Touring the Pala Tourmaline Mines
  Underground Mine Tours and Fee-Dig for Gems

Green Valley Recreation, sponsored by the Green Valley Lapidary Club

Las Campanas Recreation Center - Ocotillo Room 4-6pm
565 West Belltower Drive, Green Valley, Arizona

520.648.7669

Please register at www.gvr.org $10 for members/ $20 non-members

  The Pala Tourmaline Mines in Southern California are part of America’s history and still very active today, having produced some incredible mineral specimens that take center stage in Natural History Museums across the country. We recently had a rare two-fold opportunity to visit 3 of these mines: the Pala Chief, the Oceanview and the Stewart Lithia, located near the town of Pala, in San Diego County. We went underground with a field trip organized by the 2011 GIA Symposium, which my husband and I attended as Poster Session presenters, and we also spent a day fee-digging for gems at one of the mines.   

Celebrating Arizona’s Centennial -
 Local Gems and Minerals, and a 
 Guide to the 2012 Tucson gem shows

Green Valley Recreation, sponsored by the Green Valley Lapidary Club
Las Campanas Recreation Center - Cottonwood Room,  4-6PM
565 West Belltower Drive, Green Valley, AZ

520.648.7669

Please register at www.gvr.org $10 for members/ $20 non-members

 As the 2012 Tucson gem shows are approaching, we’ll talk about the wonderful local gems and minerals that will be featured during this year’s Arizona Centennial theme, such as Turquoise, Azurite and the legendary Chrysocolla in Quartz (Gem Silica), just to name a few. We’ll take a quick look at the mines that produce these rare gems, and how to visit some of them. Whether you are searching for lapidary rough materials for cabbing, faceting or carving, or for finished cut gemstones, we’ll discuss the various factors to consider behind your purchases, and how to make decisions based on quantity, sizes, and pricing. We’ll take a look at the variety of gemstone beads and discuss treatments that should be disclosed by the seller at the time of purchase.

 Finally, during this presentation we will take a virtual tour of the Tucson gem shows, wholesale and retail venues, and offer insights and tips for how to get prepared for a smooth and pleasurable buying experience.

 Copper Trails
    Visiting Inspiring Arizona Copper and Gold Mines

Tucson AGTA Gemfair^TM, Tucson Convention Center

AGTA Seminars, Graham Room 1:00PM

http://www.agta.org/tradeshows/gft-seminars.html

 For all gem enthusiasts, a trip to an old mine holds the magnetic allure of what is hidden, learning how the mines were found and explored, and the attraction of what can be created from the beautiful gems. Award-winning gem artist Helen Serras-Herman describes Arizona gems and minerals celebrated during the 2012 Arizona Centennial: turquoise, azurite, malachite, cuprite, gold and the legendary chrysocolla in quartz (gem silica). Learn how to visit the mines where these gems come from, visits which inspired her one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces featuring copper gems, copper chains and copper-colored pearls. Take a look at six Southern Arizona Copper Mines- the Asarco Mission Mine, the Good Enough Mine and Tombstone Mine, the Bisbee Queen Mine, the Morenci Mine and the Ray Mine,
as well as the gold mines in Goldfield in the shadow of the Superstition Mountains
 and the legends about the Lost Dutchman Mine.

Pricing your Gem Artwork- 20 Costs to Consider  
Sponsored by the Green Valley Lapidary Club

 Green Valley Recreation
Las Campanas Recreation Center - Cottonwood Room 4-6PM
565 West Belltower Drive, Green Valley, AZ

520.648.7669

Please register at www.gvr.org $10 for members/ $20 non-members

 Whether your work is carved gems, cabochons, faceted stones, intarsia, jewelry or sculptures, there are several points that you have to consider before placing a price tag on your work. Some are straight out costs, while others are comparative guidelines that you will have to keep in mind, such as comparing your work to other artists’ work, or to your previous work, estimating the rarity and value of your piece.

During this presentation we will take a look at 20 costs that directly affect the pricing of your artwork, we’ll make some evaluations and see how you can figure a bottom line price for your artwork. We will also discuss the potential benefits and challenges that commission work offers. 

Archaeology and Gems - Combine them on your travels

Green Valley Recreation, sponsored by the Green Valley Lapidary Club

Las Campanas Recreation Center - Ocotillo Room 4-6PM
565 West Belltower Drive, Green Valley, AZ

520.648.7669

Please register at www.gvr.org  

During this presentation we’ll run through sources for all this information, we’ll take a look at some fabulous international museum collections of gems and jewelry, and make a travel preparation check list. 

Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
World Headquarters
Carlsbad, California

Poster Presentation:

Lecture - "An Inspirational Way for Artists to Communicate"

http://www.gia.edu/symposium/index.cfm?content=program

Sixth Annual Fall Event

A 3-day special events conference in Boston, MA, with tours and lectures,
in association with the new exhibit
"Gems, Jewelry & Treasures"
at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Lecture will be held at the historic “Boston Atheneaum Library”

http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/

http://www.jewelryconference.com/sched.html

"Gem Carving, Inspiration & Skills"
 is a power-point slide presentation of the Fine Art of Gem Sculpture, 
a complex art form that combines Sculpture, Lapidary, Gemology 
and Jewelry.

Helen will share, in a very unique presentation, her journey from
Sculpture to Gem Sculpture, her influences and sources for inspiration.
Through a brief retrospective of her over- 30 years of artwork, she will
discuss how time-consuming the art of carving gems is and why, the gem materials utilized, the knowledge and skill level required to become such an artist, the necessary tools, and how all that is reflected in the value of the artwork.

Helen will also discuss the Workmanship Qualities to look for in a carved gem, and will provide a list of Websites for Tools, Societies, Magazines, and Books.