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

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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

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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

 

Anna Nava-Liess

Sunshine
 

 

 


Tuesday June 30, 2020

THE MANDRELSvs THE SHANKS

FINAL

Karen Keller

Secrets Safe With Me
 

 

Andrea Shavlik Polzkill

Some Clouds Have a Gold Lining