The Opportunities Issue
April 2017
From The Editor Spring is here and this always brings to mind new possibilities and new opportunities, which is the focus of this issue. As jewellers and metalsmiths, with our mix of craft and art, we are in a fairly unique position in that our field spans the gamut from fine art to pure craft and to very commercial fine jewellery. This provides us with a very wide range of opportunities, whether we pursue this as a hobby or make our living from it.
In this issue we look at how to create and take advantage of those opportunities from building relationships, working with retail stores and galleries, to curating exhibitions and engaging in residencies. Whether we are students preparing for our future, hobbiests who do it for love of making or professionals with successful careers, we all need to seize the opportunities that come our way if we want to get the most from our hard work. Dana Reed
CONTENTS VMAA BOARD
The Vancouver Metal Arts Association (VMAA) is a community of jewellers, blacksmiths, sculptors, mixed-media artists, enamelists, and others who work with metal or have an interest in the jewellery and metal arts. The VMAA was established as a non-profit society in British Columbia in 2012 with the purpose of offering a forum for jewellers and metalsmiths to exchange ideas and technical information, organize exhibitions of jewellery and metal work,
President: Louise Perrone president@vancouvermetalarts.com Vice President: Lexie Owen vicepresident@vancouvermetalarts.com Secretary: Jessica Atkinson info@vancouvermetalarts.com Treasurer: Zula payments@vancouvermetalarts.com Newsletter: Dana Reed news@vancouvermetalarts.com Social Media: Cory Douglas media@vancouvermetalarts.com Education: Louise Perrone education@vancouvermetalarts.com Engagement: Stephanie Menard engagement@vancouvermetalarts.com Exhibitions: Julie Kemble exhibitions@vancouvermetalarts.com Member at Large: Carmel Boerner
and increase public awareness of the jewellery and metal arts. Each member of the VMAA decides what his/her level
Cover Images:
of involvement will be. Dues are collected
Ring Re:Form Exhibit
to cover modest administrative costs.
Rings: Bridget Catchpole (top) and
Please join us!
Jan Smith (bottom)
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Sketches from Holland
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Feature Member: Erin Christensen
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VMAA President’s Letter
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Upcoming Events
The Curator
Selling your jewellery through stores Gallery Representation
Member Profile: Chi Cheng Lee
24 33 40
The art of planning an exhibition
Images from Unexpected Resources
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VMAA President’s Letter Dear VMAA Members Happy Spring to you all. I hope you had a peaceful holiday season and survive the Great Snow Storm of 2016/17! The various committees have been working hard planning events for the coming year. Expect to see more information about upcoming workshops, lectures and exhibition opportunities soon! Our AGM will take place on May 6th at Vancouver Community College. Vice President Lexie Owen will be giving a lecture about Craft + Public Art directly after the meeting so save the date! We will also have our social at the Irish Heather after, so we hope you will join us there. As this edition of the newsletter is all about opportunity, I thought I should draw your attention to a great opportunity to get more involved in the running of the VMAA. We are looking for a new treasurer to replace our current treasurer (the fabulous Zula who is stepping down after serving for 5 years on the board). If you or someone you know has experience in basic bookkeeping then this is the job for them. Volunteering on the board gives you the unique experience of working with creative people who share your passion to make a difference in our growing community of jewellers and metalsmiths. I can honestly say that working for the VMAA has benefitted
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me both personally and professionally. I have made many friends and colleagues through working first as a member at large, then secretary and now president of the VMAA. I feel more connected to the jewellery community in Vancouver and I have a deeper understanding of the business of making, showing and selling jewellery here. You will get much more out of volunteering than you give, so If bookkeeping isn’t up your alley, then consider joining one of our committees! We would love your help if you can share your time and experience working on organizing workshops, lectures and social events, exhibitions or social media. Please email me if you have any questions. We are also looking for a new Education Chair and as always, there are plenty of opportunities to join our various committees. Looking forward to seeing you at the AGM or the social afterwards!
Best, Louise
Upcoming Events VMAA AGM - May 6th Details: Our Annual General Meeting where we go over the plan for the upcoming year and report on the past one. We will also elect new board members. WHEN: May 6th, 1pm WHERE: Room 160, Vancouver Community College Downtown Campus, 250 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1S9
Craft + Public Art - Artist Talk - Lexie Owen - May 6th Join us for a presentation on Craft + Public Art from our Vice President, Lexie Owen WHAT: Artist’s Talk WHEN:May 6th, 1pm WHERE: Room 160, Vancouver Community College Downtown Campus, 250 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1S9
April Metals Mixer - May 6th Details: After the AGM and Lexie’s talk, we’ll all head over to the Irish Heather for food, drinks and chat. Always an invigorating social event, we love to see everyone get together for a great social afternoon. WHEN: May 6th, after the AGM and talk, approx 3pm WHERE: Irish Heather, 210 Carrall St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2J2
Workshop: Professional Development writing workshop : Artist Statements and Bio with Lexie Owen and Louise Perrone - June 1st, 8th, and 15th Details: A three evening workshop designed to help participants write an artist statement and bio that can be used in professional applications pertaining to the field of art, jewellery and metals. Students will participate in a group critique and write an artist statement and bio. WHEN: 6:30 - 8:30 pm, June 1st, 8th and 15th WHERE: The Field House, 545 North Slocan Street, Vancouver, BC V5R 1V6
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The Curator
The
By Barbara Cohen
word ‘curator’ comes from the Latin
Fanfare. With it being such a highly specialized field
word curare which means ‘to take care’. Today we
today, I am sometimes still hesitant to use the title.
know of a curator as a person who selects content for presentation or someone in charge of a museum or gallery’s collection. My motivation for mounting the several shows that I have reflects well on the word ‘care’. I care about art, I care about introducing others to art and I care about promoting artists.
