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< Back Visiting Artist When Alex Boyd was a young boy he stole an enchanted ring from a powerful bruja. That night his slumber was disturbed by a tapping at his window. When he slid the window open a huge raven rushed in, flew around the room and perched on his bookshelf. "I know what you have taken from me," the raven cawed. "I don't know what you’re talking about," Alex lied, hiding his bejeweled finger behind his back. "No matter. It is your problem now. The wearer of that ring is indentured to create more talismans of power, either for 1000 years or until he makes something so sublime, so perfect, so beautiful that the spell is broken and he is freed." "1000 years it is," Alex said as he thrust the raven out the window and slammed it shut behind her. He has been making jewelry ever since. https://www.alexboydstudio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alexboydstudio/ https://www.facebook.com/alexboydstudio Alex Boyd

< Back Georgia Talent Leah Fedeli is a native of Georgia, and after 20 years in the corporate world decided to dedicate her time as a Mom. Once her children were older, she decided to embrace her creative side and love of jewelry by taking a beginner jewelry making class with Alan Bremer. That was six years ago, and her passion and love for creating jewelry has only gotten stronger. Her architectural and creative style with the use of colorful gems is what makes her jewelry stand out. http://instagram.com/leahfedeli Leah Fedeli

< Back Visiting Artist Anne Wolf earned her MFA in Jewelry/Metals at San Diego State University in 1999. Based in San Diego, California, Wolf has been teaching jewelry/metals courses and workshops since 2003. Wolf’s work has been shown across the U.S. and in international locations such as Hanau, Germany and Tsubame, Japan. A self-proclaimed mokume gane geek, Wolf has studied under Japanese metalwork masters such as Ford Hallam, Hiroko Sato-Pijanowski, and James Binnion. https://www.annevillestudio.com/ http://instagram.com/annevillestudio Anne Wolf

< Back Visiting Artist Zhuwei Lu was born in a suburb of Shanghai, China. After graduating from high school, she went to college in Wuhan to learn the traditional Chinese art of lacquer. After college she chose to pursue her dream of becoming a jewelry designer and she came to the United States to study jewelry design at the Savannah College of Art and Design. The new world gave her a broader mind and she learned a lot of different and interesting techniques such as metal casting, enameling, stone setting, the most intriguing technique for her is electroforming, a technique she was attracted to because it transforms the intangible into the tangible and grows a very interesting texture, and she gradually came up with her own philosophy of jewelry design through trial and error. http://www.zhuweilujewelry.com https://www.instagram.com/zwl_balang_jewelry Zhuwei Lu

< Back Georgia Talent Larissa McPherson is a metalsmith and jewelry artist from Adairsville, GA, and is currently working on her MFA in Jewelry & Metalsmithing at the University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art. Larissa graduated from the University of West Georgia with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in studio art. She currently teaches "Introduction to Design and Construction" in Jewelry and Metals at UGA. Larissa's studio work utilized metal, found plastics, bone, and 3D printed technology to create wearable art that explores the accumulation of microplastics in the environment and in the animal body. https://www.larissamcpherson.com/ https://www.larissamcpherson.com/ Larissa McPherson

< Back Georgia Talent In 1985 I started working for Swest Inc., one of the largest jeweler’s supply companies in the country at the time. I couldn’t have known then that I had been blessed to have stumbled into the occupation that I would grow to love. After a few years I left Swest and went to work at JFF Jeweler Supply under the incomparable Hans Kober. After many years I left the supply side of the business. I have worked as a bench jeweler, learning repair and fabrication as well as stone setting and finishing. Later I found myself specializing in wax carving, mold making and casting. As fate would have it, I returned to JFF selling tools and equipment. Working side by side with Hans and learning all I could about this wonderful art and industry. Now I am running my own business selling jeweler’s supplies, materials, tools and equipment out of the top floor of the MAGG location along with doing repairs and doing casting. Along the way I have met and befriended some of the most incredible people. Dallas Vinson The Sun-Smart Collection Dallas Vinson Button View More The Sun-Smart Collection Dallas Vinson Button View More

< Back Georgia Talent I am a multi-discipline artist based in Decatur, Georgia, best known for designing and making contemporary jewelry. Teaching is a vital component of my artistic practice. I enjoy interacting with creative minds and feel an imperative to continue the lineage of metalsmithing skills I'm fortunate to have learned. I offer an online design program for jewelry makers, featuring a weekly newsletter that includes short, easy-to-digest lessons and stories about notable jewelry makers, exhibits, jewelry history, and the cultural significance of jewelry wearing. I hold an undergraduate degree in silversmithing and jewelry design and a graduate degree in sculpture, both from Georgia State University. I make jewelry that features interesting gems and exhibit my work as often as possible. I look forward to connecting with other jewelry-centrics as we work to understand better the value we bring to jewelry-wearing humanity and share our creative product. http://www.judyparady.com https://www.instagram.com/judyparadyjewelry Judy Parady

< Back Visiting Artist Harold O’Connor is a jeweler’s jeweler. He has been a teacher and practicing goldsmith for over 50 years. He was educated at schools in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Austria, Mexico, and the U.S. He has conducted workshops in over 300 schools over North America and in 23 countries abroad, including South Korea, New Zealand, Peru, and Estonia. His work is in many private and public collections including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Boston Museum of Fine Art, and The Racine Art Museum in Wisconsin. He is the author of "The Jeweler’s Bench Reference" and "The Flexible Shaft Machine". http://www.haroldoconnor.com/ https://klimt02.net/jewellers/harold-oconnor https://www.patina-gallery.com/blogs/artists/harold-oconnor Harold O'Connor

