Show and Tell

Oh we do have something to show and tell!

Way back in the early 90’s, when Groom and I had been making our whimsical stamp jewelry for a year or two, a vendor at the Eugene Holiday Market displayed a book on his counter, a collection of photographs featuring cool, groovy jewelry artists and this vendor’s work was included.

I remember picking up the book, staring at the professional jewelers represented within its pages and sending out a wish (a longing) to the Universe that someday our work would be in a book like this. New to the business, the inclusion in such a book screamed validation to me, a “you are worthy” visa stamped in my passport of the approval trip I was on.

Well guess what? Last year we were informed that our work was going to be included in a book called Best of America Jewelry Artists volume II. We didn’t tell anybody. No, that’s not quite true, we told our enameling teacher last February.

A year later the book finally came out and when we came home from New York last month, we discovered that we are featured on pages 61 and 62.

The irony, of course, is that we have been transitioning into a different style of jewelry and what is in the book is not what we are currently focused on. Groom commented that it would have been better to have our new stuff in there. I nodded my head in agreement, but then later it occurred to me that’s not what I visualized all those years ago.

I clearly saw our stamp jewelry in the book. And, it’s kinda perfect to have the book in our hands on the 20th anniversary of our business.

And, of course, in the Wisdom of the All Knowing Being we call God, the validation, the stamp of approval from outside sources does not come until we no longer need it. While I think this book is sweet, I am no longer in the place where I think this is IT, the end all, it’s just a lovely thing to have happen.

And by no means, do we feel that we are “the best of America Jewelry Artists.” There are fantastic jewelers right here at the Eugene Saturday Market and at every show we attend and at the retreat in Mexico (in fact, one of the participants we worked with is on pages 45 and 46), and then there’s Richard and Jane Salley and Keith Lo Blue and …

Pssst, but between you and me, I have to admit I’m a little jazzed to have this book on our counter when the 20!! Show Season starts.