In 1992, before I was creating jewelry and in the simpler days when all one had to do was ask, I proposed a fan show for the then relatively nascent Crafts Association of BC. How I came up with that idea is now lost in my memory along with so many other details. With its then very small gallery space, I asked
It hadn’t occurred to me to call myself a curator for
4 or 5 other artists (including my work) to interpret the
the first show that I organized, but only considered
fan however they wanted. The resulting exhibition was
that title when someone else insisted that that was
very well received and thus planted the seed for future
what I was, after they saw my premiere exhibition titled
curating.
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Assia Linkovsky Never one to confine myself to a particular medium, in 1993 I had an idea for a piece of furniture that I wanted to make around the same time that I first visited the (original) Dr. Vigari Gallery on Commercial Drive. I loved the space with its old hard wood floors, large front windows allowing for a flood of daylight and visibility, white walls and open expansive space. Perfect for a furniture show!
Assia Linkovsky Understanding from my first experience that I enjoyed organizing and promoting other artists, I proposed a furniture exhibition to the owner, boldly asking for complete autonomy with its organization and execution, with a promise that I could bring a lot of people to his gallery. In Yiddish the word chutzpah could easily be used as an apt description for my request. With a welcome yet surprising ‘yes’ to hold on to, I invited architects, painters and several other artists, only some of whom I knew, who had never made furniture for a show titled ‘On the Surface’. I asked each participant to make or use an existing piece of furniture (tables, chairs and/or mirrors)
Sandy Arthur
and treat the surface in a creative way. Since people enjoy
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a common theme interpreted in many creative ways, this show did not disappoint, judging by the positive feedback, attendance and sales. Fast forward past several other art related endeavours and a counselling practice when creating art was on ‘hold’, to the late 90’s when the maker in me came calling again and I began creating and exhibiting jewelry. And still further forward to 2013 when I was approached by the gallery committee at Circle Craft to curate an exhibition of jewelry. My goal from the onset was to introduce Vancouver to contemporary art jewelry in a way that hadn’t been done before. When I later requested and was given permission to ask artists outside of BC, the excitement of having a national show grew. I immediately envisioned a sculptural ring show which would allow me to include many pieces (100) and artists (27) in Circle Craft’s small space. Although planning a space ahead of time can be challenging, for the ring show I had a clear vision of narrow white shelves from the
Yoshie Hattori
Pam Ritchie
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onset for the overall look of the exhibition. The window area designated in Circle Craft for the ‘gallery’ was a challenge on many levels, but the need to consider the issue of theft presented the biggest one. The trade off that I had to make resulted in securing the rings down with fine wire which meant they could only be tried on once the show was taken down. Little did I consider how many people would attempt to try on these portable sculptures while on display resulting in a few rings frequently needing to be righted to their original position. Although the space may not have been the most desirable in terms of a gallery setting, the location on Granville Island meant excellent exposure. When several people during Ring Re::Form came up to me (or left comments in the book) and said with delight, “I’ve never seen work like this before”, I knew
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that my ‘mission’ with the show had been accomplished and contemporary art jewelry had been elevated to a higher visibility and appreciation in Vancouver. Thanks to the success of the ring show and the support of key people at Circle Craft, I was asked to curate 3 other shows of my choosing. ‘Attachments’ was a national contemporary brooch show while ‘Opposites Attract’ (a black and white show) and ‘Let’s Face It’ included other mediums along with jewelry. Ideas for shows came easily to me. Sometimes it’s a piece that I’ve seen that inspires a title or show theme or just an idea that I have and would like to see realized. My focus was always to bring a high level of work to my exhibitions and hopefully expand people’s horizons with artwork that pushed boundaries and had not been seen before. Although it was not a consideration for the ring show, with subsequent shows at Circle Craft I did consider my selection
Gabrielle Desmarais
Cynthia Toops
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Barbara Cohen
Kye-Yeon Son
Pamela Ritchie
Gabrielle Desmarais
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of artists with the notion of saleability in mind in the hopes that the organization would be encouraged to consider ongoing shows. However that option changed with their staff turnover. But as the saying goes, when one door closes another one opens. Presently, I am working towards curating another national jewelry exhibition for Crafthouse, opening at the end of June 2017. My exhibitions have always been by invitation only, largely because I don’t think I have the energy to have an open call (and I don’t relish rejecting artist’s work!). Each show requires an enormous effort and physical amount of work so I keep it within my capabilities. Ideally, I would like to be able to see each piece in person rather that rely on photographs to select from, but with the more recent shows being national, that is no longer possible. Added to that, being a bit of the luddite that I am, I
Angela Marzinotto
personally find it difficult to keep up with all of the new technologies and ways of sending photos. Although the quality of photographs submitted has improved over time,
poor quality images still do get submitted and leaps of faith are often needed when choosing the work. Unpacking shipped items is always exciting and even though I’ve seen images and read descriptions of the art, there are always surprises - a piece being much larger or smaller than it seemed or hidden elements that the photo didn’t or couldn’t reveal, for example, movement. Creating the actual set up requires spatial understanding and sensitivity. I try not to crowd the work and instead display it in such a way that each piece gets the attention it deserves. Groupings are arranged, rearranged and arranged again, over and over until it meets my aesthetic standard. Pre-planning aside, the installation always takes several hours and I could not do it without the assistance of other helping hands and eyes. I thoroughly enjoy ‘discovering’ artists that I hadn’t been aware of before by asking for recommendations from other
Judith Hoyt
people or seeing their work in galleries, whether on-line or in person. With a desire to show a broad expanse of work
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and the awareness of my own specific aesthetic, I can accept artists whose work may not appeal to me yet I can appreciate their craftsmanship, ideas and/or creative use of materials. The learning aspect that comes with curating further enriches the process and I have a desire to impart that knowledge to others so that they can further value each collection. Reading artist’s statements and becoming more aware of their thought process, especially with the more conceptual work, always enriches my appreciation of the pieces. I was completely unaware of ‘dazzle camouflage’ used during the World Wars until Lindsay MacDonald’s rings enlightened me. I was amazed upon googling images of ships with their bold graphics, not with the aim to conceal but rather to mislead the enemy by making it difficult to
Anne-Marie Rébillard
estimate a ship’s position and speed. Many ships were saved thanks to art!
