Gary Lee Noffke (born August 27, 1943) is an American artist and

metalsmith A metalsmith or simply smith is a craftsperson fashioning useful items (for example, tools, kitchenware, tableware, jewelry, armor and weapons) out of various metals. Smithing is one of the oldest metalworking occupations. Shaping metal with a ...

. Known for versatility and originality, he is a

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such as gates, gr ...

coppersmith A coppersmith, also known as a brazier, is a person who makes artifacts from copper and brass. Brass is an alloy An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. Unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, an ...

silversmith A silversmith is a metalworker who crafts objects from silver. The terms ''silversmith'' and ''goldsmith'' are not exactly synonyms as the techniques, training, history, and guilds are or were largely the same but the end product may vary grea ...

goldsmith A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Nowadays they mainly specialize in jewelry-making but historically, goldsmiths have also made silverware, platters, goblets, decorative and servicea ...

, and toolmaker. He has produced gold and silver hollowware,

cutlery Cutlery (also referred to as silverware, flatware, or tableware), includes any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in Western culture. A person who makes or sells cutlery is called a cutler. The city of Sheffie ...

, jewelry, and forged steelware. Noffke is noted for his technical versatility, his pioneering research into hot

forging Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compressive forces. The blows are delivered with a hammer (often a power hammer) or a die. Forging is often classified according to the temperature at which ...

, the introduction of new

alloys An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. Unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, an alloy will retain all the properties of a metal in the resulting material, such as electrical conductivity, ductility, ...

, and his ability to both build on and challenge traditional techniques. He has been called the metalsmith's metalsmith, a pacesetter, and a maverick.Mitchell, LeeAnn, ''Studio Visit with Garry Noffke'', Metalsmith Magazine
Winter 2004 He is also an educator who has mentored an entire generation of metalsmiths. He has received numerous awards and honors. He has exhibited internationally, and his work is represented in collections around the world.Attitude and Alchemy: The Metalwork of Gary Lee Noffke
/ref>Wiki Smith: Gary Noffke
/ref> Noffke along with Barbara Mann designed the original artwork for the

Delta Prize for Global Understanding The Delta Prize for Global Understanding, presented annually by Delta Air Lines and the University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing t ...

. Noffke taught for many years at the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

. Today he is retired from formal teaching and lives and works at his studio in Farmington, Georgia.

Early life

Gary Lee Noffke was born in

Decatur, Illinois Decatur ( ) is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois, with a population of 70,522 as of the 2020 Census. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in C ...

and grew up in the small town of Sullivan, Illinois. His father worked in a shoe factory. His German grandfather had a small farm and was still using a mule to plow his fields. His family being poor, Noffke made his own toys out of whatever materials were at hand, scavenged from the farm, the factory, and construction sites. With just a hand saw and a pocket knife, he created birdhouses, slingshots, hinged boxes, and bows and arrows.Falino, p. 14. To this day he makes his own tools.Maschal, Richard, ''Forge follows function'', Carolina Living
March 27, 2011 At the age of 12, encouraged by his mother and a neighbor who was a landscape painter, he began drawing and painting in oils. His mother was later able to help pay for his education by working at, and then becoming the owner of, a shelter care home business.

Education

Noffke enrolled at

Eastern Illinois University Eastern Illinois University is a public university in Charleston, Illinois. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a co ...

, getting his BS in 1965 and his MS in Education 1966. In 1967 he went to the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 co ...

intending to study painting, but soon found himself attracted to metalsmithing. He had already been exposed to metal in a course he took from Garret de Ruiter while at Eastern Illinois University. For a while at Iowa he studied metalwork under Raoul Delmar but soon abandoned that school and moved on to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he studied with Brent Kington who was leading a revival of blacksmithing which lasted well into the 1970s. At Carbondale he met other up and coming metal artists such as Mary Lee Hu. He learned to forge steel and was particularly impressed by a simple knife made by his mentor, Kington. Noffke got his Master of Fine Arts at SIU in 1969.

Career

While he still was studying painting, Noffke had been influenced by the

abstract expressionism Abstract expressionism is a post–World War II art movement in American painting, developed in New York City in the 1940s. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve international influence and put New York at the center of the ...

