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January 2012
The fall schedule was crazy. Between the shows and other commitments, I was busy 12 out of 18 weekends between September and the end of the year. Overall I am pleased with 2011. The new agate book is selling well, museum sales were close to the previous year, but show sales were down a bit. Plus even though the book is going well, sales cannot catch up with the balloon of demand that following introduction of the book. So in total sales were down a bit over ten percent from 2010. Given the economic decline and all of the other factors, I am pleased with the year.
Due to the book, 2012 should be a great year. I have been invited to speak at the Tucson Showplace on January 31st. as well as at the international agate show that will be taking place in Minneapolis the last weekend of July. The January author's event is sponsored by The Gem Shop. This event will begin at 3:00 pm at The Tucson Showplace, space A1. At that time each author will speak about their individual books and their love of agates and jaspers. Then, there will be a brief question & answer session with all the authors, which will be followed by an authors' reception. Space and tickets are limited so please contact The Gem Shop, Inc. to purchase your tickets. Please visit www.thegemshop.com for more information, send inquiries to mail@thegemshop.com, or call 262.377.4666.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Johann Zenz is an Austrian collector who developed his interest for minerals and fossils early in his youth. He has served on the board of several Austrian collectors' associations, and frequently gives lectures on agates. Zenz is the publisher of "International Agate Collector Directory" as well as an international author and the author of Agates I, II, & III.
Brad Cross is a renowned authority on Mexican agates and author of "The Agates of Northern Mexico", "Gem Trails of Texas", and "Geodes: Nature's Treasures." His latest book, "Mexican Agates: Majestic Treasures" is anticipated to be published in late 2012. Brad has been a collector of museum quality agates for over 37 years. He has travelled extensively throughout northern Mexico and has conducted geologic mapping at a number of the agate beds throughout Chihuahua. He has also visited southern Brazil, evaluating the agate and geode deposits of the extensive Parana flood basalts in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. He is a professional hydrogeologist and is currently employed with a consulting firm in Austin, Texas.
Roger Clark is the author of the Fairburn Agate series. The series includes South Dakota's Fairburn Agate, Fairburn Agate – Gem of South Dakota, and South Dakota State Gemstone – Fairburn Agate.
Karen Brzys is the author of Agates Inside Out. She is also the owner & curator of the Gitche Gumee Agate & History Museum located in Grand Marais, Michigan.
Scott Wolter is author of several books including The Lake Superior Agate, and The Lake Superior Agate: One Man's Journey. He's been the principal petrographer in more than 5,000 investigations throughout the U.S. and around the world, including the evaluation of fire damaged concrete at the Pentagon following the attacks of September 11, 2001. Wolter and his wife, Janet, have two children, Grant and Amanda, and live in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
Hans Gamma, originally from Switzerland, and retired to the beautiful Arizona Desert, continues to collect, cut, and polish the exquisite colors and shapes in jaspers. Gamma is the author of Picture Jaspers: Treasures of the Owyhee area, Oregon which reflects on his extensive relationship with the different jaspers. This is Gamma's first book and will be available in January 2012.
The second event will be held the last weekend in July. Details are still being announced, but I will be giving the following talk: The Story of Silica: Cosmic Source through Agate Genesis during the Seminar Day on Thursday, July 26, 2012 at "A Celebration of Agates." The seminars will take place that day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Attendees will have to register in advance and pay to attend the Thursday seminar. The displays and exhibits will be open to the public on Friday, noon to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 10a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be held at the Lindbergh Center at Hopkins High School, 2400 Lindbergh Drive, Minnetonka, Minnesota. Either watch this web page for more information or sign up to receive information directly from the Minnesota club at www.minnesotamineralclub.org. Photos of the school and the modern auditorium are below.
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I do have another new product to announce: new Lake Superior Scenes playing cards. This is the second deck of cards. The first deck is also still available, which features Lake Superior agates. For the new deck, the four suits are the four seasons. There are 53 different images (the joker image is repeated) including pictures that were featured on my photo journal blog at www.agatelady.blogspot.com. The cost of both decks, not including shipping or sales tax, is $9.00 each. If you are interested in ordering a deck or two, please click on the gift shop link: gift shop link.
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The only other news is that I am continuing to work on the online rockhounding adventures. I hope to launch them this summer.
For those of you who miss the monthly pictures (since I am only updating the web page every few months as time permits), make sure you check out the photo journal blog at www.agatelady.blogspot.com. I post new pictures almost daily. Hopefully in the future I'll be able to find the time to resume more frequent web page updates.
Please remember that the museum does not have regular hours during the winter. If you are interested in visiting the museum, please email me or call in advance. Also, there is no heat turned on so if you visit the museum, dress warmly. If things work out, I will be opening the museum for the UP 200, which is scheduled the weekend of February 18, 2012.
The museum's hours are:
| Last half of May | Sunday thru Friday | 2-5 pm |
| Saturday | 12-7 pm | |
| June | Sunday thru Friday | 2-5 pm |
| Saturday | 12-7 pm | |
| July | Monday thru Saturday | 12-7 pm |
| Sunday | 2-5 pm | |
| August | Monday thru Saturday | 12-7 pm |
| Sunday | 2-5 pm | |
| September | Sunday thru Friday | 2-5 pm |
| Saturday | 12-7 pm | |
| October - Mid May | I am travelling a lot during these months exhibiting my mineral art at shows. Please call 906-494-2590 at least a week in advance of your visit. A donation or purchase is requested for all private appointments. | |
Happy Rockhounding!
Karen BrzysGitche Gumee Museum
E21739 Brazel Street, PO Box 308
Grand Marais, MI 49839
kbrzys @ jamadots.com or karen @ agatelady.com
906-494-3000
906-494-2590 (Home Number)
906-450-5033 (Cell phone -- not always turned on. I use it only when I travel.)
Regular Webpage: www.agatelady.com
Photo Blog: www.agatelady.blogspot.com
Art and Mineral Show and Agate Talk Schedule
- January 31, 2012: AGATE BOOK TALK – Tucson Showplace, 1530 S Freeway, Tucson, AZ 85713, Space A1 at 3:00 p.m. The event will include author talks, book signing, and a reception. For more information please call 866-377-4666 or visit www.thegemshop.com.
- July 26-29, 2012: PRESENTATION AND EXHIBIT BOOTH, A Celebration of Agates. Lindbergh Center at Hopkins High School, 2400 Lindbergh Drive, Minnetonka, Minnesota. Either watch this web page for more information or sign up to receive information directly from the Minnesota club at www.minnesotamineralclub.org.
NOTE: I have not yet signed up for other events for 2012. They will be posted in future web page updates.
January 2012 Update
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Mineral of the Month Mary Ellen Jasper |
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History’s Gem of the Month Axel Remembered |
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On-line Gift Shop A new deck of playing cards featuring 52 different images of Lake Superior scenes is now available. |
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Gitche Gumee Gatherings Information about scheduling private, in-home private art shows |
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Rockhounding and Adventure Trip Grand Canyon 2011 |
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Media Coverage Petoskey News |
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Correspondence Testimonial from a Mineral Art customer |
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Copyright All rights reserved.
Gitche Gumee Museum.
E21739 Brazel Street
Grand Marais, Michigan 49839
