Ocean Reef Collection...

...sculpting new designs featuring
the ocean's reefs.

My new line of pendants go from simply
elegant to fabulous and I hope you agree.

Click here for more information.

Dawn VertreesJewelry Designer

Upcoming Exhibitions & Art Shows

2nd Annual Hilton Head Island Art Festival at Shelter Cove Harbor

May 29-30, 2010

Hilton Head, SC

20th Anniversary Art in the Village

June 5-6, 2010

Cleveland, OH

Downtown Louisville Art Festival at Fourth Street Live!
June 12-13, 2010
Louisville, KY

2010 Boardwalk Art Show Festival
June 17-20, 2010

Virginia Beach, VA

49th Annual Downtown Grand Haven Art Festival

June 26-27, 2010
Grand Haven, MI

East Hampton Fine Arts Festival

July 3-5, 2010

Amagansett, NY

American Orchid Society Project

Don and I have been very fortunate over the past few years to have cultivated a wonderful relationship with the American Orchid Society. One outgrowth of this relationship has been a new line of Sterling Silver charms called the "AOS Winner's Circle". These charms were sculpted using AOS award winning flowers as the models. With the purchase of any of these charms comes a small card which has a picture of the award winning flower as well as a brief history of the awards it's won and it's origins. A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of these charms will be donated back to the American Orchid Society. The charm bracelet pictured is also part of the "AOS Winners Circle" line. It features 12 gauge jump ring construction, lending itself to easy attachment and rearrangement of charms as well as a very strong framework to hold these beautiful miniature works of art. Also features a large Infinity clasp making it easy to put on and secure to wear anywhere. Click Here for Additional Information

New Product Announcement:

Fan Coral Bracelet with
Australian Boulder Opal

From my first glimpse of this Boulder Opal stone, I knew I wanted to make something spectacular with it! It has such depth and color, it takes me back to the Bahamas, snorkeling over a sandy bottom with outcroppings of rock and coral.

This Fan Coral Bracelet design was formed from overlapping fan coral shapes in Sterling Silver and 14K Gold. If you squint your eyes, you'll see the movement of the fan coral in the ocean current. The resulting effect adds dimension and movement to the piece, and creates a magnificent frame to display the Boulder Opal.

This new piece was first shown at The Gasparilla Arts Festival in St Petersburg, Florida. It was selected for judging, and ultimately received an Award of Merit! What an honor!

Click here for additional information.

New Product Announcement:
Mini Ghost Orchid Earrings

Since the introduction of our full size Ghost Orchid Pendant, many of you have requested a smaller version either for earrings or for a more petite pendant. Well...it took a while, but they're ready now!

As you can see in the attached picture, the new design has a new "personality" with it's "legs" taking a much more natural twist. I hope you like the look, it makes me smile every time I look at it!

These new Mini Ghost Orchids are available in three earring configurations...stud, lever back, and french wire. Also available are pendant and lapel pin.
Click here for details.

New Product Announcement:

Calla Lily Necklace

As promised in our last newsletter, the new Calla Lily Necklace is now complete!

When I created this piece in wax, I knew it was going to be something special. But I had no idea it would look this good! The contrast of the highly polished Calla Lily flower next to the textured finish of the naturally frilly leaves lends to this design a character and personality all it's own.

Cast is Sterling Silver with 14K Gold pistol in the Calla Lily flower, this necklace also features a chain and clasp at the back to make it easy to put on, and comfortable to wear.
Click here for details.

Hinged Bamboo Cuff

Yes, I've talked this one up so much it's about time I made good on all the promises! I think you'll agree though, this new design was well worth the wait! As many of you have found, bangles are generally tough to fit properly. Too tight to fit over the knuckle...too loose once it's on. But that problem is in the past now. Because of our new spring hinge design, putting on this new bangle is easy and pain free!

This new coil design is cast in Sterling Silver with my signature bamboo leaf accents in 14K yellow gold. Truly an elegant design that's also comfortable to wear!

Event Highlights

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival 2010 was another landmark event! As a very well established event in an area of South Florida that really appreciates art, this show seems to continually break records in both attendance and quality of artists!

We were proud to be one of the 360 artists participating!

One of the highlights of the show was the sale of my first men's ring. This ring featured a 16mm Blue Star Sapphire in a Sterling Silver and 14K Gold setting. Our customer was so pleased to find a replacement
for a Star Sapphire ring he owned years ago!

One of our neighboring artists at the show was David Berger. At set-up time, we discovered a nest of Africanized bees in a tree directly behind our booths! Long story short...the bees took particular dislike of David, making his set-up particularly challenging...and painful. As you can see by the attached picture, David is a very talented artist working in oils...and a very nice guy to talk to (don't know what it is about the bees). I hope you'll look for him at future shows. www.bergerartstudio.com

Linda Cathcart was a vendor at the show too. She is the owner of Tropiflora Nurseries of Sarasota. Turns out she's from Lincolnton, NC...only a few miles from where I grew up in Cornelius, NC. It was fun visiting with her and talking about her beautiful tropical plants! www.tropifloral.com






Larry and Sherry Paulsen were also
participants at the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Larry and Sherry have a unique line of art prints illustrating points of interest in the local area in which they are showing. For instance, at the Coconut Grove Arts Festival they were showing a collection of art prints that included the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Viscaya Mansion, and the Coconut Grove Playhouse. If you have a favorite landmark in your local area, you might check their website at www.cityartmarket.com They just might have it!

Ronnie Hughes, one more notable artist from Coconut Grove works in glass. His botanical designs are amazing, including many exotic orchids. Now you know what attracted me to his display. www.hughesglass.net

With all the visiting going on with all our fellow festival participants you'd think I didn't have time to sell anything. But believe me this was a wonderfully successful show. Thanks so much to all of you who made the Coconut Grove Arts Festival one of our most successful ever!