For the exhibition, I printed out some of these images of painted ships so that staff could have a better understanding of the work and have them on hand to show and explain to those viewing the jewelry. I always wrote notes about specific pieces and encouraged the staff to talk about the presented work to visitors. Bridget Catchpole’s work focuses on the ubiquitous presence of plastic waste in our (ocean) environment while in a similar vein Anne-Marie Rébillard’s explores the “cultural marks humans leave on their habitat”. Would that understanding help someone think twice about waste? I’d like to think so. By interesting coincidence I unpacked Kye-Yeon Son’s brooches as soon as they arrived, moments after admiring the bare branch tree tops outside my kitchen window and made the connection. Now a few years later, I still ‘see’ her beautiful and finely crafted brooches during winter’s structural reveal. Art and design excites and inspires me and nourishes my soul. It is my hope that the work that I present in the exhibitions with which I ‘take care’ serve to inspire others
Lindsay MacDonald
and hopefully touch a few other souls.
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Selling Your Jewellery Through Stores By Zula I’m going to take you through the journey of bringing
carry and what is their mandate? If they only carry artisan
your work from the bench to the store shelf. I will touch
made pieces from Africa your work will not fit, as your
on the information I gathered from interviewing Stephanie
work is made in Canada. Look at their website, is there
Menard, owner of Tiny Finery, a jewellery studio and gift
already information available on the artisan application
shop in Hastings Sunrise in Vancouver, BC as well as
process?
Kara Yoo, owner and designer at Kara Yoo Jewellery, who wholesales her elegant jewellery lines across the globe. (karayoo.com) I have also pulled a lot of great information from the book, Profiting by Design: a Jewellery Maker’s Guide to Business Success by Marlene Richey, along with my own experiences and feelings as a maker and business
Next, make a general introduction by phone or email with a request to show your work in person. Kara approaches stores in person when she travels inquiring whether the shop is looking on taking a jewellery line (cold calling). She always leaves something with the store once she has
woman at ZULA Jewellery + Design.
introduced herself such as a postcard, line sheet or small
So let’s get started!
Sometimes the shop keeper is open to seeing her work
You make beautiful jewellery and want to share it with the world. You want to have a shop represent you by carrying your collection. How does this happen? How do you start? Think about what kind of person would connect with your designs.
on the spot so she has a few jewellery pieces to show, or points at the jewellery she is wearing. (Always wear the jewellery you make, you are your best billboard!) It may take a lot of courage the first time you approach a store and you may find it awkward! If you are really nervous approaching a store, practice speaking about your
Where do they hang out? What shops carry the type of jewellery or items that your people like? Get out there and start checking out neighborhoods and stores. When you have found some options, check out the shops personally as a customer. Look at the products and price points in the shop. Do you offer something different that would fit with the branding and style of the shop? Next do some homework and research about the shop. What is the history of the shop? Who is the buyer/ consignment manager or does the shop keeper do the buying and consigning? What kind of products do they
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inexpensive sample and follows up with a call the next day.
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work with friends so you can get clear on what you are going to say. Remember that the more you talk about your work, the easier it will be over time! “It’s ok to look new. Fresh is a good thing!” says Stephanie Menard on being a new jeweller on the scene. So you sent over your email to the shop with some photos of your jewellery and perhaps a link to your website and any social media you have. Perhaps you attached a wholesale list and line sheet and you didn’t hear anything back.
“Oh no! They hate me, I took up their time, my work
“Your work is similar to another artist we carry.”
sucks…” you think to yourself.
“Your work is too high a price point for our shop.”
STOP. Perhaps the email did not reach them because of the linked photos or documents. Double check, give them a call (knowing who to speak to about it) and book a time for showing off your jewellery. Most shopkeepers are really busy and have not gotten around to get back to you. Stephanie in her experience as a shopkeeper says that double checking by email or phone is totally ok.
“My customers are really into gold this season.” “My shop only sells pieces made in Africa.” Whatever it is, learn from it, and don’t take it personally. I was requested to wholesale with a shop early in my career. The request came almost out of nowhere and I was so excited! I took the time to create a line sheet and a simple wholesale catalogue in PDF format that I emailed over. I then found out that my collection would not suit the shop because of the price point. I was so bummed and then
Now that you have your appointment booked, what
realized that this simple rejection helped me trust the shop
should you have prepared? How do you show up looking
keeper. They know their customers and cater to them. If
professional? Showing your jewellery in person helps you
they know their people will not put down $100 for those
develop a relationship with the shopkeeper or merchandise
amazing, locally made, fits right into the theme of the store
buyer. You are able to speak about your jewellery, pointing
pair of earrings, they just won’t sell! You have just saved
out the details or speaking about the process behind your
yourself some time and energy opening an account that
collection. It’s also super helpful for the shopkeeper to see
just may not have been mutually beneficial.
the scale and quality of your work.
“It works in the artists benefit to have the work floor ready,
Have a collection of pieces ready to show that paint a
so the work is out there and ready to sell.“ Stephanie
clear picture about the feel of your work. Have some kind
Menard, Tiny Finery
of coding and inventory system in place. Know how much you need to charge. Have you thought about wholesale and retail costs? Have your work tagged. Have your pieces named: it’s a great way for sales associates to have conversations about the jewellery pieces with customers. Have a line sheet. Lastly, have a great collection of about 30 pieces for the store to start with that is tagged, inventoried, and ready to be put out in the shop. Facing rejection. “I’m sorry, we can’t take your collection on at this time.”