Willem de Kooning Willem de Kooning (; ; April 24, 1904 – March 19, 1997) was a Dutch-American abstract expressionist artist. He was born in Rotterdam and moved to the United States in 1926, becoming an American citizen in 1962. In 1943, he married painter El ...

and

Jackson Pollock Paul Jackson Pollock (; January 28, 1912August 11, 1956) was an American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionism, abstract expressionist movement. He was widely noticed for his "Drip painting, drip technique" of pouring or splas ...

. Just as these painters had attacked the canvas with swirls, drips, splashes, and smears, Noffke would attack the surface of his metal objects with obsessive and intricate detail consisting of stars, letterforms, arrows, crosses, dollar signs, eyes, and other obscure symbols. These richly detailed surfaces, stamped, engraved, and carved into the metal illustrate a paradox evident in all of the artist's work. On one hand, each object presents a surface of inscrutable markings. On the other hand, each object is in the end just an ordinary bowl, spoon, knife, or some other purely utilitarian object. Noffke first taught at

Stetson University Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I–4 corridor in Central Florida with the primary undergraduate campus in DeLand. The university was founded in 1883 and was later established in 1887 ...

in DeLand, Florida, and then at California State College at Los Angeles. In 1971, he took a position at the

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...

where he was to remain for the next thirty years. Noffke was awarded a faculty research grant in the early 1970s from the University of Georgia to explore the cold forging of fine

silver Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...

from sheet. Expert opinion said that the hot forging of fine silver was impossible; but Noffke discovered an alloy that made it easy. He discovered that by eliminating some of the

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pink ...

content in

sterling silver Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% by weight of other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925. '' Fine silver'', which is 99.9% pure silver, i ...

he was able to cast his own

billets A billet is a living-quarters to which a soldier is assigned to sleep. Historically, a billet was a private dwelling that was required to accept the soldier. Soldiers are generally billeted in barracks or garrisons when not on combat duty, alt ...

of 969 silver. Still later he developed a method to forge

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

from cast billets. In the years 1977 to 1979 Noffke, working with the University of Georgia and several other artists, put together three annual "National Ring Shows" featuring the younger generation of metalsmiths. The shows did not rely on museums but were escorted around the country by the participants themselves. The idea was so successful, that The

Lamar Dodd School of Art The Lamar Dodd School of Art is the art school of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens, Georgia, Athens, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. History In 1927, the University of Georgia’ ...

and the Georgia Museum of Art repeated the format again in 2011. For thirty years Noffke taught at the University of Georgia and then retired from active teaching. He built his own studio—and all the tools in that studio—in the hills near Farmington, Georgia. Some of those tools along with his refrigerator from the studio were featured in his solo exhibition at Charlotte's Mint Museum in the fall of 2011. Richly and elaborately decorated, it is a perfect example of the artist's usual blending of surrealistic decoration and practical utility.

Award and honors

* 2005: Selected as one of the Fifty Outstanding Alumni of Fifty Years of Graduate Education by

* 2001: Elected to College of Fellows by the

American Craft Council The American Craft Council (ACC) is a national non-profit organization that champions craft based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 1943 by Aileen Osborn Webb, the council hosts national craft shows and conferences, publishes a quarterly mag ...

* 1990: NEA Visual Artist Fellowship in CraftGary Noffke, metal artist
, American Masterpieces of Southern Craft & Traditional Art * 1988: Master Metalsmith of the Year award by the National Ornamental Metal Museum

Exhibitions

From April to September 2011 the

Mint Museum The Mint Museum, also referred to as The Mint Museums, is a cultural institution comprising two museums, located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Mint Museum Randolph and Mint Museum Uptown, together these two locations have hundreds of collection ...

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

, North Carolina presented a major retrospective of the artist's work titled, ''Attitude and Alchemy: The Metalwork of Gary Lee Noffke''. This was the first museum-organized project about Noffke in 20 years and featured over 120 pieces of his work, including silver and gold hollowware, flatware, jewelry, and objects forged in steel. A comprehensive list of exhibitions which have featured Noffke's work is shown below.

Solo

* 2011 ''Attitude and Alchemy: The Metalwork of Gary Lee Noffke'', Mint Museum of Craft + Design,

, North Carolina * 1991 ''Chasing the Runcible Spoon'',

John Michael Kohler Arts Center The John Michael Kohler Arts Center is an independent, not-for-profit contemporary art museum and performing arts complex located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, United States.Sheboygan, Wisconsin Sheboygan () is a city in and the county seat of Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 49,929 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a populati ...

