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News and Events

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Smithsonian Curator Jeffrey Post visits Studio Jewelers
Tom Dailing piece to be added to Smithsonian's National Collection

Jeffrey Post, curator of the Smithsonian Institute gem collection, met with artist
Tom Dailing at Studio Jewelers in June to discuss the Smithsonian's acquisition of one of Tom's pieces for the National Gem Collection.

Above, Mr. Post enjoys looking through Tom Dailing's display case of jewelry, joined by Tom and Gallery owner Hanna Cook-Wallace.

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Mr. Post examines his two favorite Tom Dailing pieces, Nautilus and Aurora. Nautilus won the Saul Bell Award's Top Prize, and Aurora took the top honors at the AGTA's Spectrum Awards. Both pieces are pendants which feature a highly polished dish-shaped reflector to accent center gemstones cut by Master lapidary artist Richard Homer.

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Whitney looks on as Mr. Post signs her and the shop's copy of his book, "The National Gem Collection". An online review describes the book; "The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History holds the world's greatest collection of gems. In this beautiful book, now available in paperback, Dr. Jeffrey E. Post, curator of the National Gem and Mineral Collection, discusses everything from diamonds, rubies, and emeralds to jade and lapis lazuli, as well as the Hope Diamond and other world-famous stones in the museum's collection. More than 100 stunning photographs capture the colors and brilliance of these wonders of the mineral kingdom."


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Hanna Cook-Wallace participating in the "Art Zoobilee"
"Rob Roy - A Jewel of a Rooster" to be auctioned in the fall.

Hanna has finished decorating her chosen tabletop fiberglass animal, a rooster she dubbed Rob Roy. He is currently back on display at Studio Jewelers after spending some time in the Visitor's Center of the Vilas Zoo. Hanna painted him as part of the "Art Zoobilee", a public art display and auction event to be held at Henry Vilas Zoo. The art display consists of various sized fiberglass zoo animal sculptures painted or decorated by local artists, and is currently an on-going event at the zoo.

Like the Henry Vilas Zoo, the art display event will be free, accessible and open to the public during normal zoo hours all summer long. An art display map and each animal sculpture will include facts about the animal and will provide education on the importance of protecting our animal friends. The art will be sold at a live and silent auction event in September, 2010. Proceeds from the event will be split evenly to benefit American Family Children's Hospital and Henry Vilas Zoological Society. View more information on the
Zoo's Website.

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New pieces by Audrey Handler

Glass artist Audrey Handler stopped in to Studio Jewelers today with a selection of her signature plates, fruit, and vases. Included were a selection of vivid blues, a color she finds a bit more difficult to work with than other colors. A favorite plate of hers entitled "Blue Nebula" is here in the store. It features a beautiful field of cobalt blue, with arcing tendrils of different colors throughout, and a few air bubbles that reminded Audrey of planet shapes. Stop in to see the new selection today!


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Fred Fenster Staying Busy

Fred will be taking time out from cutting wood for the coming winter and conducting a pewtersmithing workshop at the Oregon School of Crafts in Portland in June. Afterward, he will be the featured artist in a show at the Metal Museum in Memphis, TN, opening in September of 2011. There will be 40 of his pieces in the exhibit and he will lecture and conduct a workshop there. Two of his pieces were pictured in a recent book by Lisa Slovis Mandel entitled Pewter Workshop, published by Lark Books. Currently on the bench in Fred's studio are a number of commissions for Judaica, including five Kiddish cups, some of which have hollow five-pointed star bases, made using techniques he developed making ceremonial sterling silver candlesticks.

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Jim Dailing joins our artist roster

We were introduced to the work of Jim Dailing through his brother, Tom Dailing, another well known Studio Jewelers artist. Jim began his career in metals and jewelry after watching a friend cut an opal in college in 1977, and his professional life has been creating jewelry and teaching part time ever since. His designs have personality, evoking natural themes in a variety of metalsmithing techniques. Inlaid lines swirl and branch, textures suggest mountains or waves. Stop in soon to see these gorgeous new rings!

