education

1961

MFA Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI

1957

BFA Metalsmithing, University of Kansas

exhibitions

2010

Recent Work, David Lusk Gallery, Memphis

2007

L. Brent Kington: Mythic Metalsmith, Southern Illinois Art Gallery, Illinois State Museum, traveling exhibition

2004

The Nature of Craft and the Penland Experience, The Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Charlotte, NC
Arkansas Arts Center, (solo exhibition), Little Rock

2003

Jewels and Gems, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, Washington, DC

2002

Coming of Age, The Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Charlotte

2001

Contemporary Iron Work, Brookfield Craft Center, Brookfield CT

2000

Invitational Exhibition, Appalachian Center for the Crafts, Smithville, TN

1999

Collaboration: Works by Tod and Brent Kington, Steinburg Hal Gallery of Art, Washington University, St Louis

1998

Kinetic Art and the Folk Tradition, Tarble Arts Center, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston

1995

Invitational Exhibition, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Island, ME

1994

Contemporary Metalsmithing, Craft Alliance, St Louis
Whirligigs and Weathervanes, sponsored by Visual Arts Resources, Eugene OR, traveling exhibition

1993

Lifetime Achievements: American Craft Council College of Fellows in Metal, National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis
A Kansas Contribution: An Exhibition Celebrating the Year of American Craft, Johnson County Community College, Kansas City

1992

Kington Retrospective Exhibition, Mitchell Gallery, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Reunion Invitational Exhibition, National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis
Object and a Box, American Crafts Museum, New York City

1991

Rituals and Primitive Origins, Sarrat Gallery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville

1990

Splendid Forms '90, Bellas Artes Gallery, New York City

1989

City on a Hill, 20 Years of Artists at Cortona, The Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, GA

1988

Heartland Blacksmiths, Mitchell Gallery, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
SNAG 1988: The Founding Masters, Schick Art Gallery, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs NY

1987

The Eloquent Object, Philbrook Art Center, Tulsa
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (1989)
Crafts Gallery, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

1986

CRAFT TODAY, Poetry of the Physical, American Crafts Museum, New York City

1985

Contemporary Blacksmithing, Signature Gallery, Boston

1984

Jewelry USA, American Crafts Museum, New York City

1983

Five Modern American Metalsmiths, The New Gallery of Contemporary Art, Cleveland

1982

Twenty Years of Metal, University Museum, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Portnoy Gallery, (solo) New York City
Towards a New Iron Age, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

1981

Illinois Crafts '81, Illinois State Museum, Springfield
25th Anniversary Exhibition, American Crafts Museum, New York City

professional

2006

The L. Brent Kington Chair is endowed at the School of Art and Design at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale by an anonymous donation of $1million

2003

The L. Brent Kington Smithy is formally named at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with support
provided by the Windgate Foundation

1999

Serves on National Advisory Council, Kentucky School of Craft, Hindman, KY

1997

Retires from School of Art and Design as Professor Emeritus, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

1987-97

Serves on Board of Trustees at the National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis

1983-95

Director of School of Art and Design at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

1978

Hosts Six Masters and Twelve Emerging Artists Workshop at Southern Illinois University funded in part by the National Endowment fo the Arts

1976

Hosts second blacksmithing conference and Iron: Solid Wrought/USA exhibit at Southern Illinois University with 490 attendees including people from Canada, England and Italy funded in part by the Woods Charitable Fund, The John Deere Foundation, Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation, Sears and Roebuck, US Steel Corporation, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Illinois Arts Council
Made Director of the Artist-Blacksmith Association of North America (ABANA) (thru 1979)
Serves on Advisory Board for the Museum of Northern Arizona Art Institute/Flagstaff (thru 1979)
Board Member Trustee for the American Craft Council (thru 1980)
Teaches studio classes in iron and offers BFA and MFA in blacksmithing at Southern Illinois University

1974

Craft program consultant for the Joel L. Evans School of Craft/Tennessee Arts Commission (thru 1979)

1970

Kington organizes first American university-based blacksmithing conference held at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois, with 60 people attending from around country

awards and honors

2000

Gold Medal Award from American Craft Council. One of only 39 people to receive the award since
founding in 1944.
Selected as one of the most prominent 100 artists and key figures in American craft as part of the Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian

1994

Receives Trustee Emeriti Award, American Craft Council

1985

Fellowship Award from Illinois Arts Council

1983

Award of Distinction from Society of North American Goldsmiths
Bealer Award of Distinction from Artist-Blacksmith Association of North America

1982

Craftsmen Fellowship Award from National Endowment for the Arts

1978

Academy of Fellows Award American Crafts Council

1975

Craftsmen Fellowship from National Endowment for the Arts

1970

Outstanding Teaching Award from Standard Oil Foundation