Steven Cooper

At what point do you discover the passion for what you want to do for the rest of your life? For Steven Cooper, it was in Industrial Arts metal class in Junior High School. Who knew that a rigid, cold metal could be so yielding and forged into beautiful creations? This discovery continued at Bloomfield High School, NJ, where he took every art class available and realized he wanted to work with metal for the rest of his life! His search for the place that would nurture his dream led Steve to Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and its School for American Craftsman. Here, he had the privilege of studying under Hans Christiansen, one of the world's finest silversmiths. "Never add anything that doesn't belong," Hans would say. Forty years later, those words still echo for Steven whenever he is designing: Encouraging clean design and reason for everything remains Steven Cooper's modus operandi. After receiving his degree from RIT, Steven continued his education at The Fashion Institute of Technology. There, he learned from some of the industry's greatest designers including those at Tiffany's and Harry Winston. Rounding out his eduction, he studied with several top craftsmen including Anthony Lent, who went on to become the dean of the jewelry design program at FIT. Today, he is producing timeless sculptures, jewelry, and Judaica from the original barn on his property built in 1810 in New York’s Hudson Valley. His inspirations are from the natural world that surround his home, a place where you’ll find him working and loving life, and not adding anything that doesn’t belong.