Delivering work, what should it look like? Your jewellery should be organized, separated in small plastic bags and tagged. (Tangled chains are a nightmare!) How many jewellery pieces should you first bring into a store? Bring enough to make a presence on the shelf, about 30 pieces, with more earrings than necklaces. Stephanie’s top advice on being a jeweller that any store wants to work with: - you bring enough pieces to create a presence in the shop - you are organized
Ughhh. I know, it sucks. It is hard not to take it personally
- your pieces have hang tags
and start attacking yourself and doubting yourself as a
- you are professional and are easy to work with by being
designer, maker, or just… person. Just don’t go there.
prepared
Have a five minute cry or tantrum and then… break apart
- you picked the right moment (don’t cold call into the
the situation. What did the shop keeper tell you? Learn
shop a half hour before closing and expect to show your
from it!
work)
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- you researched the venue and mandate of the shop: “Its like an interview, research makes you look good,” says Stephanie. Sometimes it doesn’t work out. Sometimes you give it a three month trial. Be open to having your work be on trial for three months on consignment. This is a great way for the shop to introduce your product to the customers and see if this is a good match for you, the shop, and the clientele. If it doesn’t work out, you have more information to work with by hearing the feedback of the shop keeper and sales associates.
Location Think location and the boundary of your stores. If one store carries your work that attracts a certain neighborhood, don’t have your work in a second shop in the same neighborhood so that the shops are in competition. Shops care about creating a unique experience for their clientele and don’t want to sell what the shop down the street sells. The snowball effect Kara talked about the snowball effect: After having her work out in the world for a while, in stores, consistent
Sometimes we are so eager to have our work represented
beautiful photos on social media, her brand and her
we don’t see that we are being taken advantage of. This
jewellery line gained momentum. She started getting
is what happened to me with my first consignment shop.
noticed and stores contact her now to carry Kara Yoo
I was put off for months, not being paid when I was told I
Jewellery!
would see payment. Eventually I had to stand up for myself and take my work out of the shop (gracefully). I’ve also pulled my work out of a shop that I loved! I adored the shopkeeper, we were highlighting the collection on social media together but the work did not sell. We gave it three months. We went through a respectful and hopeful trial but it didn’t pan out to bring either of us money. Oh well. I still love seeing her social media feeds and celebrate how well her business is doing even without my collection. Consignment versus Wholesale
The curse of perfectionism Don’t let perfectionism stop your progress in getting your work into stores. You may think you don’t have anything good enough to approach a store with and are waiting to hire a graphic designer or print beautiful tags due to money. Take the leap and be creative! You can make great tags and cards with some beautiful paper, a home printer, and some creativity. Your perfect branding can come later. Just get your work out to people that will love it and you can build some positive momentum for yourself! While
Consignment and wholesale both have their advantages
speaking to Kara Yoo and Stephanie Menard, they both
and disadvantages. You will find out which way you like
spoke about starting before you think it’s perfect. You can
to sell your work better. Either way, you will mostly have
tweak your designs, your write up, business cards and
to start with consignment. Consignment is where a shop
logo as you go along. Just take your first step, and build
carries your work and pays you once a piece is sold, with
from there. Stephanie says that “You don’t have to have a
payouts taking place usually within 30-60 days, taking 30-
business card, but have one eventually, a business card is
50% while you take 50-70%.
beneficial but not necessary.”
Wholesale is when you directly sell to a retailer/shop
To close, I have to say that we are all in this together. You
keeper. The wholesale rate is usually 50% and you go
the maker/designer, the shop keeper/retail manager, and
home with the money right away.
then the customer that will want to buy, love and wear your work. Get it out there. There are people out in the world that are waiting to cherish your beautiful jewellery.
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Opportunities - VMAA Treasurer 2017 The VMAA needs a new Treasurer starting in May 2017. This position is on the board of executives and is open to any member of the VMAA or any outside interested parties. If interested, email Louise at president@vancouvermetalarts.com. Requirements:
Responsibilities:
Basic bookkeeping skills
Track income and expenses in accounting program
Comfortable with using online accounting software
Prepare budget reports for the board
(We are using Wave Apps) Able to attend 6- 9 board meetings a year
Keep track of membership payments and update list Coordinate with other board members as required
Are you a member of the VMMA yet? Why not? For only $25 a year (or $20 for students) you can be part of a fantastic community of metal and jewellery artists. We have members who are jewellers, sculptors, blacksmiths, mixed media artists, enamellists, gem cutters, engravers. The field of the jewellery arts is wide and we welcome anyone with an interest. We sponsor juried international and group member exhibitions, host artist talks, have social events such as our Metals Mixers and annual tool swap. We also hold workshops for our members, in techiques and professional development. Members receive advance notice of events and discounts on workshops and fees. Studio artists can often end up working alone, with little interaction with other artists. Why not come out to one of our events and say hello? We’d love to see you! Join us or renew your membership at vancouvermetalarts.com/membership/
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Erin Christensen
Erin Christensen received her BFA from NSCAD University in Halifax, NS. in 2015 with a major in Jewellery Design and Metal-smithing. Following her graduation, she was awarded a finalist position for the 2016 Niche Awards in the Student Teapot category and featured in British Vogue Magazine. She currently lives and works in Vancouver, B.C.
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Feature Member Erin’s elegant creations are inspired by the flora and the vitality of the west coast, and originate from ecocentric values. Working primarily with chasing and repoussÊ, a traditional metal-smithing technique, she grows these forms and designs out of metal. She combines a medley of lively patterns and fresh colour palettes with precious stones and alternative materials, making each piece a playful garden for the wearer or the admirer to frolic in.
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Gallery Representation By Jan Smith encourage you all to try different approaches for selling your work in order to find what works for you for your work and your life. How to find one: Many galleries have a particular focus. For example, if you work with dichromic glass, seek out some galleries that focus on glass art. Establish what is the gallery’s personality - a conservative, traditional atmosphere would be a good bet for Victorian-theme jewelry, but not such a good fit for trendy polymer clay bracelets. If you find one that specializes in a theme, material, or era
When
that characterizes your jewelry, it could be the Dana our newsletter editor
approached me about writing an article on obtaining
beginning of a successful business relationship for you.
gallery representation, I thought of the advantages and
You need to ask yourself where does my work
disadvantages to gallery representation. One of the
fit? Is it a gallery you are looking for or is it
things you need to ask yourself is what are the benefits
a shop? There are some differences, first and
of having a gallery as opposed to direct retailing say at a
most important very few galleries purchase work
show or market. Advantages to selling through a gallery
outright, most take work on consignment. If you
or shop include more time in the studio, less travel time
want to wholesale your work then this is a question
and costs, unless you are doing wholesale shows to obtain
you need to ask the gallery.
orders you also save on booth fees and display material costs.
