MJSA Jewelry Academy at the Trade Show for Jewelry Making
Rhode Island Convention Center, Downtown Providence
October 10 & 11, 2007
Online registration at www.mjsa.org
All seminars are FREE and will take place at the Education & Presentation Area on the show floor.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
So You Have a Great Product Idea, What Next?!
Elizabeth Brehmer, Stuller Inc.
This seminar explains the process that a company goes through when evaluating an inventor’s or a designer’s concept for potential licensing and manufacture. Learn about licensing agreements, business plans, and how to present your protected idea to the market. Also learn how to prepare yourself to present your concept, what questions to ask, and what you and the licensor might expect in the long term.
12:45 – 2:15 p.m.
Insurance for the Home-Based or Small Business Owner
Miriam Stoecker, Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company
Learn about the importance of having a specific insurance policy for your home-based or small jewelry business. This presentation will help you better understand insurance and what key factors will affect your premium and reduce your risks. You will also find out how you can prevent losses, as well as learn about the many educational resources that Jewelers Mutual provides.
2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Identifying and Working With Gemstones
Cap Beesley, American Gemological Laboratories and Arthur Anton Skuratowicz,Jewelry Training Center Learn about various gemstones and how to best work on gem-set jewelry. You will also learn how various gems react to heat and pressure, how to modify mountings for specific stones, and howto identify treatments and enhancements to avoid damaging—often irreplaceable—gemstones. Working with Gemstones by Arthur Anton Skuratowicz will be available at a special discount for seminar attendees.
4:15 – 5:45 p.m.
The 3P’s—Promotion, Pricing, and Production—a Primer
Chris Ploof, Chris Ploof Designs
When it comes to selling your work, being an excellent goldsmith is not enough. You must be able to effectively promote yourself and your work, have a clear understanding of pricing, and have the ability to produce when the orders start flowing. In this seminar, Chris will share some of the conventional and non-conventional approaches he has made to the 3P’s, as well as which ones have worked and which ones have not.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Creating with Argentium Sterling Silver
Cynthia Eid, Cynthia Eid Designs
Argentium sterling silver is a new alloy that is free of fire-scale, highly tarnish resistant, weldable, and more malleable and ductile than traditional sterling. Learn how to best work with this alloy when performing various techniques, including annealing, soldering, fusing, hardening, keum-boo, and finishing.
12:45 – 2:15 p.m.
Shopping the Aisles of History for Designs
Gail Levine, NAJA, Auction Market Resources
Every design has its own origin. Spark your creative side and get a view of history from an expert who can show you where designs originate. You will find a variety of time periods from which to shop for style, techniques, designs, and metals. You will also learn what’s new is old, and what’s old can be freshened to become new again.
2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
The ABC’s of Casting
Linus Drogs, Au Enterprises
This seminar will give you an insight into the foundations of good casting procedures. Discover the basic steps and learn various tips and techniques, from melting to spruing to investing, as well as about available casting technologies. This seminar will also provide you with tips on setting up a casting shop in a small environment.
and handed out free copies of Metalsmith to attendees and vendors. They only had the recent Exhibition in Print issue available so I had to explain that it was the special issue. I wish I had a copy of the regular version of the magazine to show people too.
