ECU Material Topics Symposium

Only 3 days left! The Materials Topics Symposium at ECU is almost here—get ready for inspiring talks, new ideas, and meaningful connections.

A sincere thank you to our sponsors of the Material Topics Symposium.
Your support plays a vital role in advancing meaningful conversations and collaboration within the materials community. We truly appreciate your partnership.

The countdown begins... The Materials Topics Symposium at ECU is almost here! Get ready for insightful talks, bold ideas, and great conversations. There are still a few openings available, register now! https://www.ecusymposium.org/

Adornment with Purpose: A Contemporary Art Jewelry Silent Auction
Join us for an inspiring silent auction celebrating contemporary art jewelry—where material innovation, conceptual thinking, and wearable art come together in support of the ECU Material Topics Symposium.

This curated auction features one-of-a-kind and limited-edition works by leading and emerging jewelry artists, each piece offering a unique exploration of form, material, and meaning. Every bid directly supports the ECU Material Topics Symposium, an interdisciplinary platform dedicated to critical dialogue, experimentation, and education around materials in art and design.

By participating, you’re not only acquiring a remarkable piece of contemporary jewelry—you’re investing in ideas, conversations, and the future of material-based practice.

Bid generously. Wear boldly. Support material inquiry.

All proceeds benefit the ECU Material Topics Symposium.

The INTERWOVEN exhibit is officially installed—and we’re excited to share a few sneak peeks!
Registration is still open. For more information or to register, visit https://www.ecusymposium.org/

A sincere thank you to our sponsors of the Material Topics Symposium.
Your support plays a vital role in advancing meaningful conversations and collaboration within the materials community. We truly appreciate your partnership.

Still looking for a last-minute holiday gift?
Registration is still open for the Material Topics Symposium!
Give the gift of learning, inspiration, and connection—perfect for students, professionals, and anyone passionate about materials. 🎁
Register now before spots fill up!

Keynote Lecture: Creating Community Across Jewelry Genres w/ Bella Neyman

Bella Neyman is the founder of NYC Jewelry Week, an annual festival celebrating jewelry, held every November since 2018. She is also an independent curator and journalist specializing in contemporary jewelry. Currently, she serves on the Curatorial Advisory Committee for Power to Wear at the DIVA Museum in Antwerp, opening in April 2026. Since earning her Master’s Degree in Decorative Arts and Design History from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum & Parsons, The New School for Design in 2008, Bella has worked for some of New York City’s leading design galleries. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, American Craft, and The Magazine Antiques, and she is a frequent contributor to Metalsmith magazine. Bella lectures on jewelry history both online and in-person at various institutions. She is a longtime member of the Board of Art Jewelry Forum. Bella resides in Brooklyn with her family.

Think you’re fast at the bench? Prove it.

Saw, File, Solder is a head-to-head metalsmithing competition where speed, skill, and steady hands matter. Competitors race to cut, file, and solder a ring band faster than their fellow metalsmiths—no shortcuts, just solid technique.

🛠 Friday Night
📍 Emerge Gallery — Upstairs Metals Studio
⏰ 7:00 PM

Come test your skills or cheer on the action as sparks fly and timers tick.
🏆 Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.

Fast hands. Clean seams. Bragging rights.

This year we will be hosting Day Enterprises. They will have a table and prepared to answer questions and get you all the stones you need!

Bob Ebendorf
Since the mid 1960's, Robert Ebendorf has been repurposing existing materials by devising ingenious uses for the discarded and discovering ways to make the used into the new. Known for contemporary jewelry that includes everything from buttons to crab claws, he continues his investigation of "representations.”

Collecting, Connecting, and Curating Contemporary Craft

Rebecca Elliot is Associate Curator of Craft, Design & Fashion at the Mint Museum (Charlotte, NC), where she oversees the collection of contemporary art jewelry and metalwork in addition to curating craft, design, and fashion across diverse media. Exhibitions she has curated at the Mint include Objects of Affection: Jewelry by Robert Ebendorf from the Porter • Price Collection; Craft in the Laboratory: The Science of Making Things; Pumped: The Art and Craft of Shoemaking; and Body Embellishment, among others. She previously held curatorial positions at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and Cranbrook Art Museum, and earned degrees in art history from the University of Chicago (MA) and Smith College (BA).

SYNOPSIS
This presentation will highlight the Mint Museum’s collections of jewelry, metalwork, craft, design, and fashion and trace the interwoven threads of Rebecca’s curatorial practice across these fields. Throughout varied projects, she explores the uniquely rich meanings of our interactions with objects and materials, whether as makers or users. Guided by values of inclusivity and curiosity, she works to add new cultural perspectives and material investigations to the Mint’s collection and exhibitions of global contemporary craft and design. By collaborating with artists, collectors, and colleagues to grow the museum’s collection and develop exhibitions and programming that engage a broad audience, Rebecca furthers the museum’s mission to inspire and transform lives through art and creativity and create a more empathetic world.