. * 1988 National Ornamental Metal Museum,

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

, Tennessee * 1981

Western Carolina University Western Carolina University (WCU) is a public university in Cullowhee, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. The fifth oldest institution of the sixteen four-year universities in the UNC system, WCU was founded ...

, Cullowhee, North Carolina * 1979 National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee * 1971

Humboldt State University California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt also known as Cal Poly Humboldt, Humboldt or Cal Poly"Cal Poly" may also refer to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California or California State Polytechnic Universit ...

Arcata Arcata (; Wiyot: ''Goudi’ni''; Yurok: ''Oket'oh'') is a city adjacent to the Arcata Bay (northern) portion of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, California, United States. At the 2020 census, Arcata's population was 18,857. Arcata was first ...

, California * 1970

, Visual Arts Gallery,

, Georgia * 1970

San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system ...

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

, California

Group

* 2009 ''Soul’s Journey: Inside the Creative Process'', The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design,

Henderson Henderson may refer to: People * Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname *Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina *Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada * ...

, North Carolina * 2008—2010 ''Tradition/Innovation, American Masterpieces of Southern Craft and Traditional Art'', The

Southern Arts Federation South Arts, formerly the Southern Arts Federation, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of six not-for-profit regional arts organizations funded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). South Arts creates partnerships and collaborations, ...

( NEA sponsored show traveled nationally) * 2008—2009 ''Ring Shows: Then & Now and Putting the Band Back Together'', Georgia Museum of Art (

sponsored show traveled nationally) * 2008 ''Is That Supposed to Be Funny? Wit, Sarcasm, and Humor in Craft'', Penland Gallery, Spruce Pine, North Carolina * 2007 ''Southeastern Invitational Craft Exhibition'', The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts,

Highlands Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Albania * Dukagjin Highlands Armenia * Armenian Highlands Australia *Sou ...

, North Carolina * 2006—2007 ''Material and Space'',

Missouri State University Missouri State University (MSU or MO State), formerly Southwest Missouri State University, is a public university in Springfield, Missouri. Founded in 1905 as the Fourth District Normal School, it is the state's second largest university by enr ...

Art and Design Gallery, Springfield, Missouri (exhibition traveled nationally) * 2005 ''Contemporary Cast Iron'', National Ornamental Metal Museum,

* 2004 ''The Nature of Craft and the Penland Experience'', Mint Museum of Craft + Design,

, North Carolina * 2003—2006 ''The Art of Gold'' organized by the Society of North American Goldsmiths and Exhibits USA (a national touring exhibitions program) * 2002 ''Contemporary Metalwork and Jewelry from Six Countries'', Gallery Mukkumto,

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...

, Korea * 2001 ''Objects for Use: Handmade by Design'', The American Craft Museum,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, New York * 2001 ''Fellow's Exhibition, Work from the 2001 Awardees'', The

College of Fellows, S.O.F.A., Chicago, Illinois * 2000 ''Rare to Well Done: Culinary Craft'', National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee * 1999—2000 ''Pieces that Serve'', Yaw Gallery, S.O.F.A., New York, New York * 1999 ''Seoul International Metal Artists Invitational Exhibition'',

Seoul Arts Center The Seoul Arts Center, also referred to as SAC, is an arts complex in the Seocho-gu district of Seoul, in South Korea. It consists of five main buildings: the Opera House, with three auditoriums; the Music Hall, with two concert halls; the Han ...

, Seoul, Korea * 1999 ''Handmade: Shifting Paradigms'',

Singapore Art Museum The Singapore Art Museum (Abbreviation: SAM) is an art museum is located in the Downtown Core district of Singapore. It is the first fully dedicated contemporary visual arts museum in Singapore with one of the world’s most important public co ...

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

* 1999 ''The End is Near—Artists Look at the 20th Century'', Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts,

Racine Jean-Baptiste Racine ( , ) (; 22 December 163921 April 1699) was a French dramatist, one of the three great playwrights of 17th-century France, along with Molière and Corneille as well as an important literary figure in the Western traditi ...

Wisconsin * 1998 ''V + V (Five Plus Five)'', Craft Alliance Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri * 1998 ''The Functional Vase Project'', Yaw Gallery, S.O.F.A.,

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...

, Missouri * 1998 ''Raised Metal Sculpture Exhibition'', William Traver Gallery,

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...

