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ABOUT
US
In 1996 Helen, Sandra
and Fred went on a trip to Western North Carolina in hope of
collecting rubies, sapphires and any other minerals. It was Helen and Sandra’s first experience collecting minerals,
but Fred had been there many years before. After two days, each
with a handful of “precious stones”, we were all hooked. We joined the Connecticut Valley Mineral Club based in Springfield,
Massachusetts to satisfy our thirst for more knowledge and of course
the opportunity to search for more minerals. We acquired some used lapidary equipment and quite a batch of old but
beautiful rough and after some professional tutoring and guidance from
a fellow member of our club, began to cut a considerable amount of
cabs. Fred, being an artist all of his life, was certainly an asset.
What started out as a hobby was quickly turning into a small business.
It consumed our lives very quickly. Collecting minerals became an
obsession and we started doing shows to make our wares available. It
didn’t take long for Fred’s profession as an artist to mix with our
love for minerals and we developed a line of mineral paintings. A
quickly growing demand for originals as well as limited edition
prints, at a few major shows made us decide to establish this web
site. Fred does numerous commissioned paintings and illustrated a book on the Palermo Mines in New Hampshire.
Helen and Sandra devote much of their time to doing the computer work.
It’s not unusual
to find us “digging” at numerous sites all over New England and
Canada. We take great pleasure working in art and minerals, and we hope
you enjoy your visit with us.
We do a few Gem and
Minerals Shows each year. You can find us at the following:
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August 8, 9 &
10, 2008
East Coast Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show
Better Living Center
West Springfield, MA
Fri. & Sat. 10 - 7 and Sun. 10 - 5
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September 27 &
28, 2008
Capital Mineral Club
Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Festival
Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Ave.
Concord, NH
Sat. 9-5 and Sun. 10-4
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August 15, 16 &
17, 2008 - NEW SHOW
Southeast Gem
& Mineral Show
Holiday Inn
Cartersville, GA
45 miles North of Atlanta
I-75 at exit 293
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February 2009
Tucson, Arizona
The InnSuites Hotel (in the Lobby)
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March 28 & 29,
2009
Western Mass Mineral, Jewelry, and Fossil Show
Holiday Inn at Ingleside
Exit 15 off I-91 - Holyoke, MA
Sat. 10-5 and Sun. 10-4
WHO WE ARE
“The Artist”.. He’s on the drawing board more often than not. But an
obsession with minerals will find him in the field whenever he can
sneak out. Then there’s photographing products for our site,
mounting specimens and doing the mineral shows. His love for the
outdoors since he was a little more than a toddler gave him a firm
understanding of nature and it’s many creations. He has painted
landscapes and wildlife for over 40 years. His mineral art paintings
are a new challenge and give him a chance to broaden his horizons.
Click here
for biography...
“The organizer”..
Helen keeps the business on track, preparing for shows, servicing the
Web Site, greeting people at shows and making sure Fred doesn't wander
too far from his drawing board. She has a knack for laying out the
show booth to make it easier for visitors to enjoy our offerings.
Her energy level and enthusiasm seems to be endless. She can be
found at the computer sending e-mails to clients, typing lists and
correspondence into the wee hours of the night. She's at all of
the shows greeting people with a smile. She has an impressive
mineral collection, specializing in Quartz. Many of her most
prized specimens have been self collected on many trips throughout the
country. Her knowledge of minerals and gemstones is a great
asset.
Her skills
on the computer servicing our Web Site are a big asset. Her
friendly personality makes her nice to have on board.
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