museum Enamel Community Quilt Project. Over the past 20 years, she has formed a long-standing, close relationship with, introduced many students to, and volunteered at the Metals Museum, The International Metal Arts Institute in Memphis, TN.