Wild Hearts Gallery will feature Jewelry: A Medium of Symbolic Communication, featuring the work of Geri Verble and Sandy Johnson, from Dec. 3 through Feb. 2.
According to a press release from the gallery, Verble specializes in contemporary ethnic jewelry. With every bead telling a story, the cultures that inform and inspire her work communicate an ethnic significance. Johnson has mastered the art of metalsmithing. Beginning with semi-precious stones, she saws, melts and hammers the metal to create unique jewelry.
The artists’ reception will be held Dec. 14 from 1-3 p.m. with a portion of sales benefitting Rebuilding Together Sandoval County, a nonprofit dedicated to repairing homes for low-income families.
The Jan. 5 First Sunday event will begin with coffee and treats at 10 a.m. and feature a gallery talk at noon focused on the artists’ very personal connection to their designs.
Verble will share her collection of African beads and speak about its cultural significance and symbolism. She developed a passion for collecting ethnic beads and pendants while traveling with the Peace Corps. It became a life long journey of learning about their history.
Johnson will help identify your stones while demonstrating how a stone, in its raw form, becomes the centerpiece of one of her designs. Join her in listening to a stone slab, focusing on what form and shape the stone wants to be before it is cut and polished and becomes part of a new design.
Wild Hearts Gallery is an artists’ collective, supported by 15 local artists. Located at 221-B State Highway 165, the gallery is open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Visual tours of monthly exhibits in the gallery are available at wildheartsgallery.com.