, Washington * 1998 ''Raised from Tradition: Hollowware Past and Present'', The Seafirst Gallery at

Columbia Seafirst Center The Columbia Center, formerly named the Bank of America Tower and Columbia Seafirst Center, is a skyscraper in downtown Seattle, Washington, United States. The 76-story structure is the tallest building in Seattle and the state of Washington, r ...

, Seattle, Washington * 1998 ''Refined'' North American Metalsmithing Exhibition, Stephen F. Austin Gallery,

Nacogdoches Nacogdoches ( ) is a small city in East Texas and the county seat of Nacogdoches County, Texas, United States. The 2020 U.S. census recorded the city's population at 32,147. Nacogdoches is a sister city of the smaller, similarly named Natchitoch ...

, Texas * 1997—1998 ''Watching and Waiting: Timepieces by Jewelers'', Mobilia Gallery,

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

, Massachusetts * 1997—1998 ''L'Chaim, International Invitational Exhibition of Multi-Media Kiddush Cups'',

Contemporary Jewish Museum The Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) is a non-collecting museum at 736 Mission Street at Yerba Buena Lane in the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The museum, which was founded in 1984, is located in the historic ...

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

, California * 1997—1998 ''American Masters of Hollowware in the Late 20th Century'', Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, Georgia/National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee * 1997 ''The Teapot Redefined'', S.O.F.A.,

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, Illinois/Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, Massachusetts * 1997 ''Spotlight 97'', American Craft Council Southeast Region Juried Crafts Exhibition, Hickory Museum of Art,

Hickory Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in Mex ...

, North Carolina * 1997 ''Food Glorious Food'', Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, Racine Wisconsin * 1997 ''Centennial Metals Exhibition'', Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston, Massachusetts * 1996 ''Pig Iron Art Cookers'', National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee * 1996 ''Ornament, National Invitational Jewelry Exhibition'', Penland Gallery, Spruce Pine, North Carolina * 1995—1997 ''The Commemorative Cup'', Rosanne Raab Associates, New York, New York (exhibition traveled nationally) * 1995—1997 ''Double Vision'', Gallery IO,

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

, Louisiana, sponsored by Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, Racine Wisconsin (exhibition traveled nationally) * 1993 ''Implements'', Kohler Design Center, Kohler, Wisconsin * 1992—1994 ''Borne with a Silver Spoon'', Rosanne Raab Associates, New York, New York (exhibition traveled nationally) * 1991 ''Other Voices'', Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York, New York * 1990—1991 ''Vessels from Use to Symbol'', The American Craft Museum, New York, New York * 1989—1990 ''Silver: New Forms and Expressions'', Fortunoff, New York, New York (exhibition traveled nationally) * 1989 ''Dashboard Art'', John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin * 1989 ''City on a Hill, Twenty Years of Art at Cortona'', Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, Georgia/

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

, Italy * 1988—1990 ''Metals Invitational'', Visual Arts Resources,

University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc Nike, Inc. ( or ) is a ...

, Eugene, Oregon * 1988 ''Masters in American Metalsmithing'', Organized by National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee * 1987 ''Southern Silver'', National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee * 1987—1990 ''Metals Invitational'', University of Oregon,

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most d ...

, Oregon * 1987—1990 ''Contemporary Iron'', Louisville Art Gallery,

Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...

, Kentucky * 1986 ''Workshop Leaders Exhibition'', The American Craft Council, Southeast Region Conference, Thomas Center Gallery, Gainesville, Florida * 1986 ''A Decade of American Blacksmithing'', National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee * 1985 ''Presenters Exhibition'', The 6th Yuma Symposium,

Arizona Western College Arizona Western College (AWC) is a public community college in Yuma, Arizona. It offers associate degrees, occupational certificates, and transfer degrees. AWC also offers classes in Dateland, La Paz, San Luis, Somerton, and Wellton. Aca ...

, Yuma, Arizona * 1984 ''The Great West Jewelry/Metal Symposium and Exhibition'',

Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university based in Flagstaff, Arizona. It was founded in 1899 as the final public university established in the Arizona Territory, 13 years before Arizona was admitted as the 48th state. ...

, Flagstaff, Arizona * 1984 ''Modern Metal Show'',

Central Washington University Central Washington University (CWU) is a public university in Ellensburg, Washington. Founded in 1891, the university consists of four divisions: the President's Division, Business and Financial Affairs, Operations, and Academic and Student Lif ...

