ARTIST INFO
FUNLOLA COKER
Memphis, TN
METALS | Sculptural objects and jewelry
Penland Affiliation | Penland Instructor 2023, Penland Winter Resident 2021
Artist Information | Studio artist; education: MFA State University of New York, New Paltz (NY), BFA Memphis College of Art (TN); teaching: Snow Farm: The New England Craft Program (MA), Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (ME), Penland School of Craft (NC), Peters Valley School of Craft (NJ), Touchstone (PA), Appalachian Center for Craft (TN), SUNY New Paltz (NY); exhibitions: Brooklyn Metalworks (NY), The Fuller Craft Museum (MA), Tone Gallery (TN), The Metal Museum (TN), Midland Art Center (Birmingham, UK), Pratt Institute (NY), Westobou Art Gallery (GA), Gallery 2052 (IL)
Artist Bio | Funlola Coker is a metalsmith from Lagos, Nigeria. In 2007 Coker moved to Memphis, TN to pursue a BFA in Sculpture from Memphis College of Art. Funlola is fascinated by history, the evolution of culture and storytelling. Funlola creates narrative sculptures that call on nostalgic memories and moments of the mundane that are held dear. Coker has taught at notable craft institutions such as Snow Farm: The New England Craft Program, Penland School of Craft and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts.
Funlola’s work has been exhibited at Brooklyn Metalworks, the Fuller Craft Museum, Tone Gallery in Memphis and the National Ornamental Metal Museum. In 2020, Coker received the Arts Memphis Arts Accelerator grant, and was a 2022 Thayer Fellowship recipient from the SUNY Rockefeller Institute of Government. Funlola holds an MFA in Metal from the State University of New York at New Paltz.
Technical Info | The earrings are made from electroformed copper. Starting with wax wire, each piece is braided and formed to shape, then painted with conductive copper paint. They are then submerged into an acid bath with copper bars, where electric current attracts copper to the surface of the earrings. After 2-3 days the earrings are removed, wax evacuated and thoroughly cleaned. Then they are fabricated with sterling silver sheet to protect the wearer’s ears, and sterling silver posts are attached. Finally they are finished with a liver of sulfur patina and sealed with wax.
