Jewelry Business Guru by Cindy Edelstein

Top 25 Arts Destination Voting is Open

Each year, AmericanStyle magazine conducts a reader poll where cities spanning the country , big, medium and small -compete to be included in the magazine's Annual Top 25 Arts Destinations edition. The results of each poll, are published in the June issue with reader comments and their editors' highlights of what to see and visit. Voting is now open for 2009... go vote for your favorite cities.

Ever Wonder What It's Like to Judge the AGTA Spectrum Awards?

Well then.... go see all the entries on the AGTA Spectrum Design Award webpage! It's only the second time they've ever posted all the 600+ entries and it's fascinating to see them all. Would you choose the same ones as the judges?

Just 2 Weeks left to Enter Designs into Juried Book Competition

500 GEMSTONE JEWELS
Juror: Cindy Edelstein
Entry Deadline: December 12, 2008
Lark Books seeks high-quality images of jewelry featuring gems and stones to publish in an international juried collection. Diverse materials, from rough, natural stones to fully faceted precious gems (including diamonds), are desired. All design and setting styles are welcome. All jewelry forms, such as rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and brooches will be considered. There is no entry fee.

See http://www.larkbooks.com/submissions/artist-submissions to download an entry form.

Entries Now Being Accepted for the 2009 MJSA Vision Awards Design Competition

The competition is divided into two categories: Professional and Student Awards. In addition to the Professional and Student Awards, all eligible professional entries may qualify for Distinction Awards, which include:

Enamel Distinction, sponsored by Rio Grande
Laser Distinction, sponsored by Crafford–LaserStar Technologies Corp.
Mokumé-gane Distinction, co-sponsored by Shining Wave Metals and Reactive Metals Studio
Palladium Distinction, sponsored by Hoover & Strong
Platinum Distinction, sponsored by Platinum Guild International

The 2009 awards will also feature “The Reactive Metals Challenge,” which will honor professional designs that incorporate niobium, tantalum, and/or titanium. The first 10 entrants will have their $50 competition entry fees waived, courtesy of Reactive Metals Studio, if their design submissions meet the challenge’s criteria. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize.

Other award winners will receive up to $1,000 and will be honored at MJSA Expo New York on March 8, 2009.

The submission deadline is Jan. 15, 2009. The competition entry fee for professional designers is $50 (for up to 3 entries maximum); free for students. For more submission guidelines and further information, or to download an entry form, visit www.mjsa.org.

jewelry_cycle exhibition: Artists Discover Hidden Sparkle in the Discarded

Holy Mother Board, Batman... it's jewelry!

Jewelry_cycle is an educational showcase of wearable treasures made from re-cycled circuit boards on exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Craft + Design until January 4, 2009.

Circuit boards contain precious metals, such as copper, silver and gold, which add a precious element to what would otherwise be considered e-waste. The curators, Christine Dhein and Christophe Koch, along with invited artists Shana Astrachan, David Casella, Reed Easley, Aimee Golant, Kelly Nederman and emiko oye discover the hidden potential and transform these materials to create brilliant, sparkling jewels.

Christine hopes that this recycled jewelry collection will “inspire visitors to appreciate the potential value of discarded objects in a new way.”

The details of the exhibition design received as much attention from the curators as the jewelry. Koch believes that “contemporary jewelry should be presented in a modern way that leaves a lasting impression.” Dhein focuses on the way jewelry is brought to life when it is worn. Using these ideas and inspiration from “La Belle et la Bete” a movie by French director, Jean Cocteau, the curators collected used and borrowed mannequin parts to create a surrealist environment that showcases the jewelry in a way that visitors will remember.

The co-curators each bring a unique perspective on Green Design --- Dhein is a jewelry designer who has been using recycled materials for over 10 years, as well as an educator at the forefront of the Green Jewelry Movement. Koch, an eco designer trained in France and the USA, pushes the envelope of green industrial design and packaging. For over a year, the pair has worked together on green jewelry.

When they happened upon a lot of small, discarded circuit boards, they agreed that these materials would be the perfect starting point to create jewelry that raises awareness about the problems in the mining industry, as well as with e-waste and over-consumption.

With the idea of the exhibition in mind, the curators invited members of Metal Arts Critique Collective, a group of metal artists that Dhein co-founded eleven years ago, to create wearable pieces from small, discarded circuit boards. Participating artists were also asked to write about and photograph their process. Koch complied the results into a book, which is part of the exhibition, and demonstrates that all of the artists found inspiration in the materials and felt good about creating something beautiful from trash.
 
~ Kelp Necklace, 2008, by Shana Astrachan, re-purposed circuit boards, sterling silver, Photo Credit: Christine Dhein
~ Geek Bling, 2008, by Kelly Nedderman, re-purposed circuit boards, brass, Photo Credit: Christine Dhein
~ 21st Century Breastplate, 2008, by Christine Dhein, re-purposed circuit boards, brass, rubber, Photo Credit: Christine Dhein
~ Link Necklace, 2008, by Aimee Golant, re-purposed circuit boards, sterling silver, Photo Credit: Christine Dhein

Facebook for Jewelry Designers -- Start a Page to Get Your Business Noticed on this Social Networking Site

We've been using Facebook now for nearly a year for business. While it's fun to find old schoolmates what we're really interested in is keeping up a steady, AND EASY, stream of contact with our business friends.

For jewelry designers it's a great way to be found by potential customers, too.

I know it can seem intimidating at first but honestly, once you get the hang of it -- and bookmark the site -- you'll be able to click in, check on your updates and friends, and click out in less than 5 minutes a day. What other kind of marketing/PR initiative takes that little time?

You should start a page for yourself -- and of course, keep it all business related (or mostly!) and then start a "Page" for your company.

Here's the Facebook page for a How-To on creating Pages.

Remember my previous post on Creating a Daily Marketing Action Score Card? This would count as 2 points!

Find me on Facebook here..... and my Groups page for jewelry designers here.......and my FB blog page here!

Jewelry Pliers Improved by Alan Revere of Revere Academy

After two years in development, a newly refined and improved set of pliers, designed by Alan Revere, is available for goldsmiths and jewelry makers everywhere.

The result of research, refinement and redesign, the new pliers incorporate a unique textured grip, which was designed by Alan.

“We started with the finest German-made pliers available and added a totally new grip that increases function and efficiency. These pliers help get the job done, rather than getting in the way,” says Revere of his latest design.

A prominent jewelry author and educator, Alan Revere is a German trained master goldsmith, award winning jewelry designer, and founder of the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco, California.

Dissatisfied with pliers currently available through suppliers, a few years ago Revere wrote an article in MJSA Journal. In it he suggested that bench jewelers rip the springs and brightly colored plastics handles off of their pliers for improved control and performance. These controversial instructions later become tip number 63 in Revere’s book, 101 Bench Tips for Jewelers, published by MJSA/AJM Press in 2004. Revere argued that both the handles and springs diminish tactile sensation, reduce kinesthetic feedback and ultimately lower the function of pliers.

Shortly afterwards, Revere was invited to a small German factory, where they have been making pliers by hand for generations. In this workshop, which takes great pride in hand craftsmanship and quality, Revere was asked to design a set of pliers to meet his ultimate expectations.

Revere’s ultimate pliers are intended for serious jewelers and bench workers. Revere Pliers come in flat, chain, round and half round/flat versions.

Revere pliers are available across the United States and around the world, distributed exclusively through Euro Tool, Inc. Available individually or as a set with a wooden stand, Revere pliers come with instructions on use and maintenance, as well as the history of Revere pliers.