Ellensburg Ellensburg is a city in and the county seat of Kittitas County, Washington, United States. It is located just east of the Cascade Range near the junction of Interstate 90 and Interstate 82. The population was 18,666 at the 2020 census. and wa ...

, Washington * 1984 ''Implements'', Ten Arrow Gallery, Cambridge, Massachusetts * 1984 ''Contemporary Iron'', Louisville Art Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky * 1984 ''A Mano National Metal Invitational'',

New Mexico State University New Mexico State University (NMSU or NM State) is a public land-grant research university based primarily in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest public institution of higher education in New Mexico and one of the state's ...

, Las Cruces, New Mexico * 1984 ''Tiki Exhibition'', Penland School of Crafts, Spruce Pine, North Carolina * 1983 ''Metal and Enamel Invitational'', Robert Else Gallery,

California State University The California State University (Cal State or CSU) is a public university system in California. With 23 campuses and eight off-campus centers enrolling 485,550 students with 55,909 faculty and staff, CSU is the largest four-year public univers ...

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

, California * 1983 ''Remains to be Seen'', John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin * 1983 ''Crafts, An Expanding Definition'', John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin * 1982—1983 ''20 Years of Metal'',

Southern Illinois University Southern Illinois University is a system of public universities in the southern region of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its headquarters is in Carbondale, Illinois. Board of trustees The university is governed by the nine member SIU Board of Tr ...

, Carbondale, Illinois (exhibition traveled nationally) * 1981 ''The Cutting Edge'', Louisville Art Commission, Frankfort, Kentucky * 1981—2000 ''Mostra, Palazzo Vagnotti'',

Cortona Cortona (, ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Arezzo, in Tuscany, Italy. It is the main cultural and artistic centre of the Val di Chiana after Arezzo. Toponymy Cortona is derived from Latin Cortōna, and from Etruscan 𐌂𐌖� ...

, Italy (1981, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1995, 2000) * 1980—1982 ''Southeastern Metalsmith Traveling Exhibition'', Organized by the Mint Museum

Mint Museum of Art The Mint Museum, also referred to as The Mint Museums, is a cultural institution comprising two museums, located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Mint Museum Randolph and Mint Museum Uptown, together these two locations have hundreds of collection ...

, Charlotte, North Carolina * 1980 ''Metal Design Invitational'', Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, South Carolina * 1980 ''Jewelry and Metalsmithing Exhibition'', Kipp Gallery,

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) is a public research university in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. As of fall 2021, the university enrolled 7,044 undergraduates and 1,865 postgraduates, for a total enrollment of 9,009 students. The uni ...

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...

, Pennsylvania * 1980 ''Everyday Metal'', National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee/

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC S ...

, North Carolina * 1980 ''Currents 80'' -

Middle Tennessee State University Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU or MT) is a public university in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Founded in 1911 as a normal school, the university consists of eight Undergraduate education, undergraduate colleges as well as a college of Postgr ...

Murfreesboro Murfreesboro is a city in and county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 152,769 according to the 2020 census, up from 108,755 residents certified in 2010. Murfreesboro is located in the Nashville metropol ...

, Tennessee * 1980 ''Art Exhibition for the Blind'',

Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired (LSVI) is a PK12 state-operated school located at 2888 Brightside Lane in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. The school has both blind and other visually impaired students, and shares its campus with ...

Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, it is the parish seat of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana's most populous parish—the equivalent of counti ...

, Louisiana * 1979 ''House Jewelry'', National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee * 1978 ''Symbolism in Jewelry'', Gallery of Contemporary Metalsmithing,

Rochester Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...

, New York * 1978 ''1st National Spoon and Ashtray Exhibition'', Sangre de Cristo Arts Center,

Pueblo In the Southwestern United States, Pueblo (capitalized) refers to the Native tribes of Puebloans having fixed-location communities with permanent buildings which also are called pueblos (lowercased). The Spanish explorers of northern New Spain ...

, Colorado * 1978 ''2nd National Ring Show'', University of Georgia, Visual Arts Gallery, Athens, Georgia * 1977 ''Holiday Tree'',

Museum of Contemporary Crafts The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), based in Manhattan, New York City, collects, displays, and interprets objects that document contemporary and historic innovation in craft, art, and design. In its exhibitions and educational programs, the mus ...