Compiling a list of galleries or shops: you can
Early in my career I did everything, retail and wholesale
similar craft and art magazines, consult our local
shows and sold with galleries and shops. As I realized I
craft council, make a list of art gallery shops which
wanted more time in the studio and wanted to be home
carry jewelry, look at areas that have high levels
more I needed to find ways to sell my work that allowed
of tourism and research shops in that area. If
me those desires. As I don’t have a wholesale line and
your work is a theme like Bridal or garden consider
enjoy making one of a kind pieces I have focused on
shops that represent that theme, internet search,
consignment.
network with other jewelers and your friends..ask
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begin by looking in Studio Magazine and other
I can only speak from my perspective and
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where they think your work fits. Make a list of places to
gallery/shop does wholesale then the contract involves
approach, decide how much work you are able to produce
terms of sale which you would have agreed upon when
and then the next step is refining the list
making the initial contact. You should also ask how they
So now you have a list. Is it possible for you to visit the gallery? Often I like to have a look at the other work see how my work fits in the context of other work, how is it displayed, what the staff are like. Investigate your top choices a little deeper. You want to make sure they have a good marketing plan, that the pieces in their shop do sell at a reasonable speed, if on consignment how good are they at record keeping and paying you for sales. This is when networking with another artist pays off. When talking to a gallery owner about carrying your jewelry, here are some things to find out. What kind of advertising do they do? What special events do they host, and what promotional mailings do they send to their customers? Are there exhibition opportunities with the gallery for you? How to get them to look at your work: DO NOT just show up with your work even if you are travelling. Look at their website and see if there is information on submissions. Check and see if you know any of the other artists and network with them. Send and email or call to enquire if they are accepting new artists and ask what is their preferred procedure for submitting. FOLLOW what they tell you. You can do a “cold call” by emailing the gallery with a well written note explaining why you think your work fits their gallery and include a link to your website. If you don’t hear back from them in two weeks call the owner/
purchase, do they do wholesale shows, do they want a line sheet or look book sent to them. Who pays for shipping? With the galleries I work with generally I pay to ship to them and they pay to ship the work back. Contracts: Some galleries have their own contract. If they don’t you need to have something in writing stating they have your work, for how long, what are the terms of payment etc. Is the work on consignment or is it a wholesale contract, these are two different things with different terms. Harriet Estel Berman has prepared some amazing professional practices documents and has a consignment contract you can find it at: http://harrieteestelberman.com/ consignment-contract How much work they need: Do your research, look at the other bodies of work of the other artists, how many pieces do they have. Ask the gallery what they expect. Some places have a limit of numbers of pieces per artist due to insurance costs. Maybe you are only doing earring or wedding rings, you need to make that clear. You need to be sure you can meet the requirements on time before taking on numerous galleries. Building the relationship with them:
manger to follow up. You can also find galleries by doing
Promote the galleries/shops who carry your work. Post
shows, in Canada we have less wholesale-related craft
their name and contact info on your website as a location
shows but there are opportunities in retail shows and in
where your jewelry can be purchased. When you do shows,
some American wholesale shows. When selling to the US
have flyers available listing all the shops and galleries that
you have the issue of exporting, something to consider.
carry your work.
What’s involved once you do find one: Assuming you
Never undercut the gallery’s prices on your work. When
are doing consignment ask the gallery or shop what is
a gallery finds out you’re underselling them, they usually
their procedure for inventory control and payment, how
stop carrying your work.
often they want new work, do they require images of the work. What kinds of things do they require of you? If the
Always make an appointment before showing up at a gallery. Whether you’re visiting for the first time to show
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your work, or coming to discuss ongoing business, be sure to demonstrate respect for the time of the gallery owner
Finally:
and staff.
Just because your work is not selling doesn’t mean its
Don’t plan to clean out your inventory from a gallery when
venue. Perhaps the shop is not the right fit for your work.
you do a show, and then return the unsold pieces back
We need to be resilient and true to ourselves. It’s hard
to the gallery. That creates extra paperwork, extra time
but talk to the gallery owner/ employees and get their
and empty shelf space for the gallery owner. It’s okay to
feedback. When I lived in Seattle, I was showing with a
borrow the occasional one of kind piece but try not to do
gallery in Arizona and they told me they didn’t want my
it often or take a huge amount of work without giving new
brooches. I thought they didn’t like them but worked up
inventory.
my courage and enquired why? They told me they loved
not good, try not to validate yourself through sales in one
Make yourself available to participate in any of the gallery’s promotional events you can attend. Be supportive of all their promotional events you can attend. Be supportive of all their advertising and publicity efforts, and help out wherever you can.
the pieces but with the lighter fabrics worn in that area they found they just couldn’t sell brooches. That simple question relieved a lot of self-doubt and also helped me think about my work differently. So remember, there are many factors that come into play when selling your work and it may take a bit of trial and error to find the right fit for your work. Good luck!
The art of planning an exhibition
A
By Julie Kemble
successful group exhibition starts with a vision and
depends on careful planning, effective organization and
realizing and supporting your vision.
good interpersonal communication skills.
