Howard County hosts show for mineral, jewelry and fossil fans

Even a weekend washout could not set a damper on the 58th Yearly Atlantic Coastline Gem, Mineral, Jewellery and Fossil Demonstrate past week at the Howard County Fairgrounds.

Held by the Gem Cutters Guild of Baltimore, the present highlighted shows of fossils, gems, jewelry, minerals and lapidary artwork.

Originally held at the Pikesville Armory in Baltimore County, the exhibit moved to Howard County in 2002 and has been held at the fairgrounds at any time due to the fact.

Set up in the 1950s, the guild is a nonprofit corporation with the objective of raising appreciation and recognition of the lapidary arts and sharing the information of lapidary sciences and jewellery fabrication with the group, by means of subject outings and lessons, and the yearly display.

Dave Mitchell, president of the Gem Cutters Guild of Baltimore and exhibit chairman, mentioned the intent of the exhibit is to assist modest firms and educate the community about the art of jewellery earning. The show bundled 35 suppliers and 1,900 compensated attendees, Mitchell said.

“Some of the dealers occur from additional away, but pretty a few are right here from Maryland, so in that regard we are supplying them a location to market their supplies,” he mentioned. “We genuinely are an academic club and our mission is to teach the general public on the lapidary arts.”

At the fairgrounds, raincoat-clad patrons wandered the key exhibition hall in research of treasures.

Viewing merchandise from suppliers symbolizing modest corporations from across the condition and region, like Pennsylvania and New York, they perused displays of fossils, gems and jewelry.

Bob Farrar, of Southern Star Rocks and Minerals in Bowie, stood guiding a booth showcasing his collection of fossils, gemstones and minerals. Greeting patrons as they stopped by, he answered inquiries about his products for sale.

Farrar, who has owned his small business for much more than 3 many years, started marketing his goods at the exhibit previous year.

He said the display will help to guidance modest firms.

“[Small businesses] enable hold the group jointly and help foster ties in the local community,” he stated. “These times corporations are obtaining a minimal little bit of a challenging time primarily right after the pandemic, so we always like to help them when we can.”

Teresa and Marvin Schwab, of Monrovia, have been offering beads by means of their company The Bead Warehouse at the clearly show for much more than 3 a long time.

They beforehand owned a retail shop in Silver Spring, and now the few sells items on the net and at displays.

Erin Plummer, of Crofton in Anne Arundel County, attended the show to locate supplies to make her beaded jewelry.

She reported the clearly show supports enterprises and jewelry makers alike.

“I come to these [shows] simply because you can only do so considerably with what you get at Pastime Foyer or Michael’s,” she reported. “For more wide variety you have to occur to these reveals, so it is extremely vital to guidance the sellers that come right here.”