, New York, New York/Mondale Residence,

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

, D.C. * 1977 ''Drinking Companions'', John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin * 1977 ''Currents 77'', 5th Biennial Mid-South National Crafts Invitational, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee * 1977 ''Contemporary Metal Crafts'', Louis I. Clifford Gallery Arts and Crafts Center of Pittsburgh,

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, Pennsylvania * 1977 ''Contemporary Knives and Edged Tools'', Chambers Gallery,

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, Penn State becam ...

, University Park, Pennsylvania * 1977 ''Poetry Bowls with Fritz Dreisbach'', University of Georgia, Visual Arts Gallery, Athens, Georgia * 1976 ''Metal Invitational'', Montana State University – Bozeman, Montana * 1976 ''Metal Invitational'',

Bradley University Bradley University is a private university in Peoria, Illinois. Founded in 1897, Bradley University enrolls 5,400 students who are pursuing degrees in more than 100 undergraduate programs and more than 30 graduate programs in five colleges. Th ...

, Peoria, Illinois * 1976 ''3rd Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Jewelry'', Georgia State University,

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...

, Georgia * 1976—1977 ''Solid Wrought Iron'', Southern Illinois University Museum, Carbondale, Illinois (exhibition traveled nationally) * 1975 ''Precious Metals: The American Tradition in Gold and Silver'',

Lowe Art Museum Lowe Art Museum is the art museum of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. The museum is located on the campus of the University of Miami and is accessible by Miami Metrorail at University Station. Lowe Art Museum's comprehensive co ...

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, i ...

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

, Florida * 1975 ''Miniature and Delicate Object Exhibition'', Galeria del Sol, Santa Barbara, California * 1975 ''Metal Invitational, 1975 AD'', College Art Gallery,

New Paltz New Paltz () is an incorporated U.S. town in Ulster County, New York. The population was 14,003 at the 2010 U.S. Census. The town is located in the southeastern part of the county and is south of Kingston. New Paltz contains a village, also wit ...

, New York * 1975 ''Ironworks, National Invitational'', Craft Center,

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engla ...

, Massachusetts * 1975 ''Headdress: An Historical and Contemporary Survey'', John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin * 1975 ''Fourth Invitational Contemporary Crafts Exhibition'', Hawthorn Gallery,

Skidmore College Skidmore College is a private liberal arts college in Saratoga Springs, New York. Approximately 2,650 students are enrolled at Skidmore pursuing a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in one of more than 60 areas of study. Histo ...

Saratoga Springs Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over ...

, New York * 1975—1977 ''The Goldsmiths/75'', Minnesota Museum of Art,

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

, Minnesota * 1975—1976 ''100 Artists Commemorate 200 Years'', Fairtree Fine Crafts Institute, New York, New York/Xerox Gallery, Rochester, New York * 1975 ''Forms in Metal: 275 years of Metalsmithing in America, 1700-1940'', Finch College Museum of Art/Museum of Contemporary Crafts, New York, New York * 1974 ''Georgia State National Metal Invitational'', Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia * 1974 ''The Uncommon Smith'', John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin * 1974 ''The First World Crafts Exhibition'', International Committee of Selection,

Ontario Science Centre The Ontario Science Centre, formally the Centennial Museum of Science and Technology, is a science museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located near the Don Valley Parkway about northeast of downtown on Don Mills Road just south of ...

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Canada * 1974 ''Inter D III'', International Crafts Exposition, Fine Arts Gallery, Pan American University, Edinburg, Texas * 1974 ''Southeastern Crafts Invitational Exhibition'', Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, South Carolina * 1974 ''American Metalsmiths Exhibition'', De Cordova Museum,

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincol ...

, Massachusetts * 1974 ''North American Goldsmith'', Renwick Gallery,

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Found ...

, Washington, D.C./Minnesota Museum of Art, Saint Paul, Minnesota * 1973 ''Profiles in Jewelry'', National Jewelry Competition,

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sy ...

Lubbock Lubbock ( ) is the 10th-most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of government of Lubbock County. With a population of 260,993 in 2021, the city is also the 85th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the northw ...

, Texas * 1973 ''Objects for Preparing Food'', Museum of Contemporary Crafts, New York, New York/Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. * 1973 ''Smithing '73'', National Blacksmithing Invitational,

State University of New York at Brockport State University of New York Brockport (also known as SUNY Brockport or Brockport State, and previously The College at Brockport) is a public university in Brockport, New York. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY). History C ...

