GEM DIEGO SHOW

By Anne Schafer
SDMG Show Secretary

This year's gem and mineral show was a rousing success.  Why, you ask?  Because lots of SDMG members turned out to help!  Show Chairman Bob Hancock is to be commended for organizing the whole thing (as much as it can be organized).  Dealer Chairman Mary Jane Dunn signed up an excellent group of 14 dealers, featuring three new dealers, one of whom carried jewelry chains and supplies.  New-to-the-job Demonstrator Chair Brenda Early rounded up a variety of volunteer sphere makers, silversmiths, faceters, beaders, gem I.D., mineral collectors, chain makers and more to fill the 12 tables upstairs each day and entertain the public.  Anne Schafer, Dee Smith and Jennifer Stapp obtained 25 door prizes; generous club members and show dealers donated 39 more.  The dynamic duo of Simon King and Gladys Walker sold over $1,000 of door prize tickets before the drawing on Sunday afternoon.

By show time, Exhibit Chair Ellen Riceman had commitments from enough folks to fill all 40 exhibit cases.  The beautiful displays included a private collection of spectacular minerals from Pakistan and Afghanistan; Wayne Potterton's adorable miniature Mineral Shop; Shirley Leeson's beautiful native copper specimens and mining memorabilia; Jim Parrish's ascending arcs of pyrite cubes and multi-colored fluorite octahedrons; Dolores Wheeler's collection of Chinese mutton fat jade carvings.  Past Jaguar Trophy winners displayed large tumble-polished stones (the late Art Munger); large cabochons (Jon Evans); glowing spheres (Paul Williams); and faceted stones (Ellen Riceman).

Dee Smith, one of SDMG's instructors, ran the Club Sale Booth.  A small army of volunteers worked behind the scenes throughout the year, so that all would run smoothly at the Show, with Dee and Jennifer Stapp out front working the booth and greeting the public.  Dee credits a great team with producing successful sales, saying, "I have the privilege of knowing and, hopefully, getting to work with these [club] members, again.  Fantastic job, thanks to each and every one of you."  Deepest appreciation and thanks go out to Tim Bickford, Garry Cannon, Stephanie Griffin, Mike Harlow, Lee Jackson, Peggy Leibitzke, Wayne Moorhead, Brad Nelson, Jim Parrish, Doug Peeler, Al Puente, Angela Ravenscroft, Anne Schafer, Jennifer Stapp and Denny Turner.

As many of our new members found out this year, as they worked beside the old-timers, it takes a lot of muscle and dedication to put on a good show. The skirting team, including Anne Schafer, Nancy Brescia, Donna Beers, Brenda Early and many others, properly aligned tables, draped skirting and taped it down.  The hauling team included Jim Stafford, Jon Evans, Dick Sampson, Paul Kloppenborg, Wayne Moorhead, Brad Nelson, Gerald Demaree, Mike Harlow, Doug Peeler, Ellen Riceman and lots of other sweaty, hardworking volunteers who loaded exhibit cases into the rental truck at the storage garage, unloaded them at Al Bahr, hauled them upstairs in the world's slowest moving elevator, and put them into place.  Rich Yarbrough and Mike Harlow did yeoman work, electrifying both floors of the exhibit hall. (And, of course, at the end of the show, everyone did everything all over again, but in reverse.)

SDMG President Garry Cannon awarded the Jaguar Trophy to SDMG member Nancy Brescia from a field of six contenders.  The trophy is given every year at the Gem Diego Show for the most beautiful case of a member's own work.  The Jaguar Trophy was conceived and fabricated by Ron Willis, SDMG member in England, after he visited our show in 1987.  He made the trophy for the club using English walnut and marble.

Nancy had originally planned to share an exhibit case with Norm Leitman.  Possibly, with some arm-twisting from Exhibit Chairperson Ellen Riceman, Nancy and Norm each decided to do a case of their own.  (That turned out well, didn't it, Nancy?) Featured in her well-presented case were many beautiful examples of her fabricated and cast jewelry, using a range of styles and techniques.  Nancy also cut the cabochons that were set in her jewelry.

Congratulations, Nancy, you have joined the ranks of our best silversmiths, faceters, and lapidary artists.

A good, old-fashioned show is a celebration of all things gem and mineral, and is an opportunity for our members to show off their work and collections, to mingle with each other and the public, and to become inspired with new ideas. I am proud of the success and longevity of our show, and on behalf of the Show Committee, extend our thanks to all the many SDMG members and their friends who helped with the show in any capacity in 2012. Let's do it again in 2013!

 

This year's featured Dealers

  • Rock Farm – rock carvings, minerals, more
    Merk's Jade – jade, great slabs, cabs, gems
    John Garsow – minerals, fossils, facet rough
    Dorothy Prentiss – facet & cab rough, opal
    Crystal Dawn – lapidary & mineral items
    Vance Gems – gems & fine jewelry
    Ariana Gems – lapis lazuli & Afghan material
  • Dahnke Intermark – jewelry, petrified wood
    Blakeman Minerals – minerals & gifts
    Dragon Minerals – minerals & lapidary
    Gem Guru – lapidary, gifts, more
    Earth's Treasures – fine minerals, gems
    Majesta M's A to Z Jewelry Supply – jewelry chains and tools

Rock Geeks and Big Dog Opals – mineral specimens, lapidary slabs, opals

 

 

SDMG Booths and Demonstrators

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Dealers

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Displays – group 1

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Displays – group 2

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