Jewelry making in the morning

What I do in the morning from John Beeman on Vimeo.

I am happy to announce that Beeman Jewelry Design is sponsoring a Duo Piano Concert featuring Valrie Kantorski and Ann Pope at the El Morrow Theater on Saturday, July 30th at 7:00pm.  Tickets are $15 and can be purchase at the Theater, Beeman Jewelry Design or at the door prior to the performance.  Both Valrie and Ann have won numerous awards and performed regularly throughout the country.  Playing together since 1988, Kantorski and Pope have worked hard to produce music that is authentic and precise, yet fun to listen to.  They will be performing Brahms' 21 Hungarian Dances, played with the original four-hand technique, among many selections.  This will be an exciting and fun event and one that I am proud to bring to Gallup.  Cheers!

John Beeman shares about some of his latest jewelry creations with some ladies during a recent luncheon at his gallery.

Finding the Joy from John Beeman on Vimeo.

Yesterday's "Ladies for Lunch" Event was a lot of fun and successful as a learning tool.  The topic was "The Caring and Wearing of Pearls" and the ladies had lots of interest and many questions.  Everyone has pearl stories and yet so many people don't know what a pearl is, where they really come from and how to care for them.  A soft cloth, light-sudsy-warm water and a clear water rinse will do the job of cleaning.  No lotions, cosmetics, sprays or strong liquids.  The consensus was that pearls can be worn with anything, including jeans and a t-shirt, as long as you have the right attitude!  Many colors, shapes and sizes of pearls exist and can be worn for years.  Who would have thought that pearls could be such a hot topic.  There was a lot of trying-on of necklaces after the luncheon and everyone had a great time.  The spirit of Gallup remains strong!

I have several keshi pearl necklaces in the shop and have had many people ask what they are and where they come from, so here's the story on  keshi pearls.

Keshi pearls can be formed from fresh or saltwater oysters, they come in a variety of colors, and they are becoming harder to find because of how they are formed.  When an oyster is injected with a small particle to form a pearl, after the pearl has started to form, sometimes the particle can be rejected, leaving only a deposit of nacre to form against the side of he shell.  Now that x-ray technology is being used in pearl culture, when a pearl rejects the particle, they will insert another particle, making keshi pearls much harder to find. 

The keshi pearl is irregular in shape and has a high luster because it is only nacre.  The edges are irregular, giving keshi pearls a ruffled effect. 

Many designers will combine keshi pearls with other beads, but I prefer to use them only with other keshi pearls as the effect is so elegant and beautiful.  The keshi pearl should be worn and maintained as any other pearl, but with more care in handling as they tend to be fragile. 

In any event, check out our keshi pearl necklaces and don't hesitate to add keshi pearls to you collection as they are elegant and beautiful always. --JB

I look for inspiration all around me, but many times I find it in people. - JB

John Beeman talks about his inspiration from John Beeman on Vimeo.

Although I haven't been making jewelry professionally for very long. There was something a long time ago that gave hint of the future.

John Beeman talks about jewelry making at age 10 from John Beeman on Vimeo.

This holiday season has been a big surprise!  Every day has seen a host of new people looking at jewelry, responding with very positive comments and buying a range of pieces from small to large.  I am developing a profile of the Gallup Community and their wants and needs as shoppers share their stories and describe their preferences.  The Gallup Independent newspaper wrote a beautiful article Saturday, December 11th, in which I was featured with a photo of me in the shop in the front page.  I was so pleased to have such positive press and many people have commented on how happy they are to have an alternative to native american jewelry in Gallup.  This is such a big center for native jewelry that I am among a lot of major jewelry artists who work in a different arena.  The season has been great and I am so encouraged by Gallup's response to the jewelry that a better Christmas I could not have had.  Merry Christmas to all! (photo by Brian Leddy/Gallup Independent)

Saturday's Art's Crawl was an even bigger success than last month with many new people attending.  Pumpkin cake and cider and good music set the mood and everyone was in the spirit of the holidays, feeling good cheer and festive.  I felt the strong support of the good people of Gallup, once more, as comments were highly positive and customers asked me to set jewelry aside for later purchase.  The shop closed late again, and I left with a happy spirit.  Thanks again Gallup!

The evening of September 30th was a grand celebration of the opening of Beeman Jewelry Design's new Gallery with over 125 people in attendance. Champagne and chocolates were served and the new website was shown on computers with technicians explaining details and soliciting suggestions. People had a grand time socializing, trying on jewelry and drinking sparkling cider and champagne and celebrating the alternative to the many native american jewelry stores that Gallup has to offer. I was so happy with the crowd, the Gallery and the good time that I went home on cloud nine. All the work was more than worth the effort. I'm looking forward to the future and so appreciative to Gallup for all the encouragement and support! -JB