Art Jewelry magazine Editors' Blog : travel

Philadelphia, here I come!

Hazel Wheaton — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:32:00 GMT

Bright and early tomorrow morning, I'm going to be hopping on an airplane (or maybe trudging, seeing how early I'm going to be doing it) to make the trip to Philadelphia. My reason for going? A true gem of a craft show — The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show. The show, now in its 33rd year, regularly includes some of the most amazing craft artists I've seen.

On the slate this year is a group of 26 visiting artists from Korea, showing work in all craft media.

There's also a series of demonstrations and lectures to give you a chance to rest your feet and stretch your mind. Of special interest to jewelry aficionados,Thomas Mann will demonstrate sawing techniques; Jill Hurant will demonstrate how to make fused classical link loop-in-loop chains; and Steven Ford will talk about his longtime creative collaboration with David Forlano, and the incredible metal and polymer clay pieces they create.

Of course, there's also a presentation by the brilliant masterminds behind local chocolatiers John and Kira's Chocolates, in which they'll tell us how they're making the world better through chocolate.

So, I'll be at the show — if you see me, please feel free to say "Hi!"

Think about visiting Tucson for the gem and mineral (and jewelry, tools, metals, wire...) shows! The Art Jewelry editors are.

Kristin Sutter — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:55:00 GMT

It's November, and here in the Art Jewelry offices, our thoughts are turning to the Southwest — not because our Wisconsin locale means we've already got snow in the forecast, but because in February, the city of Tucson, Ariz., is inundated with countless vendors from every facet of the jewelry world. Every year, we make the trip to scout for new products, new discoveries, new contacts, and new friends. If you've never heard of the phenomenon that is Tucson, check out "How to Tackle Tucson." The article, written by editor and veteran Tucson-goer Hazel L. Wheaton, is a practical guide to what "Tucson" is, why you should go, and how to enjoy the experience.

For dates of the 2009 Tucson shows, go to www.visittucson.org. If you can't make it to Tucson, you can look for shows near you in our Events Calendar. You can also discuss shows, including Tucson, in Going to a Show? on our forum.

Enjoy!

—Kristin

14th Annual Whatcom Artist Studio Tour in Whatcom County, Washington, runs October 4th-5th and 11th-12th

Katie Streeter — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:51:00 GMT

If you live in the Pacific Northwest and are looking for an artistic weekend getaway, check out the 14th Annual Whatcom Artist Studio Tour, in Whatcom County, Washington.

The free, self-guided tour is a juried fine art and fine craft event. On October 4th-5th and 11th-12th, you can visit the studios of over 50 artists in Whatcom County, purchase their artwork, and view demonstrations by some of them. The artists' studios will be open from 10-5 each day of the tour.

The artwork will include ceramics, fiber, glass, sculpture, painting, and jewelry.

For more information on the annual event, visit www.studiotour.net. To search for events in your area, check out our online Events Calendar.

—Katie

Fairhaven, Washington (above), is one of the towns where artists open
their studios to the public for the Whatcom Artist Studio Tour.

How to care for your jewelry this summer (hint: watch out for saltwater and chlorine)

Kristin Sutter — Fri, 30 May 2008 18:34:00 GMT

For some of you in warmer climes, it may already feel like summer. But here in Wisconsin, it's unseasonably cold. We've had a depressing lack of 60–70-degree days in the last three months. So when I came across a blog post from Spectrum Art & Jewelry, a gallery located in Wilmington, N.C., about caring for jewelry in summertime, I was happily caught off guard. Not just because the thought of feeling warm without donning a sweater is still a distant daydream, but because the information in their post was news to me. Being one of the resident editorial people on staff (rather than a resident jewelry maker), I didn't know that saltwater and chlorine can affect certain metals. To learn more, click here to read Spectrum Art & Jewelry's blog post. They also provide some practical tips on how to vacation (or not) with your jewelry. I, for one, will be more careful with my jewelry when I finally FINALLY get to take a dip in a pool.

Have any of you ever had a bad experience with common summer chemicals reacting with jewelry? Saltwater, chlorine, sunscreen, etc.? I'd love to know if there's something else I should be keeping in mind!

—Kristin

Happy Muttertag (Icelandic Mother's Day) this weekend!

