Maplewood Rock and Gem Club Keep up with all the exciting, educational and fun activities happening with the Maplewood Rock and Gem Club!
A great gem, jewelry, fossil and mineral show coming to beautiful Washington by our friends with Maplewood Rock and Gem Club.
This is an excellent group of skilled, knowledgable and fun rockhounds and gem, mineral and fossil professionals.
Be sure to “tell ’em American Geode sen’cha!” The good folks at the entrance will get a kick out of hearing that you are also friends with American Geode. Plan your trip in advance and take advantage of the Washington state and national parks, museums and historic landmarks in the area.
December 10 & 11, 2016
5th Annual MRGC Winter Bazaar
Maplewood Rock and Gem Club
Maplewood Rock and Gem Clubhouse
8802 196th ST SW
Edmonds WA
Sat – 9 – 6
Sun – 10 – 6
Contact: MaryAnne Collins 650 383 7625 info@maplewoodrockclub.com
Maplewood Rock & Gem Club fosters community spirit by encouraging the exploration of lapidary arts and appreciation of the earth sciences of geology, fossils, minerals, and gem stones. Members join together to enjoy each other’s company as we explore new avenues of learning through field trips, lectures, seminars, craft workshops, special shows and events. Maplewood welcomes adults,
youth and junior members who actively contribute to the growth and liveliness of the group.
The Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society announces their 61st annual Gem and Mineral Festival on April 16 and 17 at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in the Exposition Hall. Come and celebrate the wonders of our Earth at this fun-filled family event.
This year offers some new and exciting vendors, displays, speakers, and activities for you and your family. Make sure to mark your calendar, and visit our club website www.scvgms.org for discount coupons.
Some of the highlights of our festival are:
• World renowned paleobotanist, Walt Wright will be displaying some of his vast collection of petrified wood. Walt has traveled the world studying and identifying many ancient species of plant life.
• Mr. Richard Wade, a renowned children’s science speaker, will be presenting different interactive talks. Richard is wildly popular with children and has a way of explaining scientific principles while making them fun and memorable. At our festival, Richard will be speaking at 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 3:00 PM daily. Topics will be the “Last Days of the Dinosaurs” and “Volcanoes” for ages 4 to 104.
• Fluorescent Rocks and Minerals will also be on display in a darkened area and available for purchase at our festival. This is a must-see for children and adults. The bright “glow-in-the-dark” colors are simply amazing.
• Lapidary Arts demonstrations will be happening throughout each day. Rock tumbling, intarsia, cabochon making, sphere making, stone setting, silver smithing, wire wrapping, and beading are all possible demonstrations. A schedule will be posted at our hospitality table by the front door.
• Donna Kelley will be demonstrating the ancient art of flint knapping throughout both days of the festival. She makes arrowheads from a variety of different materials including obsidian and agate. It requires incredible patience and skill. Donna answers visitor’s questions while she works.
• Children will love our Kids Area. It is a hands-on, interactive area where children of all ages can learn about geology, rocks, minerals, fossils, volcanoes, and more. With their entrance fee of $3.50, children will get a worksheet to complete, a rock bag with 5 specimens, and a show patch, in addition to a fun learning experience. There are special programs for Cub Scouts and Webelos to satisfy their geology-related Adventure requirements and Girl Scouts can earn a fun patch and get a memory wire bracelet kit to make. Scout programs are higher priced according to the extra materials needed to complete their programs. Advanced reservations are not necessary, walk in participation for individuals and groups are welcomed. For more information on the Scouting programs please see our Kids Area webpage .
• Our Scholarship Booth helps support Earth Science and Geology students at local universities. This area has an eclectic mix of minerals, rocks, magazines, and a spinning wheel for children to win a prize. There will also be a station where geodes of various sizes can be selected for purchase and then cut in half by club members while you watch. While supplies last, children will also get a free sample of California’s State Rock, Serpentine. This year, we will be giving four San Jose State University students and one University of California at Santa Cruz student a $1000.00 scholarship each. Don’t miss this, there are lots of interesting things for sale and all of the purchases support our future scientists and geologists.
• There will be 30+ individual display cases from collectors all over California.
• There will be over 50 dealers with a variety of materials and items for sale including gems, beads, rocks, minerals, jewelry, fossils, lapidary equipment, books, and so much more. We will also have dealers who will be demonstrating how to polish, carve, and sculpt rocks and create jewelry. We have many returning dealers, but some new and interesting dealers, too.
The SCVGMS annual show will delight you with its vast offering of activities, displays, speakers, and vendors. Come, bring the family, and be amazed. 2016 SCVGMS GM&J festival $1 off coupon
From attending, hosting, volunteering, and selling at gem and mineral shows in New York, Texas, Arizona, and Indiana, we consider ourselves gem and mineral show aficionados. So whether you are attending a gem and mineral show for the first time that perhaps you found on our Events page, or you are a veteran of gem and minerals shows, this primer on shows will prove to be a valuable resource of tips to make your experience more efficient and more fun. Continue reading “Gem and Mineral Shows – The Essential Guide”
I read an article in the New York Times, and have seen this story played out in commercials for modern day sitcoms. We are becoming so dependent on our phones, or on our laptops, and the social media sites that they contain, that we can not watch a television program with another person in the room without engaging an electronic device. The experience of watching TV or a movie, or reading, or being with someone else is not enough these days. The story I read talked about the generation upon us now, being born and taught to utilize a tiny screen at all times, even while a person, a teacher is standing before them speaking. According to the article, we crave as many distractions as possible, and they are not human, nor are the natural.
Constantly monitoring Twitter for anything related to “geodes” paid off in a major way when I read about an art installation involving geodes and neon light. I emailed the artist, Zackry Wiegand, and learned the exhibit was closing that week, so my Thursday night had swift plans to visit the art studio Gallery 225 in Harlem.
Zackry met us at the door to the art gallery, which is a very handsome building for starters. A lot of old wood went into the refurbishment of the gallery, and the lighting is very strategic. There is plenty of lighting from targeted bulbs and fixtures. There were no big hanging or ceiling neon or fluorescent lights hanging from the very high ceiling, but we were entering an installation where neon light is a critical component. Continue reading “Art Installation “Subtle Bodies” and Interview with Artist Zackry Wiegand”
