Jim Cotter: A Legacy of Wearable Sculpture
Jim Cotter is not just a jeweler; he is a maverick of the American studio jewelry movement.
Born in Corning, Iowa, in 1944, Cotter has spent over five decades challenging the boundaries of what jewelry can be. Since beginning his practice in 1969, he has operated with a singular philosophy: jewelry is not merely decoration, but a sculptural form—intimate, physical, and alive.
The Maverick Mindset
Known for his playful approach to art and life, Cotter is a pioneer in the use of alternative materials. He finds beauty where others might not look, seamlessly marrying precious metals and diamonds with steel, concrete, Styrofoam, river rocks, and found objects. Whether transforming a soup can or casting "plumber's lead," his work asserts that materials carry meaning and that true elegance often emerges from the unexpected.
Each piece is handcrafted from start to finish in his studio in Minturn, Colorado. Specializing in the lost wax casting process, Cotter transforms wax into metal to create designs defined by organic movement, fluidity, and unmatched texture.
From Football to Fine Art
Cotter’s journey to the jeweler’s bench was guided by instinct rather than convention. While studying at Wayne State College in Nebraska on a football scholarship, an injury redirected his focus. Encouraged to take an art class, he discovered a new passion, eventually earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1967. A chance encounter with a flyer for a jewelry casting course led him to metalsmithing, a medium he recognized immediately as "wearable sculpture." He went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Wyoming, writing his thesis on jewelry as a sculptural form.
The Gallery & Legacy
In 1970, at the age of 25, Cotter opened the J. Cotter Gallery on Wall Street in Vail Village. As the first gallery in the area, he physically built the space by hand—pouring the concrete floors and constructing the windows with his father. For years, the gallery served as his studio, home, and showroom, becoming a "living archive" of contemporary art jewelry.
Today, the J. Cotter Gallery remains in that original location—a rare feat of continuity. While the gallery is now led by his daughter, Ramsey Cotter, Jim continues his daily ritual: creating in the studio, driven by the same resourcefulness and curiosity that launched his career.
Jim Cotter’s work is held in prestigious permanent collections, including the Georgia Museum of Art, the Metal Museum, the Korean Craft Museum, and the Herman Miller Collection. A dedicated educator, he has taught workshops at renowned institutions such as the Penland School of Crafts and Anderson Ranch Arts Center.
Education
1969
Masters Degree of Arts
University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
1967
Bachelor's Degree of Fine Arts in Education
Wayne State College, Wayne, Nebraska
Collections
Blount Foundation
Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, Georgia
Gerald R. Ford private collection
Herman Miller Collection
Korean Craft Museum
McDonald's Corporation
National Broadcasting Corporation
National Ornamental Metals Museum
Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin
Samuel Dorsky Museum, New Paltz, New York
Wayne State College, Wayne Nebraska
Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin
The Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum and Arctic Studies Center, Maine
Publications
2024
New Earrings: 500+ Contemporary Jewelry Designs
By Nicolas Estrada
2023
New Earrings VOL.2
By Nicolas Estrada, Hoaki Publishing House
2021
In Flux: American Jewelry and the Counterculture
Book by Cindi Strauss, Damian Skinner, and Susan Cummins
2018
Crafting History: Textiles, Metals and Ceramics at the University of Georgia
Book by Ashley Callahan (Author), Annelies Mondi (Author), Mary Hallam Pearse (Author)
2017
Signs of Life, Contemporary Jewelry Art & Literature Magazine
2012
Penland School of Crafts Book: Live Auction. Jim Cotter & Gary Lee Noffke: Remembrances
Bowl & Spoon that works quite nicely as a Bell.
2011
Craft Biennale Catalogue
The 7th Cheongju International Craft Competition
Joon-mo Chung
2011
Exhibition Catalogue
Geography: An Exhibition of International Contemporary Jewelry
organized by Art Jewelry Forum
Curated by Susan Cummins & Mike Holmes
2011
21st Century Jewelry: The best of the 500 series
By Marthe Le Van, Lark Crafts
2011
Steel Wire Jewelry
By Brenda Schweder, Lark Crafts
2011
New Rings: 500+ Designs from around the world
By Nicolas Estrada, Thames & Hudson
2010
Exhibition Catalogue
Neo Rococo: Rocks and Shells Interpreted in Contemporary Jewelry Design
Curated by Carolyn Springer
2008
The Ring Shows: Then & Now and Putting the Band Back Together
Curated by Ashley Callahan
2008
Creative Stonesetting
John E. Cogswell
2007
Exhibition Catalogue
Wild Geese: The Irish in America
National Craft Gallery Kilkenny, Ireland
Curated by Kevin O’Dwyer
2004
1000 Rings: Inspiring Adornments for the Hand
Curated by Robert Ebendorf
By Marthe Le Van, Lark Crafts
Workshops and Presentations
2024
Guest Lecturer and Concrete Workshop
Stellenbosch University
2021, 2022
Summervail Art Workshop: 50 years Anniversary
2017
Contemporary Cement Jewelry: Workshop.
Anderson Ranch Arts Center
2016
Conflux: A totally Metal Weekend: Symposium
Seattle Metals Guild Northwest Jewelry & Metals
2016
Reconstruction: Workshop.
School of Arts and Crafts Gatlin, TN
2014
Contemporary Cement Jewelry: Workshop.