Addie Kidd — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:42:00 GMT

Sitting on the windowsill next to my computer here at work is a little weekly calendar. Every Monday I tear off last week's page, which is also a photo postcard. I can then send off my little postcard to a friend or relative, or (as is more often the case) greedily not send it, and instead add it to the growing pile of beautiful cards I'm hoarding in my top desk drawer.

I picked this calendar up last September as a souvenir while I was visiting Iceland. (If you notice it says "Island" at the top - that's how they spell "Iceland" in Icelandic.)

It was a wonderful workshop/tour vacation that I took via Beadventures, a company that pairs crafty folks with renowned teachers (Laura McCabe, on my trip) in amazing locations like Iceland. Cheryl Cobern-Browne, the owner of Beadventures took such great care of all of us. And though I've travelled a lot, that trip in particular is by far one of my favorite travelling memories to date.

This week's photo showcases one of Iceland's many geysers. I saw my share of spouting hot water on my trip, but I didn't see this one in particular.

And it's too bad, because the caption on the photo says that it's named "Butterfass." I'm not sure why it's named that, but it makes me laugh. I get this vivid image of hot theater-style butter topping exploding from the earth every 20 minutes or so, happily coating anything in its path with a pseudo-buttery taste. Awesome.

My second favorite thing about this week's calendar page is that Sunday, the 4th, is Muttertag, or Icelandic Mother's Day.

I'm not sure why their date is a week ahead of us here in the states (on the 11th), but I'm tickled to see that Icelandic folks cherish and celebrate their mommies as much as we do here.

I love saying that word Muttertag. I like it so much I think I just may use it when I'm writing up my own Mother's Day card this year.

So Happy Friday and, even if it is early, Happy Muttertag to all you moms out there, Icelandic or otherwise.

~Addie~

"Art" jewelry: a souvenir bracelet from the Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer special exhibits at the Art Institute of Chicago

Kristin Sutter — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:12:00 GMT

I recently went to Chicago to visit a good friend, and topping my list of must-do activities was a very overdue trip to the Art Institute of Chicago. I'm embarrassed to say that I live less than two hours from the city and haven't been to the museum in 12 years — all I could remember was that both Seurat's painting of the park (A Sunday on La Grande Jatte) and Georgia O'Keeffe's cloud painting (Sky Above Clouds IV) are huge.

My friend and I decided to check out the special exhibits on Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer. I had only really seen Hopper's most famous painting, Nighthawks, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was in for a treat. The exhibit was beautiful (his color palette was mesmerizing) and intriguing, and I was impressed by both his early and late work. He is now one of my favorite artists. I also really enjoyed the Homer exhibit — it's amazing to see such beauty!

Since I was so touched by the art, I wanted a souvenir. My first instinct was the tried-and-true high-quality postcard book, but the colors just didn't look as vibrant as the actual paintings (tall order, I know). Lucky for me, my friend found the one item that I would, of course, have to buy: a bracelet with images from Hopper's works.

It literally is "art" jewelry. It's so cool to have portable inspiration!

What's your favorite type of portable inspiration? Write your response in the "Comments" box below and click "Add" to share!

—Kristin

Tucson Gem Shows 2008: A tour in photos from a first-time visitor, including gems, fossils, minerals, jewelry, and tourist attractions.

Addie Kidd — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:59:00 GMT

For years, I've wanted to visit Tucson's town-full-of-shows gem and mineral extravaganza, but schedule or budget or both always managed to get in the way. I finally got my wish, when earlier this February I flew from snowy Milwaukee, Wisconsin (left), to sunny Tucson, Arizona (right) for a week of jewelry immersion.

I tried as best I could to capture the overwhelming and eclectic nature of these shows through a bunch of photos. Here's my virtual scrapbook so that you can follow along.

Upon arrival, we wanted to get into the Wild West spirit. So dinner was at the ultra-touristy and cute Pinnacle Peak. While waiting for a table, I couldn't help but try one the old miner persona, a la wooden standee. (I love cheesy touristy stuff, can you tell??)

What amazed me the most about Tucson was the diversity of not only the items for sale at each show, but the also the diversity of the shows and venues themselves.

Vendors were set up in hotel rooms, tents, non-descript alleyways, and in high security convention centers.

