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One of the recognized August birthday stones is jade, you can read about that gemstone in the August, 2007 issue of our newsletter. The second gem is peridot, one of the few gemstones that occur in only one color: basically an olive green, but can slightly vary from yellow-green through olive green to brownish green. Peridot is also known as the chrysolite. The origin of the name "peridot" is uncertain. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests an alteration of Anglo-Norman PEDORETES (classical Latin PAEDEROT), a kind of opal, rather than the Arabic word FARIDAT, meaning "gem". Some sources say that the word "peridot" came from French.

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Frankly speaking, peridot (chrysolite) is a gem quality olivine. Olivine itself is one of the most common minerals on Earth, and is usually named for its typically olive-green color. Chrysolite took its modern meaning much more recently, and in Greek times just meant "golden stone" (CHRYSO-LITHOS), and could refer not only to yellowish olivine, but also to topaz, Amber, yellow jasper, yellow serpentine, or even lapis lazuli which has golden flecks.

As it was said, olivine in general is a very abundant mineral, but peridot is rather rare. Peridot olivine is mined in North Carolina, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico, in the US; and in Australia, Brazil, China, Kenya, Mexico, Myanmar (Burma), Norway, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania. High quality peridot olivine is mined in the eastern lava fields of Saudi Arabia. Some of the finest gem-quality olivine has been obtained on Zabargad island in the Red Sea.

Peridot facts

1. Peridot is sometimes called "night emerald".

2. The largest cut peridot olivine is a 310 carat specimen in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.

Carina Veling lives in a small village in the Venlo region, in the south of the Netherlands, and has been making jewelry and other art for much of her life. When she was 14 years old she began to make jewelry out of ballpoint springs and seed beads for her friends and has since ventured into many other materials and techniques. Some of the techniques that she has used are wire wrapping, chainmaille, beadweaving, stringing, wire crochet, netting, and polymer clay as well as many others. She says that her favorite are wire wrapping and chainmaille for their soothing and relaxing qualities. When asked about her favorite materials to work with she says they are gemstones, sterling silver, silver plated artistic wire, crystals, and copper wire, but she can work with whatever is available, even plastic or acrylic beads when they are nice.

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As a self-taught jewelry maker, Carina has many sources of inspiration. In December 2004, she became a member of the B&B forum, her first beaders' community and was amazed by the work of many others. Her heroes from that include MEW (Middle Earth Wire), Totemic (John Wik) and Gwen Fisher. Since then she has also come to admire the work of Zoya Gutina, Jacksmom, Kvorrie, RubyBee, Blackcrow, Miranda, Ineke, Armande, and CarolinaG, and others.

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She is most inspired by the work and ideas of others, but changes designs so they are completely different at the end. Often photographs in magazines or on the Internet can inspire her as well. The last item she made was inspired when she found a box with tap rubbers, which are now included in her chainmaille necklace and earrings. Carina says she does not have a specific style for her jewelry as she just makes whatever she can think of and does not pay much attention to trends. Her favorite style though is Romantic Goth or Victorian and she especially enjoys them when paired with modern clothing.

Carina's future plans include trying glass beads making and/or making something with precious metal clay and sheet metal. For the foreseeable future she is going to redesign her website with the help of her boyfriend. They would like to design and develop affordable web shops for bead hobbyists as well.

Interview with Carina Veling
 
Wirework jewelry by Carina Veling
 
Website: www.violetmoon.nl
 
Email: violetmoon.nl@gmail.com

Larisa Berenshtein is not only our featured artist, but she is also an accomplished scientist as well. This well-rounded mother of two and grandmother of one, began designing jewelry out of need. When her adult son got married three years ago, she chose to sew her dress for the event herself since she had been sewing for much of her life. She then discovered she needed jewelry to go with the unique dress and beaded a necklace, earrings and a bracelet for the occasion. She was so happy with the result and enjoyed beading so much that she has continued to bead ever since.

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Growing up in the USSR, Larisa sewed, knitted and did macrame for much of her life. She had always sewn clothing for her children and herself. When she moved to Israel in 1999 she discovered that most of her new countrymen simply wore jeans, t-shirts and other simple clothing so she no longer made clothing for her family until the wedding. Since she began beading she now uses jewelry design as her creative outlet to compliment her professional life as a professor of chemistry.

When asked about her favorite beading techniques, Larisa says she likes making jewelry using seed and bugle beads, and cabochons the most. She very much enjoys using different techniques and her jewelry does not imitate others' styles. Most of her jewelry is very delicate and incorporates interesting angles and asymmetrical patterns. Larisa says she will begin a piece over and over until it meets her expectations. She takes great pride in her artistic work and we hope you will also.

Delicate beaded jewelry by Larisa Berenshtein
 
Blog: beautiful-beads.livejournal.com
 
Email: med55-55@mail.ru

6th Annual Alexandria Festival of the Arts

September 13-14, 2008
         Saturday 10 am - 7 pm
         Sunday 10 am - 5 pm
King Street between Union & Washington sts., Alexandria, VA

Alexandria Festival of the Arts is voted one of the top 100 art festivals in the country by Sunshine Artist magazine. More than $15 million in art will be on display! More than 200 juried artists display and sell fine art ranging from paintings, sculpture, prints and photography to pottery, glass, jewelry and ceramics. The show is set up along King Street in Old Town Alexandria, a quaint, historic town with many different shops, restaurants and more. The show stretches all the way down the street to the Potomac River.

Art Activated at the Torpedo Factory

September 13, 2008, Noon-4 pm
Torpedo Factory Art Center
105 N. Union Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Visual art comes alive at the Torpedo Factory during the Alexandria Festival of the Arts! Artists will demonstrate pottery on the wheel, painting, enamel work, printmaking, and much more. Guests will get creative with the popular Champagne Cork Chairs Workshop and fiber art activities, while the Alexandria Archaeology Museum joins the fun with a history-inspired drawing activity. Storytelling and flute performances, art-inspired dance vignettes, and so on.