Battle of the Rings 2020
Our esteemed jurors, Anika Smulovitz and Andrew Cooperman, narrowed the playing field from 128 rings to just 64 exceptional rings and then selected teams, The Mandrels and The Shanks! The Shanks and the Mandrels competed head-to-head in battle daily in our Instagram stories, throughout the month of June, every morning at 9:00 am (Pacific). See the matches and dates below, up to four matches per day!
After one month of grueling competition, without question, the people chose "Secrets Safe with Me" by Karen Keller as the Ring Smackdown 2020 Champion! Congratulations!!
One Ring to Rule Them All; May the Best Ring Win!
Artist: Karen Keller
Materials: Boulder opal, sterling silver
Size: Fits like a size 7.25-8.5
Artist Statement: This hand fabricated flip ring is full of surprises! One side has a galactic boulder opal simply set in a shadow box frame. The second side features a hand sawn beetle. Beetles are symbols of resilience and hard work while boulder opals are believed to bring clarity and emotional security. This piece also contains a ‘secret drawer’…although small, it is meant for any personal keepsake/secret. The last surprise is its versatility. It wears just as beautifully as a pendant as it a does ring!
Hi, I’m Karen! I’ve always had a love for art which led me to get a BFA in Applied Visual Arts. In 2016, I decided to take the leap into silversmithing. I found a local self-taught silversmith and took a 2-day workshop learning the basics. I was hooked! I bought a modest home set up Dec 2016, and have pushed and explored the medium ever since! I have learned so much the last 3yrs by watching and talking to other smiths as well as testing limits on my own. Creating wearable art feeds my soul!
ROUND 1 - ROUND 2 - ROUND 3 - FINALS
ROUND 1
Monday June 1, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 1
Deborah Boskin
Of Course It's A Diamond!
Catherine Grisez
Blue Skies Come Back Eventually
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 2
Kim Harrell
Tickle Me
Lynn Latta
Double Crackle
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 3
Andrea Shavlik Polzkill
Some Clouds Have a Gold Lining
Checha Sokolovic
Ring of the Rising Sun
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 4
Nina Raizel Hartman
Quarantine Ring
Zuzana Korbelarova
Atom Ring
Monday June 2 - Sunday June 7, 2020
Resources for Supporting Racial Equality and Justice
Monday June 8, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 5
June Cream
Goin’ to Clown Town
Melissa Scoppa
Sundial Ring
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 6
Micah Donnelly
Bottomless
Yuko Tanaka
Because the Butterflies Were Always There
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 7
Amy Schmidt
A Ring for a New Now
Sarah Tector
Blades & Spinner
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 8
April Ottey
Rrr-ock-tupus
Danielle Cadef
Mermaid Armor
Tuesday June 9, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 9
Todd Hughes
Corona Armor, Back the F*#k Off
Michelle Lenáe
QuaRingtini
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 10
Alena Applerose
Mermaid Fantasy
Erin Austin
Growth
Wednesday June 10, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 11
Linda Bernasconi
Square Root
Dean Stith
Head in the Clouds
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 12
Bobbie Marquette
Jo and Dexter Visit the Islands
Kenneth MacBain
Just Like Kim Kardashian's Ring
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 13
Carolina Andersson
Hana (Flower in Japanese)
Lisa Markowitz
Iris
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 14
Arielle Brackett
Pacific Northwest Ferns
Shino Posey
Northwest Spring
Thursday June 11, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 15
Lindsay Locatelli
Ring No8
Rene´ Henry
You Got Glitter in My Bubblegum!