There were tables upon tables of crystals and carved rocks. And there were massive rough crystal geodes...

How about a natural amethyst coffee table base? (That's going on my Christmas list.)

Here I'm posing next to a gigantic rough citrine geode still crated up.

There were also breathtakingly huge fossils to check out, like this very cool turtle.

And of course there were walls and walls (and walls!) of beads made out of everything imaginable: gemstones, glass, ceramic, polymer, fiber, etc.

I was especially excited to check out the rough rock. I have lapidary equipment in my home studio, and am always on the lookout for something new and pretty to grind and polish.

This table was laden with Prima Verde, a newly discovered stone offered by the folks at The Unconventional Lapidarist. (I picked up a pound or two, myself.)

If you're wondering what it looks like polished, here are some samples they had on display.

A well-known Tucson landmark is the snake bridge. It's a pedestrian bridge shaped like a rattlesnake, fangs and everything.

As I walked through it, I definitely got a feel for the snake's "ribs."

And I was delighted yet startled (read: practically jumped out of my skin) to find out that there's a motion sensor as you walk out the tail end of the bridge. As soon as you're close enough to see that giant rattle, a hidden speaker lets off a loud rattlling sound. Brilliant.

Back to the gem shows... AGTA was a treat. It's enormous showfloor held more gems and pearls and finished jewelry than you could imagine.

It was at AGTA that fellow editor Jill Erickson and I met up with Todd Reed. He was as friendly and nice as his signature rough diamond designs are beautiful.

He even let me try on one of his bracelets. (And let me tell you, tens of thousands of dollars feel pretty good on your wrist!)

Of course it wasn't all just meeting with artists like Todd, and scouting for new information. There was plenty of quality shopping time to be had.

Here, I'm hunting for loose green amethysts amid a table full of gemstones at AGTA.

After taking a little break for food and rest, Jill and I headed over to check out a local shop, Obsidian Gallery.

It's a small but well chosen gallery with art, decoratives objects, and of course jewelry.

Jill and I also made sure to check our Rio Grande's Catalog in Motion show. We caught one of the free informative lectures: Bill Fretz demonstrating hammering techniques.

"In motion" is right! People were elbow to elbow to try out all the new products Rio had on display.

It was especially cool that you could touch and try out nearly everything.

Check out this mammoth pile o' pliers!

It was also pretty neat to see that beside their diplay showcasing Spectrum Finishing papers, Rio Grande had my review posted from our March issue.

Jill spotted it, and we were both so tickled that we had to take a photo. You can see it here.

We wrapped up our exploring with a stop at the Electric Park show. It's outdoor, laid back attitude was a nice change from the crowded streets of downtown.

More massive crystals!

After a week of non-stop gem shows, Jill and I were almost sparkled out. (Hey, I said "almost.")

I even had to run to a nearby Target to buy an extra duffel bag just to haul all my stones, goodies, and tools home.

I'm glad that I finally got to Tucson. After attending, I'm not sure how I got along in the jewelry world without it. To be surrounded by that much enthusiasm, beauty, and creativity is so invigorating.

As I enjoyed the sunset on my flight home, I wasn't even sad to leave. I already knew that this wouldn't be my last trip out to Tucson.

Did any of you go? What were your favorite parts? And tips for folks thinking about heading out next year?

Notes from the 2008 Tucson Gem show jewelry extravaganza (and side trip to Sedona)

Jill Erickson — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:09:00 GMT

Wow. Addie and I had a spectacular time at the Tucson gem shows. (It was Addie's first trip out, and my second.) We met so many incredible jewelry artists, vendors, attendees, and AJ readers. Plus, we even were able to hook up with some of our contributors.

Oh yeah -- we did a bit of shopping too. Tapping into Addie's expertise and knowledge of gemstones, I made my precious stone purchases with confidence and no regrets. When it came to the quirkier things I tend to be drawn to, I just followed my instincts. Do I have plans for every piece I bought? Not exactly. But that's why I picked up a nifty case with a glass cover that lets me organize and ponder my loot in one glance. I'm more likely to work up sketches for finished pieces if I have instant visual access to all my pretties.