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New Sapphire Rings From Stephen Vincent

Just in the store are a collection of wonderful new rings from Stephen Vincent. Individually crafted of rosewood Damascus steel and gold, each holds a square sapphire in a true tension-set style. Stop in to see more of Stephen's modern and sophisticated work today!

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New Alex Sepkus Rings Have Arrived!
Hanna was able to meet with her friends from Alex Sepkus while in Tucson, and chose a number of new rings for the store. We now have a number of new stacker rings and other styles in a variety of yellow gold, red gold, and platinum. Stop by the shop today to see what's new!
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Congratulations to Kristin Anderson
Featured at Florida Museum of Women Artist's inaugural event

Kristin was one of 38 artists selected out of 225 applicants for the grand opening of The Florida Museum for Women Artists. The museum is the only venue in the state of Florida, and the southeast United States, to provide art and other artistic disciplines exclusively by women artists. The 7,300 square foot space includes three galleries, a gift shop, coffee lounge, meeting / lecture space, and curatorial area.  Exhibitions will include contemporary art, collections, and traveling exhibits from quality institutions.

“The opening of a new museum these days is very rare and very exciting. Opening a museum dedicated to women in the arts is unique. However, a museum such as The Florida Museum for Women Artists is sorely needed to showcase the talent that exists among women artists. I recently visited a well known large gallery and found less than a handful of women artist represented among at least 30 male artists. It again brought home the need to have a facility dedicated to women in the arts."
~Anna Schrieffer, President of the board, Florida Museum for Women Artists.
http://www.floridamuseumforwomenartists.org/

Visit our
Featured Artists page to learn more about Kristin and the rest of our great artists!

Ethical gold and diamond sourcing

This November, the TV program
Sixty Minutes on CBS ran a special on artisan gold mining in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. While the issues surrounding this mining area are not representative of gold mining in general, (and the EDRC mines supply only one fifth of one percent of annual newly-mined gold), we think this program underscores the need for everyone to be vigilant about seeking ethical sources.

In this country we are lucky to have the Jewelers of America's gold source certification program, which is designed to do for gold what the DeBeers Protocol did for diamonds: insure a conflict-free supply chain. It's a work in progress, and JA is working closely with the World Gold Council and the Responsible Jewellery Council to insure international cooperation in this effort.

Studio Jewelers is committed to using and selling only recycled gold and natural, conflict-free diamonds. Always have been, always will be.

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Studio Jewelers Welcomes Artist Adrius Krulis

We are happy to be the first gallery in the US to feature the jewelry of Audrius Krulis. Hailing from Lithuania, Audrius is the foreman for Alex Sepkus' workshop, and is a talented designer and goldsmith in his own right. His work is multi-layered and bold; featuring large, colorful stones, various textures and patterns, and a variety of metals. Utilizing silver, red and yellow gold, and a vast knowledge of metalsmithing techniques, his creations are bold and fun. Please visit our Featured Artist page for more information on this artist and links to view more photos of his work.


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New designs by Maeve Gillies

Scottish designer Maeve Gillies has been the recipient of numerous design awards, including 3 from the Royal Society for the Arts in London. Designer and co-founder of her own company, we are happy to welcome Maeve and her work to Studio Jewelers! Stop by and see our selection of engagement rings designed by Maeve Gillies, read more about her on our
Featured Artist page, and view her jewelry collection online at http://www.maevona.com/


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Pamela Froman joins our artist roster

Studio Jewelers is proud to welcome Pamela Froman to our list of wonderful designers. Pamela is the winner of this year's Couture Design Awards "Best in Bridal" category, along with numerous other design awards. Her handcrafted jewelry features mixtures of precious metals with interesting textures and precious stones. Hanna was happy to meet her at the Couture show in Las Vegas, and enjoyed hand selecting a number of pieces for the store. See a selection of her work on our Featured Artists page, and visit her website at http://www.pamelafroman.com/.