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 16
Elke June Stacey
Earth Whirlpool
Aleena Derohanian
To a Future that Never Was
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 17
Jim Dailing
Kepler's Orbit
Jennifer Surine
Iceberg
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 18
Charity Ridpath
Bubble Wrap Mineral
Anna Nava-Liess
Sunshine
Friday June 12, 2020
Saturday June 13, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 19
Ryan Gardner
Amethyst Gold Bubble Ring
Christopher Gerber
Shiny (odd)Ball
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 20
Carin Jones
Specimens
Debbie Jo Baxter
Before The Storm
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 21
Jung Ki Min
Coral
Barbara Knuth
Oscillate
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 22
Maru Almeida
Anything Can Happen
Beth Novak
Party Ring
Sunday June 14, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 23
Dayne Keller
The Smack Daddy
Sharon Massey
Brickwork Signet
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 24
Josiah Trujillo
Rutile and Jade Ring
Karen Keller
Secrets Safe With Me
Monday June 15, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 25
Lisa Geertsen
Valkyrie
Julianne Van Buskirk
Alpine Lakes
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 26
Kathleen Faulkner
Apartment Complexity
Laurel Nathanson
Narrative Ring
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 27
Winona Snell
Amanita Muscaria
Julia Lowther
Green Thumb
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 28
Kimberly Voigt
Urban Girl Power Ring
Andi Terry
A Study in Curves
Tuesday June 16, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 29
Burcu Buyukunal
Burcu
Helen Cowart
Orange Gumdrop
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 30
Mary Kaye Denkewalter
The Weave
Anne Wolf
Precarious Moorings
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 31
David Drake
Ingelm
Jamie Hascall
Coming Out of My Shell
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 32
Rebecca Myers
Feathered Nest
Kris Patzlaff
Nesting
ROUND 2
Wednesday June 17, 2020
THE MANDRELSvs THE SHANKS
MATCH 1
Catherine Grisez
Blue Skies Come Back Eventually
Ryan Gardner
Amethyst Gold Bubble Ring
THE MANDRELSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 2
Lynn Latta
Double Crackle
Aleena Derohanian
To a Future that Never Was
THE MANDRELSvs THE SHANKS
MATCH 3
Melissa Scoppa
Sundial Ring
Dayne Keller
The Smack Daddy
THE MANDRELSvs THE SHANKS
MATCH 4
Sarah Tector
Blades & Spinner
Jung Ki Min
Coral
Thursday June 18, 2020
THE MANDRELSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 5
Erin Austin
Growth
Andi Terry
A Study in Curves
THE MANDRELSvs THE SHANKS
MATCH 6
Julianne Van Buskirk
Alpine Lakes
April Ottey
Rrr-ock-tupus
THE MANDRELSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 7
Shino Posey
Northwest Spring
Jamie Hascall
Coming Out of My Shell
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 8
Bobbie Marquette
Jo and Dexter Visit the Islands
Burcu Buyukunal
Burcu
Juneteenth
THE MANDRELSvs THE SHANKS
MATCH 9
Zuzana Korbelarova
Atom Ring
Carin Jones
Specimens
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 10
Andrea Shavlik Polzkill
Some Clouds Have a Gold Lining
Jennifer Surine
Iceberg
Saturday June 20, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 11
Micah Donnelly
Bottomless
Karen Keller
Secrets Safe With Me
THE MANDRELSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 12
Michelle Lenáe
QuaRingtini
Beth Novak
Party Ring
Sunday June 21, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE SHANKS
MATCH 13
Carolina Andersson
Hana (Flower in Japanese)
Winona Snell
Amanita Muscaria
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 14
Linda Bernasconi
Square Root
Laurel Nathanson
Narrative Ring
Monday June 22, 2020
THE MANDRELSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 15
Rene´ Henry
You Got Glitter in My Bubblegum!
Rebecca Myers
Feathered Nest
THE MANDRELSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 16
Anna Nava-Liess
Sunshine
Mary Kaye Denkewalter
The Weave
ROUND 3
Tuesday June 23, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE SHANKS
MATCH 1
Ryan Gardner
Amethyst Gold Bubble Ring
Carin Jones
Specimens
THE MANDRELSvs THE SHANKS
MATCH 2
Lynn Latta
Double Crackle
Andrea Shavlik Polzkill
Some Clouds Have a Gold Lining
Wednesday June 24, 2020
THE MANDRELSvs THE SHANKS
MATCH 3
Erin Austin
Growth
Carolina Andersson
Hana (Flower in Japanese)
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 4
April Ottey
Rrr-ock-tupus
Laurel Nathanson
Narrative Ring
Thursday June 25, 2020
THE MANDRELSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 5
Melissa Scoppa
Sundial Ring
Karen Keller
Secrets Safe With Me
THE MANDRELSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 6
Sarah Tector
Blades & Spinner
Michelle Lenáe
QuaRingtini
Friday June 26, 2020
THE MANDRELSvs THE SHANKS
MATCH 7
Shino Posey
Northwest Spring
Rebecca Myers
Feathered Nest
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
MATCH 8
Burcu Buyukunal
Burcu
Anna Nava-Liess
Sunshine
FINALS
Saturday June 27, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
QUARTER FINALS 1
Carin Jones
Specimens
Karen Keller
Secrets Safe With Me
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
QUARTER FINALS 2
Andrea Shavlik Polzkill
Some Clouds Have a Gold Lining
Sarah Tector
Blades & Spinner
Sunday June 28, 2020
THE SHANKSvs THE SHANKS
QUARTER FINALS 3
Carolina Andersson
"Hana" (Flower in Japanese)
Rebecca Myers
Feathered Nest
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
QUARTER FINALS 4
April Ottey
Rrr-ock-tupus
Anna Nava-Liess
Sunshine
Monday June 29, 2020
THE MANDRELSvs THE SHANKS
SEMIFINALS 1
Karen Keller
Secrets Safe With Me
Rebecca Myers
Feathered Nest
THE SHANKSvs THE MANDRELS
SEMIFINALS 2
Andrea Shavlik Polzkill
Some Clouds Have a Gold Lining
Tuesday June 30, 2020
THE MANDRELSvs THE SHANKS
FINAL
Karen Keller
Secrets Safe With Me
Andrea Shavlik Polzkill
Some Clouds Have a Gold Lining