After four days of intense show-going, I headed up to a much more sedate Sedona to decompress a bit. Nothing like a little hike through red rock country to mellow you out some. Yes, Sedona is known for its Vortex sites and a New Age take on life. And for the inside scoop on this community and the folks it attracts, I had the perfect local contact -- AJ reader, Sherry Bell, who makes one-of-a-kind jewelry using gemstones and crystals (http://www.sedonarocksjewelry.com/001aa_oct07index/001aa_pages/page07.html). Sherry served up a warm welcome (and freshly baked brownies!), and then gave me a tour of her studio. She too had just been in Tucson for the shows. One of her work areas was devoted to sketches and works in progress. When Sherry lead me to the sitting area where she meets with clients, I noticed that she had posted the gemstone periodic table pull-out from our sister publication, BeadStyle magazine, http://www.beadstylemag.com/bds/default.aspx. After a casual conversation and a lot of laughter, Sherry dropped me off in town so that I could browse through some galleries. Really, does it get much better than that?

Three days and counting

Addie Kidd — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:29:00 GMT

On Saturday morning I'll be on a plane headed to Tucson, AZ to attend their annual gem show bonanza. And the timing truly couldn't be better. Don't get me wrong, I love winter. (Really, I do.) But the weather here in Wisconsin has been hovering around the negatives with wind-chill factors as low at –35 F, making the sunny lands of Arizona a welcome sight.

I'm spending a week in Tucson, as are a number of my fellow colleagues here at the jewelry-making section (Bead&Button, Bead Style, and of course Art Jewelry) of the Kalmbach Publishing Co. headquarters. And though I'll mostly be indoors checking out the multitude of shows around the town, I'm planning to soak up as much sun as I possibly can. (I've determined that I'm solar-powered, and toward the end of winter, boy do my batteries need recharging!)

I've got my plan of attack for the week's gem, fossil, and mineral shows nearly hammered out, a list of contacts I'd like to meet with, an extra-comfy pair of shoes packed, and a "New Stones & Tools" budget that I'm sure will be remembered fondly as I likely zoom past it halfway through the week.

Are any of you folks heading out West (or East) for Tucson this year? Do you have any suggestions from years past for specific shows or booths to visit? And the all-important question: What about favorite restaurants?? A girl's gotta eat after all. And I'm personally looking forward to enjoying some spicy, authentic salsa after a hard day shopping, walking, and networking.

~Addie~

P.S. If you aren't going to Arizona this year, you can bring Tucson to you, though sadly without all that warm sunshine. Check out daily postings at the official "fly-on-the-wall" blog of the Tucson gem show.

And I wanted to pass this information on to you too: This will be the second year for The Learning Center at the Electric Park Venue. The Learning Center offers offers free classes and lectures daily, as well as cutting demonstrations and workshops. It runs from February 2nd to 16th. And in non-lecture times visitors can try their own hand at gem cutting with an expert to guide them. How much fun does that sound?!?

A Charming Weekend

Addie Kidd — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:57:00 GMT

I celebrated my birthday this past Saturday. To me, turning 27 felt like such an overwhelmingly adult number (Silly I know, but "one step closer to thirty," and all that.), so I wanted to do something very adult to mark the occasion. And what better way than to fly 881 miles away to a glitzy metropolitan city for a whirlwind overnight?

[Rockefeller Center's massive iconic tree and skating rink.]

Bright and early on Saturday morning my mom, one of my good friends, and I flew to New York city. Once there, we rendezvoused with my brother and his fiancee, who drove in from Massachusetts that morning. It was so lovely to be surrounded by friends and family on my birthday, especially since I don't normally get to see them very often. I know it may sound hokey, but that really was better than the gifts I opened. (Though those were great too!)

[Here's a shot of my brother, mom and me.]

We walked the streets of Manhattan, and enjoyed the festive decorations and general buzz of the city.

[I particularly loved these giant suspended stars whose shifting colors were set to music. And of course I loved seeing the Empire State building.]

That night, we gussied ourselves up and headed to Lincoln Center. I'd never seen the Nutcracker ballet before, so that was my gift to myself. I had a wonderful time; the theater was stunning, and the show beautiful. And at intermission I made sure to pick up my lone souvenir of the weekend (I was too busy enjoying the city to othewise shop.), a small silver ballerina charm.

[The subtly color-changing tree in the courtyard at the Lincoln Center.]