A successful proposal should be concise, one to two
Planning for a group exhibition in a gallery should begin
for installation and preferred exhibition dates. It should
at least a year in advance… because that’s how far in
outline the theme and the visual and geographic concepts
advance community and private galleries begin planning
for the exhibit. It should address the needs of the gallery
their exhibition schedule. For large public galleries the
as well as the exhibiting parties. It should also address
time line is much longer.
whether the exhibit is open to anyone who wishes to show
The process starts with a clear idea of what work you want to feature and what you want the overall exhibit to look like. All of this is preceded by a clear understanding of who your target audience is. These are all elements that should be included in a written proposal that will be submitted to the gallery that is most appropriate for
pages max. It should include a title for the show, ideas
their work, is curated by invitation or is juried. Since it’s challenging for one to think of everything, initiating a brainstorming session with a group or committee is helpful for developing these ideas and covering all your organizational bases. Good questions to keep in mind at this stage in planning is, “Who’s going to see the work?” and “Why would the
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gallery want to show the work and support the vision?” In
of your personal and business relationships. In our
other words, “What’s in it for the gallery?” Clear answers
computer oriented world where everyone is distracted by
to these questions will help you come up with the required
and plugged into phones and tablets, we’re forgetting how
elements of a successful proposal.
to communicate interpersonally. With an absence of eye
Whether the exhibit is non-juried, curated, juried or a combination has to be considered in advance. Each category requires different considerations. A nonjuried show can be a good opportunity for students and emerging artists to show their work for the first time, but may not appeal to the aspirations of established artists with intent to develop credibility and a more prestigious audience for their work. A curated or invitational show can
contact, body language and verbal cues, few things can be communicated effectively through Instagram, PM or in 40 characters or less. Email can create a helpful paper trail but positive relationships, including those that you want to build with the prospective galleries, require some basic, old fashioned skills such as paying close attention to the person you are engaging with, making eye contact and listening rather than talking.
acknowledge experienced artists for their achievements
An accepted proposal is just the beginning of developing
but may feel exclusive to people who aren’t invited to
the exhibition vision and a good working relationship
exhibit. A juried exhibit is most democratic providing the
with a gallery. One also needs to designate roles and
criteria for jurying is well known and understood and the
responsibilities. This should be done jointly with the
jurors are non-biased. The best way to eliminate bias is to
gallery staff well in advance of the exhibition dates. A floor
advocate for a blind jury. In other words, the jury will not
plan of the installation, considering needed props and a
be told the names of the entrants.
list of duties is always helpful. A list of responsibilities
Before submitting a written proposal it’s a good idea to phone the galleries that you want to exhibit in. Many galleries have deadlines for receiving proposals. They might also have specific criteria for the kind of work that they prefer to display and will only show certain types of work. Few galleries have experience showing
should also include promotion of the show, social media, E News flashes, the logistics of receiving artwork, plus move in and out, gathering of props and duties needed for a dynamic, yet manageable installation and the opening reception. A budget needs to be drawn up to make sure that all costs are accounted for and covered in all areas.
art jewellery. Therefore, it’s the role of the person
Creating a catalogue is a huge job in itself. It’s not
submitting an exhibition proposal to inform and educate
always a necessary part of any exhibition, but it can
the person receiving it about the work that you want to
offer a useful tool for artists, especially those seeking
show. The best way to do this is to develop a relationship
funding, and for pitching to galleries for future shows. If
with the gallery. This is where consistent and reliable
having a catalogue is part of the vision for the exhibition,
communication skills come in handy. Do a little social
I recommend that someone with good computer and
research. Make sure you visit the gallery. Pick up the
graphic design skills be assigned to take on the job.
phone. Reply to emails. Invite the gallery contact person out for tea or lunch. Respect deadlines and the gallery
Once the invitations have been distributed, art work is
work schedules. Keep your promises!
installed all that’s left is to enjoy the opening reception,
“Gallery people” can be hard to reach. Don’t take it
the show is as well planned as the installation. A few days
personally. And, don’t give up! Awareness and practice
after the exhibition ends you can begin planning for next
of good communication skills will come in handy in all
year!
keep up social media postings and make sure tear down of
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Sketches From Holland “Telling the truth is like spreading the underside of your wings, you see that part only when you fly” - Sabrina Ward Harrison.
By Patsy Kay Kolesar
In 2012 I had the opportunity to do a 2-month artist residency in a tiny town in the Netherlands. The time I spent there, and my love for all things Dutch, have had a strong influence on my work over the past five years. The following is from a blog post I wrote upon my return, reflecting on my artistic process. I flew to Renkum the Netherlands, for a 2-month artist residency on April 1st 2012. My life for the past few years had been moving all around me, sometimes right over top of me, and I was ready to be the one in control of where it was moving to. I wanted to physically take myself out of
my comfort zone and fly to another country. I wanted to leap, jump, glide, summersault, dance, turn, and twist on my own terms. I wanted to watch things move and fly - like wheels and wings. I wanted to see things change slowly like metal rusting. I wanted to see things move gently like a feather falling. I wanted to capture this idea of change, transformation, leaping, and flying in the work I would be making in during my residency. I took with me only hand tools, rolls of wire, fabric, and photographs of birds, wings, and flying sculptures. I had a small butane torch to use there, but no other tools. My first week at the residency I started twisting wire and making wheels, wings, and rolling hills. I started wrapping wire around my finger and making these little tornados that were speaking to me. Then I started doubting what I was doing. I wondered if I should be trying to create a new sellable line while I was there, or if I should I have a plan for the pieces I was making once I returned home. I received an email from a friend back home and she said, “think about the pieces you are making as sketches”. I liked this idea. I was being exposed to so many new things while I was there. I saw quite a bit of Holland, and I visited
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Prague, Berlin, and Brussels. I was constantly taking photos and feeling my heart leap out of my body with excitement for all of the beautiful inspiration my eyes were taking in. My first day at the house, I saw that there was a lovely stack of small white sheets of paper, left behind by a previous artist-in-residence. I was inspired by them. I would start each of my mornings by sitting with my coffee at my work bench and sketching just one element that I saw outside of my window. When I arrived in April it was
and I started stitching the wire tornados and wings onto them. By watching and sketching that garden, I started to understand how dynamic life was. My life will always be changing and I can’t stop that. The beautiful moments will always be fleeting and the challenging moments will always come again, but the beautiful moments will come back in another capacity. My residency experience was filled with a thousand beautiful moments, which will always be inside of me and some of that beauty has been able to wet and grey and the garden outside of my window
surface through my work since being back.