< Back Visiting Artist odd Conover Associate professor of Design, Syracuse University School of design, College of Visual and Performing Arts Member- SNAG, Society of North American Goldsmiths Member- Society of Illustrators Member-American Crafts Council While I don't intentionally create work with preconceived conceptual meanings, my artistic endeavors serve as a channel for expressing memories and experiences. My creative process isn't typically predetermined; however, I constantly carry a sketchbook and camera to observe the macro level, seeking small shapes, patterns, and details that ignite my creative inspiration. Often, these initial sketches and photographs give way to more prevailing concepts that arise during my explorations. This cycle of conceptual birth, development, occasional abandonment, and eventual re-birth fuels my creative energy and keeps the element of surprise alive in my artistic output. My journey into working with metal wasn't initially planned. Metal found me through my fascination with collecting early 20th-century American Arts and Crafts Period metalwork. In an effort to deepen my appreciation as a collector, I delved into understanding the fundamental aspects of design and production behind these century-old pieces. I contextualized these questions within the socio-political and economic environment of the Arts and Crafts Period, which directed the decorative arts of that era. Through hands-on exploration, I discovered that the techniques and processes used to create these objects had remained largely unchanged over centuries, regardless of the time period. My fascination with obscure techniques of hand metalworking led me down a path of obsession, driving me to learn and apply these techniques in my own unique works. As my technical skills and body of work expanded, I realized that incorporating metal into my artistic practice was a natural and significant development. This transition seamlessly integrated with my background in fashion design, as metalwork and fabric construction share similarities in fluidity and construction techniques. The design and crafting process for a piece of jewelry became analogous to that of a dress or jacket. With twenty-five years of experience in fashion design, I found it a logical progression to transition my focus from decorative objects to jewelry making. This pivot allowed me to invest my creative energy, design process, and studio practice into the world of jewelry. My pieces are often characterized by their boldness, drawing inspiration from natural forms to emphasize surface and materials. I incorporate colors through various means, such as using freeform cabochons of gemstones, glass, and rock, as well as employing ancient patina techniques and enameling methods. Additionally, my work embraces material experimentation, where I explore the application of raw and unrefined textures. This approach adds a distinctive quality to my pieces, allowing me to evoke a sense of raw beauty and authenticity. The interplay of unexpected yet interconnected materials and techniques has enabled me to craft jewelry that is not only unique but also embodies my artistic evolution. The amalgamation of metal and fabric techniques in my work captures the essence of natural forms while incorporating a range of materials to bring depth, color, texture, and a sense of unrefined allure to the pieces. https://www.toddconovermetalworks.com https://instagram.com/todd_conover_metal_works Todd Conover The Sun-Smart Collection Todd Conover Button View More

< Back Visiting Artist Jeanette K. Caines is a master Goldsmith with over 30 years of experience. She is the director and owner of Jewelry Arts Inc, the leading jewelry school in New York City and the only center for teaching ancient jewelry making techniques in the world. Her current projects include an investigation into the beginnings of die forming, and a study with the College of Art and Design at Beijing University of Technology to document and revive the almost lost art of Chinese Filigree. An award-winning author of Soldering Demystified, she was featured in a 2016 PBS Nova special Treasures of The Earth. https://jewelryarts.com Jeanette K. Caines

< Back Visiting Artist Personal adornment is not merely accessorizing. It’s a connection, a provoked feeling, a historical leap, and a transporter of being. My work as a maker expresses and integrates history of place, people, and materials. I believe that it’s all connected... that we are all connected. I strive to bring that oneness into each object I create. My jewelry is a narrative conceptual sculpture that is both architectural, organic and talismanic. My energy as a maker integrates the mountains and desert alike into each treasure. They are powerful and seductive bold forms that bridge my environment, my material and my history and the red thread connection I have with the wearer that was meant to be experienced by the select few. I hope you will enjoy my handcrafted work and become part of my relations. I have been teaching metals, glass and ceramics for over 25 years. I owned two paint your own pottery stores, Paint Yourself Silly, for 10 years, a coaching business, Artful Success, where I helped artists with their business, and a tool and supply company, Whole Lotta Whimsy, for 10 years. I was a senior teacher for Rio Grande for 10 years and have been teaching metals since 1996. I have been published in several books and many magazines. I also have a fantastic group on Facebook that I started in the summer of 2020, Jewelry Makers Guild where artists share their work, their issues, and their tools to share and help others. I believe that community is what makes everyone a better artist and human. That together we can do so much more than we can alone. http://tonyadavidson.com https://www.instagram.com/therealtonyadavidson/ Tonya Davidson

< Back Georgia Talent Seldom Saw is a Certified Nutritionist & Certified Herbalist by trade who started practicing Farm-to-Table Cuisine in 2012 and has worked with over 30 local Georgia Farms. Seldom began Gemstone Wire Wrapping after going Gemstone Mining in 2020 at the beginning of the Covid Pandemic shutdown. He stuck with the art of Wire Wrapping Gemstones and now does Wire Wrap work as a full time job. Seldom loves Gemstones & Metalsmithing. He has also taken courses from MAGG including Sand Casting, Filigree, Jooltool School, Lost Wax Casting, as well as Metalsmithing for beginners. Elijah plans on expanding past Wire Wrapping into Stone Setting & Fabricated Jewelry during 2024-2025 https://www.kingsapron.com http://www.instagram.com/kingsapron https://www.tiktok.com/@kingsapron Seldom Saw