, Brockport, New York * 1973 ''Objects U.S.A.'', National Crafts Invitational,

Kent State University Kent State University (KSU) is a public research university in Kent, Ohio. The university also includes seven regional campuses in Northeast Ohio and additional facilities in the region and internationally. Regional campuses are located in ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

* 1973 ''National Invitational Craft Exhibition'',

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...

, School of Fine Arts,

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

* 1973 ''National Crafts Invitational'',

University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico (UNM; es, Universidad de Nuevo México) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889, it is the state's flagship academic institution and the largest by enrollment, with over 25,400 ...

Art Museum,

Gallup Gallup may refer to: * Gallup, Inc., a firm founded by George Gallup, well known for its opinion poll * Gallup (surname), a surname *Gallup, New Mexico, a city in New Mexico, United States ** Gallup station, an Amtrak train in downtown Gallup, New ...

* 1972 ''The Contemporary American Silversmith and Goldsmith'', Fairtree Fine Crafts Institute, New York, New York/

Corcoran Gallery of Art The Corcoran Gallery of Art was an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, that is now the location of the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, a part of the George Washington University. Overview The Corcoran School of the Arts & Desig ...

, Washington, D.C. * 1972 ''National Jewelry and Hollowware Exhibition'',

Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois. It was founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895, by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld as part of an expansion of the state's system ...

, DeKalb, Illinois * 1972 ''Metal '72 Invitational'', State University of New York at Brockport, Brockport, New York * 1972 ''2nd Biennial Lake Superior National Crafts Exhibition'',

University of Minnesota Duluth The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) is a public university in Duluth, Minnesota. It is part of the University of Minnesota system and offers 16 bachelor's degrees in 88 majors, graduate programs in 25 different fields, and a two-year pro ...

Tweed Museum,

Duluth , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...

, Minnesota * 1971 ''Inter D-2, Crafts Open Exhibition'', International Museum of Art & Science, McAllen, Texas * 1971 ''8th Annual Piedmont Crafts Exhibition'', Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina * 1970 ''Atlantic Seaboard States Craftsmen Exhibition'', Jacksonville Art Museum,

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

, Florida * 1970 ''Icasals National Jewelry Exhibition'', Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas * 1970 ''20th Florida Craftsman Exhibit'', Sarasota Art Association,

Sarasota Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sou ...

, Florida * 1970 ''7th Piedmont Crafts Exhibition'', Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina * 1968 ''Ball State National Drawing and Small Sculpture Show'',

Ball State University Ball State University (Ball State, State or BSU) is a public university, public research university in Muncie, Indiana. It has two satellite facilities in Fishers, Indiana, Fishers and Indianapolis. On July 25, 1917, the Ball brothers, indust ...

, Muncie

Professional organizations

* National Ornamental Metal Museum *

* Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America * North Carolina Association of Craft Artists

Books

* Virginia Shields, William U. Eiland, Gary Noffke, Georgia Museum of Art, ''Ann Orr: silversmith, goldsmith, & enamelist'', Athens, Georgia, Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, 1994, * Deborah Landon; Gary Noffke, ''American masters of hollowware in the late 20th century'', Athens, Ga. : Georgia Museum of Art, 1997, OCLC Number: 39535972

References

;Notes ;Sources * Dunas, Michael, ''Killing Time: The Work of Gary Noffke,'' Metalsmith Magazine, Fall 1987
Simon, Marjorie
''The Art of Gold'', Metalsmith Magazine, Summer 2003 * Jeannine J. Falino, Allie Farlowe, Gary Noffke, ''Attitude and Alchemy: The Metalwork of Gary Lee Noffke'', Charlotte, North Carolina, 2011

External links

Attitude & Alchemy: the Metalwork of Gary Lee Noffke
Editor Allie Farlowe, Charlotte, North Carolina, Mint Museum of Craft + Design, 2011. {{DEFAULTSORT:Noffke, Gary Lee 1943 births American artists American coppersmiths American silversmiths American goldsmiths American medallists Arts and Crafts movement artists Eastern Illinois University alumni Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumni Stetson University faculty California State University, Los Angeles faculty University of Georgia faculty People from Decatur, Illinois Living people People from Sullivan, Illinois