An Invitation from Cazenovia Artisans’ Jewelers

Undaunted by a major snow storm that closed their party last year, the jewelers of Cazenovia Artisans invite you to Jewelry Expressions, their annual exhibit of spectacular jewelry at the gallery at 39 Albany St., Cazenovia. A special reception for customers and friends will be held on Sunday, November 15, from 2:00-5:00 p.m.; the exhibit continues through November 30.

Glass blowing and fusing has captured Shauna Walsh’s interest for many years, due to the science, art and athleticism involved in creating it. Her fused blown glass jewelry begins with clear soda lime glass which is melted, layered with color, cooled, cut, fused, washed, sanded, drilled and combined with sterling, a lengthy process that insures each beautiful piece of jewelry is one-of-a kind. Shauna is one of very few female glass blowers in the area. She has studied glass art at RIT, the Mass. College of Art and Penland as well as other schools.

For Barbara Gilbert the most meaningful part of making jewelry is custom design. She works with someone to select specific gemstones that manifest the intent of the giver and the spirit and energy of the wearer. Barbara is well-known for her bridal jewelry, creating personal jewelry for a bride’s special day. She pays special attention to the color and spiritual attributes of stones, suggesting that they radiate a unique energy; this is particularly evidenced in her popular Chakra necklaces.

Peggy Van Arnam enjoys the hunt for unusual beads and stones and savors the story behind the jewelry she makes. From these she creates unique combinations of gems, beads, and precious metals to accessorize a person’s outfit. Peggy creates elegant, one-of-a-kind bead necklaces, bracelets and earrings as well as gold and silver chains. Recently she has begun “refreshing” inherited family jewelry for customers, creating a more modern look.

Celeste Friend works in sterling silver “because I love how it catches the light, as we move around in the world.” Her ambition is to create jewelry that delights us today but will continue to appeal to us for years to come. Thus she concentrates on creating simple shapes in rich textures. Her bangle bracelets, loose chains and interesting earrings are very popular.

Dee von Hunke’s work is personally inspired and usually one-of-a-kind. Often she will start with sketches from nature or pure design ideas, then find the perfect stone to express the idea. Or she may begin with an appealing stone, cut and shape it before surrounding it with silver or other gems to fashion a beautiful necklace or bracelet. Recently Dee has also begun working in copper, cutting, shaping and decorating it to create unusual bracelets and earrings.

Whatever your relationship to jewelry, you will enjoy the beautiful artistry exhibited in Jewelry Expressions. Except for Thanksgiving Day, the exhibit is open daily throughout November; call 315-655-2225 for more information.

An Invitation from Cazenovia Artisans’ Jewelers

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