was dull and almost bare. I would quickly sketch a tree branch or a leaf and then hang that sketch on my inspiration board beside my work table. In early May, half way through my time there, I realized that the garden outside of my window was taking flight, transforming and changing all around me. The very idea that I was exploring was happening in vivid colour right outside my work bench! Things were moving, changing, leaping, and dancing and I had been sketching them and capturing the changes each day. I took some of my sketches off of my inspiration board
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Member Profile
Chi Cheng Lee with metalsmithing. I liked things with more instant gratification and I like to be control. Ceramics you can’t be in control of, when it fires, when it goes in the kiln, you don’t know what is going to happen.” Always an exciting place, New York in the 80s saw the resurgence of the craft movement and Chi had the opportunity to study under several master goldsmiths at Parsons. Guest lecturers included Merilee Hu and Pat Flynn and the program at that time was run by Mary Ann Scherr. “It was really nice to be in Parsons at the time. Mary Ann was the chairman and she was really influential in art
Chi Cheng Lee has an extensive background in the arts. From helping her father sell his paintings at shows as a teen and during summers at university, to studying jewellery and metals at Parsons, and being steeped in the growing art jewellery movement in New York in the 80s, she’s had not only the opportunity to develop her unique artistic vision, but learn the business of art. Her blend of Eastern and Western design has proven popular with jewellery buyers from all over the world and she’s been a fixture at the Granville Island market for over a decade now. When asked how jewellery came to be her focus, Chi explained that while she grew up in New Jersey, her father insisted that she attend university in New York rather than far off California. Having chosen the Parsons School of Design, her start with general arts and ceramics left her looking for new challenges, so she decided in second year to major in metals, and jewellery making in particular. When asked why metals Chi replied “I took porcelain ceramics as a minor and I took a few classes in metal to see how I felt about it. I found I fell in love
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jewellery. Her work was very diverse and she was friends with many of the well known or up and coming masters
When asked about the benefits of mentoring Chi stated that starting with her internship “That was the time I needed it the most, in the beginning. It shapes who you are as an artist, as a metalsmith and as a jeweller, as that’s when you don’t know what you are doing. They guide you, watch what you do and that’s what helps.” She also found mentorship even in school as they paired up senior and junior students. “Gerald was my benchmate, he does very glorified headdresses for modern dance. It’s very elaborate, not quite my style. He mentored me. He was senior year, I was junior. They mentored us on of the time. Many people came to lecture. We saw how
how they worked since we shared the space. When you
they came up with their concepts and ideas, their focus
design pieces, you work on your projects, you talk to each
on different techniques and they were a big influence on us.” As well, the museums of New York were always an inspiration, particularly the work of the impressionists and her favourite painter Kadinsky. Mentors have been a big part of Chi’s life as a jeweller. Her path to working in the industry started at Parsons with the work study program. She interned with enamellist Sidney Sherr. After graduating she worked part time with Chris Correa, working on her production line, learning about the jewellery business as fine craft, and how to wholesale and retail her work.
other, how you solve problems. They were always there to support us. We are still friends, and he is in Thailand now teaching fashion.” For Chi, even indirect mentorship is valuable, looking at other jeweller’s work, seeing it at SNAG, seeing it in shows, learning from her many jewellery books. Not all opportunities start as expected. Chi ended up out of commission for almost 2 years due to a car accident. After going back to work for Chris for a while, having gotten married and having financial commitments, she decided she needed a full time position. Her first full time
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job was for a jewellery manufacturing company that produced work for Tiffanys, making gold and diamond bracelets etc. They did casting in house and she was hired as a junior designer, helping with casting and working on everything else as well. But unhappy with the way the company was run, Chi went to her network of teachers and classmates looking for other work. Through her connections, she was offered a position by Chris’s husband Everett, then head designer for Harry Winston, as an assistant. Trained as a jeweller in England, both he and Chris were very generous with passing on their knowledge. Chi received an extensive education in the fine jewellery business there. She worked with the jewellery designers, produced design briefs, worked on marketing and presentation packages, priced lines for wholesale, worked with merchandisers and on packaging prototypes, and advertising. She even had the opportunity to travel to Thailand and China, working with the manufacturers producing some of the lines there and managing quality control. It was a very exciting period for her.
Eventually moving to Hong Kong, Chi kept working for Harry Winston as a consultant since she spoke the local language. She started to work with the retail side, producing exhibitions in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, working with the marketing and PR people from Europe, and learning yet another side of the business. It was a heady environment, working with security, watching sales of millions of dollars in goods and jewellery to clients, a far cry from the mass production industry. In the long run, Chi decided to go back to creating and selling her own work. Her experiences “helped me define what I wanted to do, producing everyday wearable things that people would wear all the time, and not be kept in a safe. People that spend a lot of money on jewellery for investments do it just for the investments, because they can, they have the money, but it’s not necessarily because they love it.” Eventually moving to Vancouver, Chi continued to work for herself. Not knowing anyone locally but her mother in law, she got involved with the Craft Council of BC, even sitting on the board and started to sell her work as a day vendor on Granville Island. “I was on the board for six years, I made a lot of friends through there, it was a great opportunity to meet a lot of local jewellers and artisans, people in the craft community. You get a lot of support through that and you share a lot of ideas and understand what it is all about.” Selling direct to customers on Granville Island as well as doing shows such
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as Circle Craft has been yet another kind of education for Chi. “You learn a lot from customers, not only in what sells, but in how to sell.” When asked how she chooses her opportunities, Chi explained that she takes calculated risks. Having started selling on Granville Island in 2004, she waited a year before taking on the risk of a big show and started to sell at Circle Craft in 2005. It took that year to build up the cash flow to be able to pay for the space, have a display built and enough stock on hand for a large show. The following year she also did the Calgary show. Her business plan included the addition of one or two major shows a year as she tried new venues and figured out which ones made sense for her business. Striking a balance between time spent on her business and time with her young daughter was an important deciding factor on how much don’t like to disappoint people, I’ve learned to say no, that’s not what I do.” She’s happy to direct people to other jewellers who specialise in other styles or certain requirements. Chi’s suggestions for jewellers just starting out are to find the opportunities that work for them. “Even if still in school, they should be submitting to exhibitions all the time, as much as they can, to get some experience in working on designing with concepts and to deadlines, costs. There are a lot of these things you have to learn hands on, a lot of these can’t be taught in school as much, you have to experience it. The more you do, the better you get at it. You learn to growth she pursued for her business. Having recently recovered from a lengthy illness, Chi takes consideration of that balance still. Circle Craft remains her major show and she has many regulars who come back each year to purchase there. She states “they become more like friends and a lot of them you develop a long relationship with”. She doesn’t do a lot of commission work, preferring to instead adapt current designs “I always tell them to see what I have and what they love first. I
write your statement, produce the package. Not just the jewellery but making the other stuff is part of it too, taking pictures, how you arrange them, there’s a lot to it. I’m learning all the time too.” She also recommends choosing what you want to focus on, what area you really want to work in, whether that’s fine art jewellery or production work. “If you are going to work only with galleries, focus on that. What type of gallery, is your work suitable for
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that type of space? Or do you do mass general market shows like Circle Craft, Make it? I always tell them walk the shows, go to the gallery, go to the stores before you approach them. Are they a right fit for you? Talk to people. Even if you meet the manager, you may not get along with them. It’s not only them choosing you, it’s you choosing them. When I work with stores it’s a partnership and you need to do your due diligence. Check with other people, check out their websites. If I know certain people working with them, I will call or email them and get a first hand artist’s point of view. The owners can tell your whatever their rules are but the artists can tell you frankly what’s going on and it’s better to be in the know before it’s too late.” Chi’s focus and determination, making the most of the opportunities that have come her way, her careful planning and hard work on her business has been what has enabled her to craft a long standing career in the jewellery industry and allowed her to do what she loves and make a living at it.
