American Gemstones: George Frederick Kunz and Tiffany & Co.
Yvonne Markowitz, Rita J. Kaplan and Susan B. Kaplan Curator of Jewelry, David and Roberta Logie Department of Textile and Fashion Arts
Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007 2pm
Riley Seminar Room Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Free Admission, tickets required & available at Remis box office day of event
Markowitz illustrates the importance of gemstones in American jewelry at the turn of the century by focusing on the history of Tiffany & Co.
AJDC Announces 2008 New Talent Contest
The American Jewelry Design Council is accepting applications for its annual New Talent Contest. The winner is awarded a booth in the New Designer Gallery at the July Jewelers of America Show in New York City. The winner is the focus of extensive media attention. This high-profile competition has successfully launched the careers of past winners and the entire jewelry industry eagerly awaits the New York debut of the AJDC’s pick. In addition, the winner receives professional support from members of the AJDC on making the step to larger markets.
The American Jewelry Design Council is a group of over thirty nationally prominent designers whose mission is to promote the art of jewelry. In coordination with the Jewelers of America, this contest has been a major annual success, each year presenting a single outstanding designer to national and international jewelry buyers.
Applicants must be a designer/owner of a jewelry manufacturing business, produce in the United States and have never exhibited at a JA Show. Selection is based on originality, craftsmanship, innovation, marketability and cohesiveness. The names of all finalists are submitted to the JA selection committee for consideration as a candidate for the New Designer Gallery. Winner and finalists are honored at an awards ceremony during the show.
Deadline for submission is January 15, 2008. For more information and/or to download an application, visit ajdc.org
Velvet da Vinci Gallery
Oct. 17 - Nov. 25, 2007
Artist Reception Friday, October 19, 6-8 pm
Velvet da Vinci is celebrating the recent publication of 500 Earrings by Lark Books. Earrings from more than 100 international artists will be on exhibit. There will be both classic interpretations of the earring, as well as audacious ones. Materials range from 18k gold, sterling silver and pearls to paper, plastic and iron nails.
Diane Komater, award winning wireist, is the showcased artist. Her figurative wire sculpture delves into new decorative urns. She uses steel wire to draw her forms in three dimensions creating the shell of the forms.
Adornment, The Magazine of Jewelry & Related Arts presents a two day conference:
“A Place in Time: Jewelry within the Context of the Decorative Arts”
Oct. 6-7, 2007
Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY http://www.jewelryconference.com
Speakers include: Ulysses Grant Dietz, Andrea Di Noto, Carol Anne Dickson, Jeannine Falino, Ruthie Katzenstein, Yvonne J. Markowitz, Meghan Melvin, Ursula Ilse-Neuman, Aimee E. Newell, Nezka Pfeifer, Christie Romero, Jennifer Scanlan and Elyse Zorn Karlin. Speaker bios at http://www.jewelryconference.com/bios.html
MJSA Trade Show for Jewelry Making Presents Swarovski Workshops by Nick Regine and Leigh Alsfeld
Rhode Island Convention Center, Downtown Providence
October 10 & 11, 2007
Online registration at http://www.mjsa.org
All workshops are FREE and will take place at the Swarovski Training Area on the show floor.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10
10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Soldering Made Simple
This hands-on seminar will explore the basics of soldering brass and white metal castings. Various types of solder and flux with different applications will also be discussed, and participants will learn proper soldering techniques to ensure a high-quality end product.
2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Gluing of Crystal Stones
This hands-on seminar will focus of the proper techniques required to glue Swarovski crystal stones to ensure high-quality end products. Participants will experiment with various types of materials, such as wood, glass, fabric, and metals, and will learn the proper types of glue and techniques to be used in each case.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11
11:00 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Pearl Knotting
This hands-on seminar will focus on the proper technique of pearl knotting to ensure high-quality end products using the Tri-Cord Knotter tool. Participants will experiment with various tools and Swarovski Crystal Pearls to create a beautiful, hand-knotted jewelry pieces.
MJSA Jewelry Academy at the Trade Show for Jewelry Making
Rhode Island Convention Center, Downtown Providence
October 10 & 11, 2007
Online registration at http://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.
Michelle Tolini Finamore, curatorial research associate, Art of the Americas
Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007 2pm
Riley Seminar Room
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Free Admission, tickets required & available at Remis box office day of event
Finamore examines jewelry by Man Ray, Sam Kramer, and other Surrealist artists in the context of related twentieth-century art and design.
for more info visit http://www.mfa.org
Kelly H. L’Ecuyer, Ellyn McColgan Assistant Curator of Decorative Arts and Sculpture, Art of the Americas
Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007 2pm
Remis Auditorium
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Free Admission, tickets required & available at Remis box office day of event
L’Ecuyer, the curator of “Jewelry by Artists: The Daphne Farago Collection”, discusses the objects in the exhibition and the significance of the Farago Collection in the field of studio jewelry.
for more info visit http://www.mfa.org
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