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME: August 10 - 22
2014
The Life and Times of Cotter: Jewelry Art/Slide Lecture.
Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH: August 8
2013
Contemporary Cement Jewelry: Workshop.
Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass Village, CO: August 19-23
2013
The Life and Times of Cotter: Presentation.
At Material Topics: Making Marks Symposium, East Carolina
University, Greenville, NC: January 18-20
2011
A Potluck of Materials and Ideas: Workshop with Bob Ebendorf.
Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC: May 29-June 10
Selected Exhibitions
2025
SNAG: MINERAL MINDED
Tucson Gem Show, Tucson, Arizona
2025
J. COTTER
THREAD, Mexico City
2024
Dream Machine
New York City Jewelry Week, Urban Glass, Brooklyn, NY
2024
Earrings Galore
New York City Jewelry Week, Heidi Lowe Gallery, Traveling Exhibition: NYC, Mexico City, Munich Germany
Creatively Remade
CoMA, Denver International Airport
2024
WAXWORKS
Manifest Gallery
2024
Metalsmiths Unveiled
Downtown Aurora Visual Arts
2022
WE ARE SNAG: Anthology 2022
Featherweight Styrofoam Earring Collection
2021
NYCJW - New York City Jewelry Week - Earrings Galore 2021
Wood Earrings featured in Earrings Galore 2021
2021
SNAG: VOLTAGE: The Power of Contemporary Jewelry
Feather Mask Ring
2021
Splop Design “Metal + ? =” Virtual Exhibition
Concrete Ring, No. 5
2021
WE ARE SNAG: Anthology 2021
A Pendant with a Message - The seventh member online exhibition in the We Are SNAG Membership Series.
2014
These were Trees: A wood jewelry exhibition; curated by Jim Cotter and Theresa Hauser;
Vail and Beaver Creek, CO
2013
METAL, LIGHT art + design, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
2013
Badges & Buttons, Waistcoats & Vests,
Traveling exhibition curated by Bob Ebendorf and Elizabeth Turrell
2013
Put a Ring on It, Taboo Studio, San Diego, California
2013
Off the Wall= Structural Adornment, Gray Gallery, East Carolina University,
Jenkins Fine Art Center, Greenville, NC
2012
Humor in Metal, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts,
SNAG Conference, Phoenix, Arizona
2012
Generosity of Spirit, Signature: Contemporary Craft Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
2011
Geography, Velvet Da Vinci Gallery in Collaboration with Art Jewelry Forum,
SNAG Conference, Seattle, Washington
2011
METAL, LIGHT art + design, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
2011
Multiples, Heidi Lowe Gallery, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
2011
The 7th Cheongju International Craft Biennale, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
Competition, Awarded Bronze Prize and Honorable Mention
2010
Allez, Du Galet, Collioure, France
2010
Neo Rococo; Rocks and Shells Interpreted in Contemporary Jewelry Design,
University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana
2009
Fresh Start: New Directions, Aaron Faber Gallery, New York City, New York
2009
Wearable Works of Art, Quirk Gallery, Richmond, Virgina
2008
The Ring Show, National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee
2008
Set in Concrete, Shaw Gallery, North East Harbor, Maine
2007
Old and New, Taboo Gallery, San Diego, California
2007
Wild Geese, The Irish in America, Kilkenny, Ireland
2006
Glass-Wear, Craft Alliance, St. Louis, Missouri
2003
The Bracelet, Yaw Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan, SOFA NYC
2003
The Art of Gold, Society of North American Goldsmiths, national traveling exhibition
2002
Mikromegas, Munich Decorative Arts Association, international traveling exhibition
2002
A Modern Bestiary, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin
2002
Going to the Dogs, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin
2001
Contemporary Metalsmiths: Gardiner Art Gallery, Oklahoma State University
2000
Lynn Tendler Bignell Gallery, Filtered Senses
Brookfield, April 9 - June 4
2000
Taboo Studio, Wedding Rings
San Diego, CA, May 5 - June 16
2000
OXOXO Gallery, Found Precious Found
Washington Village, April 8 - May 10
1999
Measure by Measure, Brookfield Craft Center, Brookfield, Connecticut
1998
The Box Show, Denver Art Museum, Alliance for Contemporary Art & Ron Judish Fine Arts, Denver, Colorado
1997
Tokens of Affection, in honor of love and sentiment;
Aaron Faber Gallery NY, NY
1995
Show About Pearls; Susan Cummins Gallery, Mill Valley, CA
1994
Op Art: Eyeglasses by Jewelers; Hoffman Gallery
1993
Passion, Politics and Poetry: Story telling in twentieth Century American craft;
Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
1991
Other Voices, Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York, New York
1983
The Great American Cowboy, a traveling exhibition by the Library of Congress
1981
Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired Invitational Art Exhibition, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
1980
8 Sculptors Create for the 80’s, Gallery of Contemporary Metalsmithing, Rochester, New York
1979
North American Sculpture Exhibition, Golden Colorado
1978
First National Spoon and Ashtray Show, Sangre de Christo Arts & Conference Center, Pueblo Colorado
1978
Drinking Companions, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1976
Cowboy Images, Rebecca Cooper Gallery, Washington D.C.
1975
History of Photography as Subject Matter, Orange Coast College, Carmel, California
1969
Fourth Bi-Annual Exhibition of Intermountain Painting and Sculpture, Salt Lake Art Center, Salt Lake City, Utah