No one can resist the sparkly allure of a well-cut jewelry masterpiece. Hidden in the rock’s folds lie the mysteries of millennia combined with the beauty of stunning artisanal craftsmanship. How completely irresistible.
This weekend a group of rock hounds from the Edmonton Tumblewood Lapidary Club will share their knowledge and excitement at a two-day show and sale at the St. Albert Senior Citizens’ Club.
The show and sale is an artistic expression of uncut and faceted jewelry, gems, rocks, crystals, glass, beads, seashells and fossils. It will also be an opportunity to see one-of-a-kind scenic picture rocks and tree jewelry.
One of the weekend’s highlights will be Lacombe-based facetor Dave Biro who demonstrates how to take a rough gem, cut it and polish it to commercial standards.
“He works with both natural and man-made stones – sapphires, amethysts, garnets, topaz and quartz crystal. He can even take a glass from a TV tube and make it into a gem shape,” says Pauline Zeschuk, show organizer.
A second artisan demonstrating his craft is Dean Chesterman, who makes chainmail for knights.
“He puts links together and makes patterns – the Byzantine pattern is one and others.”
For space fiends, the club introduces Brad Newman, a St. Albert rock hound who collected meteorite pieces from a Whitecourt field.
“They look like pieces of rusted iron. They’re 95 per cent iron and five per cent nickel. It’s basically the cosmos’ version of stainless steel,” Newman explains.
He will also be packing boxes of meteorites from Buzzard Coulee, Redwater and Springwater, Saskatchewan.
Zeschuk predicts that the fluorescent shining rocks will cause the most excitement.
“They’re very unusual. In natural light, they are grey rocks. Put them under ultra-violet light and they turn magenta and lime green.”
In celebration of Alberta’s 150th anniversary, the Royal Alberta Museum is loaning a series of early stone tools while MusĂ©e Heritage is displaying Stone Age Indian artifacts.
The Archaeological Society of Alberta has stepped up with a booth that includes a portable dig where children can burrow for buffalo bones.
“But mainly they want to provide information about digs around Edmonton and St. Albert and how people can volunteer for them.”
Zeschuk has made rock hunting a hobby for close to 30 years and her fascination with the evolution of gems and crystals from volcanic rock is unwavering.
“It’s amazing. No two rocks are the same.”
Much of Zeschuk’s enthusiasm stems from the positive climate created by club members.
“It’s the collaborative sharing of ideas that energizes us. When we have a show it energizes the club. We learn new things and that helps us get better at what we do.”
The show and sale is Saturday, Oct. 22 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 23 from 12 noon to 5 p.m.
Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for students. Children under 12 are free. Family admission is $10.
For more information visit www.rme.tcor.ca/cms/tumblewood.
