Gem Cutters/Carvers at the Carnegie Museum!

Michael Dyber: Master of Optical Illusion
May 31–August 31, 2014Michael Dyber is widely acknowledged as one of the foremost lapidary artists in the world today. He has won 23 national and international awards for his unique gem carvings. Using his own trademarked cutting techniques, Dyber creates stunning artworks that appear to bend light while interacting with each gemstone’s natural colors. Michael Dyber: Master of Optical Illusion is the artist’s first solo show at a major museum.

Deborah Wilson, Slava Tulupav and Helen Serras-Herman 

Member Show of the Gem Artists of North America
Fall/Winter 2014Founded in 1995, Gem Artists of North America (GANA) is an association of artists and professionals of the gemstone art industry. GANA counts among its members some of the world’s foremost lapidary artists, with works appearing in museums, exhibitions, and private collections worldwide. The juried member show highlights artworks inspired by the beauty of the precious materials themselves.


Wertz Gallery at the Carnegie MuseumWertz Gallery: Gems & Jewelry is a 2,000-square-foot addition to Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems dedicated to gems, the crystals from which they come, and jewelry comprised of these precious stones. Wertz Gallery is named in honor of Ronald W. Wertz, longtime president of the Hillman Foundation. Wertz Gallery opened in 2007 as part of a year-long expansion and renovation of Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems, which first opened in 1980. Hillman Hall exhibits minerals in the manner of sculpture, showing them for their beauty as well as discussing their physical properties and industrial uses. Extensive displays include amber, birthstones, and lapidary art, and major exhibitions are also hosted.

Carnegie Museum of Natural History presents Garden of Light: Works by Paula Crevoshay

Carnegie Museum of Natural History presents
Garden of Light: Works by Paula Crevoshay
More than 60 fine art jewelry pieces inspired by nature

Midnight Seduction (ladyslipper orchid)

Sapphire, blue zircon, black diamond, 

coral, and abalone pearl pendant by 

Paula Crevoshay; photo by Chris Chavez

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania…Experience the beauty of nature through more than 60 original pieces by award-winning jewelry artist Paula Crevoshay in a new exhibition, Garden of Light: Works by Paula Crevoshay.

Featuring stunning jewelry depicting botanicals, insects, and more, the single-artist exhibition appeals to nature lovers as well as fans of lapidary art. Many of the pieces are shown juxtaposed with spectacular minerals and insects from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History collection as examples of the nature-created materials by which Crevoshay is so inspired. 

Octavian

Opal, white gold, blackened chodium, 

black diamond, and black spinel brooch 

by Paula Crevoshay; photo by Chris Chavez

From a magnificent orchid pendant to a tiny spider pin, these one-of-a-kind pieces in Garden of Light celebrate the beauty and interdependencies of the animal, plant, and mineral kingdoms. 

Garden of Light is on view at Carnegie Museum of Natural History April 13–August 11, 2013, in Wertz Gallery: Gems & Jewelry, part of Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems. Garden of Light is supported locally by Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.     

   

“It’s in our nature to mimic Nature,” says Crevoshay, and so she does with the skill of a sculptor and painter in her pieces which are as much fine art as jewelry. Crevoshay uses her work to further the beauty she sees everywhere in the world. “As an artist, I mirror back to nature that which it inspires in me, which in turn strikes a chord in my viewers.”

Luna Moth

Opal, chrysoprase, moonstone, and 

diamond brooch/pendant by Paula 

Crevoshay; photo by Chris Chavez

Highlights of the exhibition include:

• Gold, opal, sapphire, and incredibly rare conch pearls, just a few of the materials that are incorporated into the pieces

• Exhibits of “ecosystems” featuring pieces which reflect the biodiversity and important relationships between plants, insects, and the elements, such as water in the garden

Poppy

Moonstone, black diamond, opal, 

and diamond brooch/pendant by 

Paula Crevoshay; photo by Chris Chavez

• A selection of gem-laden orchids by Crevoshay paired with specialized insects pulled from the museum’s invertebrate zoology collection that would pollinate the orchid species in nature

• Natural mineral specimens showing the transformation that takes place from mineral to work of art at Crevoshay’s hand

• The role of color—especially hues of green, blue, and red—in the garden ecosystem, explored and exemplified by the gems and minerals of the jewelry

• Charming characters from sprites to nymphs, inspired by but not from nature, representing the long cultural history humans have of trying to capture the beauty, spirit, and essence of nature

About the Artist

Paula Crevoshay has been a jewelry designer for more than 30 years. Her artistry focuses on original, one-of-a-kind pieces. Her work combines her love of art, history, and nature. She is considered one of the foremost jewelry designers of our time.  

                                                                                                     

Helios

Opal brooch/pendant by Paula Crevoshay; 

photo by Peter Hurst Photography

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, is among the top natural history museums in the country and is redefining what it means to be a 21st-century natural history museum. It maintains, preserves, and interprets an extraordinary collection of 22 million objects and scientific specimens used to broaden understanding of evolution, conservation, and biodiversity. Through four new Centers, Carnegie Museum of Natural History generates new scientific knowledge, advances science literacy, and inspires visitors of all ages to become passionate about science, nature, and world cultures. More information is available by calling 412.622.3131 or by visiting the website, www.carnegiemnh.org.