Olaf Skoogfors came to Philadelphia as a young boy of four when his family emigrated from Sweden in 1934. In the immediate postwar period, he enrolled at the Philadelphia College of Art (later the University of the Arts), where his mentor was Richard Reinhardt, who described his talent using Mies van der Rohe’s maxim “slow is fast.” Drafted during for service in the Korean War, Skoogfors was stationed in Germany, where he devoted his time to drawing and reading. On his return to the US, he continued his studies at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Craftsmen, only to return to Philadelphia in 1959 to begin teaching with Reinhardt at PCA. Skoogfors quickly gained recognition for jewelry that transcended adornment and seemed more like works of art and creative expression.
Working primarily in gold and silver, he created rings, brooches, buckles, and pendants that are elegant, wearable, and quietly expressive. His earlier works reflect a streamlined, modernist sensibility with Surrealist stylizations. He quicky developed a unique voice, assembling his jewelry like collages with cast elements, varied textures, forged elements, and stones. He was inspired by the expressionistic textures of postwar European sculptors and by the shapes and forms of nature. His work rewards close attention: joints, clasps, and settings are fully integrated, never hidden. Following in the footsteps of Reinhardt, Skoogfors became chair of the Craft Department at PCA. He was a founding member of the Society of North American Goldsmiths and a much-loved teacher, who inspired his students with his artistry and generosity of spirit.