I've kept a charm bracelet of my travels and milestones since I was a little girl. My mom gave me my start many years ago when she handed down a few of her own charms that she attached to a new bracelet. I've added to my bracelet ever since. On each memorable trip, I seek out the perfect symbolic charm. There are certain things I look for: I prefer silver, and I love moving parts and colorful enamel. The trouble is that I don't ever wear charm bracelets. They're cute, but not quite my style. Plus mine's grown so much, it's really more of a charm necklace by now.

So two years ago I came up with a solution. I created a long chain out of jump rings - large rings connected by smaller rings, so that the chain would lay flat and display the charms without crowding them. I then attached all my charms to this nearly 2-foot long chain, and hung it in a shadow box to display on my wall. This way, instead of living in a dark drawer, my "journal via jewelry" is up and out where I can enjoy it. And I never have to worry about losing a charm, or feeling guilty about not wearing and showing off my adorable mementos.

[My mom and I at the New York State Theater.]

My display idea was such a hit that I made my mom a charm bracelet shadow box of her own for Mother's Day last year. She had so many charms that I had to make two rows of chain just to accommodate all of them! Maybe one day I'll have collected that many myself. I suppose all I need are a few more memorable birthdays like this one.

I'd love to hear about your own traditions.
Do you collect charms too, or do you have another collection? What does it mean to you?
And what creative jewelry solutions have you come up with?

Home again, home again...

Hazel Wheaton — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 21:21:00 GMT

It's been a busy month at Art Jewelry — as I'm reminded by looking at the date of the last blog entry here. How embarrassing. Ah, well, I'm sure we'll get the hang of this new-fangled technology sooner or later

In the meantime, we have actually been up to quite a lot. I was out of the office for a week; I headed east to Providence, Rhode Island, to attend the second annual MJSA Trade Show for Jewelry Making. The MJSA (also known as the Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America) have been running a larger show in New York for years; that show has always been geared toward more toward large-scale jewelry manufacturers than individual artisans. The Providence show is their foray into events for jewelers on every level. And judging by the booths that were the most crowded, the individual artisans were doing a lot of buying.

There were some great speakers at the show, as well. While I didn't have a chance to catch all of them — or even most of them (I had to spend time on the show floor, of course!) — I did manage to catch Cynthia Eid talking introducing a new crowd to Argentium Sterling Silver, and Chris Ploof talking about the business side of jewelry making, including marketing and pricing your work.

Providence is a wonderful city, and a great place for the show. As well as MJSA's home base, it's also home to the Rhode Island School of Design, and the town is a strange and wonderful mix of traditional New England colonial architecture (for this Philly girl, those bumpy brick sidewalks were just like coming home!) and an enthusiastic appreciation for adventurous, cutting-edge design. I rounded out the trip with a drive out to Waltham, Massachusetts, where I was given a tour of Metalwerx, a school that I've been familiar with for years by reputation, but had never seen in person. I remember seeing the first press releases about classes under that name — and here they are, two locations later, getting ready for their 10th anniversary. (I feel so old!) The school's founder, Karen Christians, took me around personally, and then we had a lovely lunch (Thai food, yum!) and talked jewelry for two hours straight. All in all, a great trip.

Metal Clay World Conference

Art Jewelry Magazine — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:16:00 GMT

I’ll be out in Las Vegas this week for the Metal Clay Conference. I’m really looking forward to attending nine or so presentations, catching up with contributors, and meeting new folks. I’d also like to fit in one short drive to take in the landscape. I really love the desert. I hope to take some photos that capture the wild allure of the west and its big bodacious sky. --JE

Ed's House of Gems

Katie Streeter — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:08:00 GMT

I was just organizing my bench, putting away some treasures I scored on a recent trip to Portland, Oregon. I had a pip of a time at Ed’s House of Gems on Sandy Blvd. Although the shop’s namesake is no longer with us, Ed’s sons keep his legacy alive with friendly service and brotherly banter. They chuckled their way through showing me the display case specimens that caught my eye. I am very pleased with my purchases: a fossilized camel tooth, a fossilized parrot fish mouth plate, and a wonderful petite piece of old branch coral the color of a Pink Pearl eraser. I’m still thinking about how I’m going to incorporate them into brooches, or pendants.

Jill Erickson
Associate Editor, Art Jewelry