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Call For Entry VMAA Annual Exhibition The Vancouver Metal Arts Association is excited to announce a call for entry for our upcoming juried exhibition:
LIGHT
See details below and on line at light.vancouvermetalarts.com Deadline for submission is August 1, 2017 The exhibition LIGHT is being held at the Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery. This exhibition will bring together work from contemporary art jewelry and metal artists embracing the theme of LIGHT.
cultures and religions have celebrated the mysterious properties of light. We embrace light with diverse intentions, both practical and abstract. How do you explore the concept of light within your practice? Are you interested in the symbolic meaning that light carries across so many cultures? Perhaps you are investigating the material qualities of luminescence, translucence, reflection or even weight within your work? We are committed to exhibiting a broad range of relevant, wellexecuted work.
Simultaneously a verb, adjective and Please follow the link for application: noun, light can be many things. The https://ccbc.slideroom.com/#/ beauty of light can guide, dazzle, permalink/program/36197 comfort, signal or illuminate. But to light is also to spark or ignite, to understand. Light is a transformative agent; throughout history numerous
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Unexpected W
2016 VMAA Annual Exhibition
ith an opening night of November
24th, 2016, the VMAA Annual Exhibition got off to a flying start last year. Featuring the work of artists from across Canada and the Unitied States, UNEXPECTED explored the strange and sometimes discordant elements that make the viewing, wearing, and making of Contemporary Jewellery an enjoyable endeavor. Artists included in the exhibit were: Lydia Buxton, Melissa Cameron, Bridget Catchpole, Barbara Cohen, Jennifer Crupi, Yoshie Hattori, Kyri Hinkleman, Holland Houdek, Karin Jones, Joshua Kosker, Matt Lambert, Andy Lowrie, Jacqueline Lung, Brooke Marks-Swanson, Sharon Massey, Louise Perrone, Lissy Selvius, Jina Seo, Aric Verrastro, Kari Woo, Lawrence Woodford Images: Dana Reed
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Resources Schools and Workshops Schools – Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs British Columbia Vancouver Community College – Jewelllery Art and Design Diploma LaSalle College – Vancouver – Jewellery Design Diploma North Island College – Campbell River – Metal Jewellery Design Certificate Selkirk College – Nelson – Jewellery Studio Certificate Native Education College – Vancouver – Northwest Coast Jewellery Arts Certificate Vancouver Metal Art School – Jewellery Designer and Goldsmith Program
Other provinces George Brown College – Toronto, ON – Jewellery Methods and Jewellery Arts Diplomas Nova Scotia College of Art And Design – Halifax, NS – BFA – Jewellery Design and Metalsmithing Georgian College – Barrie, ON – Jewellery and Metals Diploma Alberta College of Art and Design – Calgary, AB – BFA and MFA programs – Jewellery + Metals Ontario College of Art and Design – Toronto, ON – Material Art and Design Degree École de Joaillerie de Montréal – Montréal, QC – CEGEP program in French Fleming College / Haliburton School of Art and Design – Haliburton, ON – Jewellery Essentials Cerfiticate, Artist Blacksmith Certificate, Inegrated Design Diploma
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Developmental Workshops and Continuing Education Courses
British Columbia and surrounding area Vancouver Community College – Continuing Education Vancouver School Board / Langara College – Continuing Education Martinus Gold – Salt Spring Island Danaca Design – Seattle, WA Pratt Fine Arts Center – Seattle, WA
Tools
Other supplies/Metal
Lacy West - #102 - 480 Smithe Street, Vancouver
J.W. Findings - #1400 - 736 Granville St, Vancouver
Habsons - 736 Granville Street, Suite 500, Vancouver Capilano Rock and Gem - 1406 Pemberton Avenue, North Vancouver Gesswein - Toronto Rio Grande - (US) - good source of metal at good prices as well Fire Mountain Gems (US) Contenti (US)
Precious metal and gemstones Sarber Jewellers - #700 – 525 Seymour St, Vancouver Precious metal and casting Andrea Roberts - Vancouver – Brazillian Gemstones J&M Coin & Jewellery - 127 East Broadway, Vancouver Fine silver coins Imago Corvi – Toronto – Enamelling supplies Hoover and Strong (US) - Precious metals
Otto Frei (US)
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April 2017
www.vancouvermetalarts.com
Š2017 Vancouver Metal Arts Association