Events: Mount Dora Festival

It was a stormy night for set-up at our first showing in Mount Dora. That combined with being located on a sloping booth space made for a challenging set-up.
But come Saturday morning it was all behind us, and even though we had a few sprinkles here and there, the show was on and the streets were full of smiling faces!...though some were bundled up just a bit.
As those of you who visited us there will attest, the show was an exciting place to be, and the level of art on display was exemplary!
Mount Dora is a beautiful town, with tree lined streets, old Craftsmen style homes, in view of a picturesque lake to the west of town. The downtown area is brimming with interesting shops, bakeries, and restaurants. A place we'd like to visit some time when we can take it all in...a little at a time.

Calla Lily Collection

The Calla Lily has long been a favorite of mine and I've been working lately on a new group of pieces featuring these amazingly beautiful blooms. This newest Calla Lily design is big and bold, with the flower lip extending out over adjacent fingers. It's available in all Sterling Silver, Sterling Silver with 14K Gold pistol, and in Sterling Silver with 14K Gold pistol and Ruby, Sapphire or Diamond set in the tip. Having shown this new ring now at our last two shows, one customer commented that it's beautiful, but just not large enough for her...! So she paired up two of them on one finger, and we were both amazed at the result! The two flowers fit together like they were made that way. I think you'll agree, the new Calla Lily Ring is a great addition to our line...and if you like the ring, you're going to love the necklace coming soon!

Baroque Pearl Pendant

If you like unique pieces of art, you're going to love this new pearl pendant. Formed around a very large baroque pearl with pronounced nodelles, I have designed a setting of fan coral and plate coral in both Sterling Silver and 14K Yellow Gold. And, to keep this piece looking shiny and new, I've added a Rhodium Plating to the Sterling Silver. It's designed to accept a medium to large width Omega Chain, or a conventional chain up to 4.5 mm in diameter. Because of the unique shape of each baroque pearl, this piece is one of a kind.

14K Oncidium Pendant - AOS Auction

Golden Anniversary for Southland Orchid Show

Twice a year the American Orchid Society has a Members Meeting which is hosted by an affiliated orchid society. This week we’ll have the Fall 2009 AOS Members’ Meeting in California outside of Los Angeles at the fabulous Huntington Library & Gardens from October 16 – 19th.

The meeting is being hosted by both the Huntington and the Southland Orchid Growers Show – this is the 50th Anniversary for the Southland Orchid Show and in celebration of that they have a special poster and AOS has a special pendant.

You can find the show information and the poster at www.aos.org under Events and Members Meetings. The Southland Orchid Show poster shows one flower of Oncidium Jiuhbao Gold ‘Tainan’ AM/AOS which has been reproduced in 14K yellow gold by award winning orchid artist Dawn Vertrees. Jeff Bradley, longtime AOS member, commissioned the gold oncidium pendant which will be auctioned off, along with exciting orchid trips, special orchids as well as other items at the AOS auction on Friday, October 16th at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Arcadia, California. Auction preview at 5:30 PM, bidding beings at 6:30 PM.

Everyone is invited to attend the auction – registration is not necessary. If you want more information and would like to bid on this piece please contact Susan Wayman at 561-404-2031 or swayman@aos.org or Carol Holdren affiliated_societies@aos.org

Kudzu...Could this be my next cuff?

Kudzu? Let's Vote...

HEALTHY FOODS - KUDZU

Why should I be eating kudzu

Kudzu is a plant native to Japan and China. Its root has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine where it is considered to be among the top 50 therapeutic herbs. Practitioners of Chinese medicine use kudzu to treat a range of conditions, including excessive thirst, headaches, high blood pressure and angina. Other uses include diarrhoea, allergies, migraines, headaches and alcoholism.

Kudzu is also a useful cooking ingredient as it can be used as a gluten and corn-free thickener in soups and sauces. You can find it in health food shops and Japanese food shops.

What is it rich in?

Kudzu root contains isoflavones such as Daidzein. Animal studies indicate that Daidzein may reduce the desire for alcohol. Studies with alcoholic people show mixed results but heavy alcohol drinkers given 1000 milligrams of kudzu extract three times a day for a week significantly reduced their beer consumption. Daidzein also has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.

Who should eat kudzu?

Those suffering from high blood pressure or angina pectoris

Those suffering from blood sugar imbalances. The fibre in kudzu slows the release of sugar from carbohydrates thus reducing blood sugar highs and lows

Those with intolerances or allergies to gluten and/or corn starch can use kudzu as a thickener

Serving suggestion and amounts

Therapeutic doses of kudzu vary from 10-100 milligrams of the extract 2-3 times a day. However, as a culinary root 1-2 tablespoons in a sauce is usually sufficient to thicken it.

How interesting... And we thought it was just a pesky plant that's taking over the South!

Any comments?

...a few new rings

Bamboo Bands

A New Phalaenopsis Necklace

Our Orchid Shows are gearing up and it's time to think about my Orchids again.

Phalaenopsis Necklace

I will be reproducing my Phaleaenopsis Orchid Necklace. The original one is way down towards the end of my posts but I'll bring up a copy just to show you what the original necklace looked like.

The new Phalaenopsis Orchid Necklace will be smaller, more flexable but twice the details the original one had. The design will be the same but it will have more buds, some half open buds, and a bit more smaller leaves.

The three flowers will be as perfect as I can get them, so I have chosen the Phal. H.P. Norton to reproduce. I feel this Phalaenopsis is among the most beautiful I have seen. While I am making the flowers, I will be offering a single Phalaenopsis Pendant with an Enhancer while sculpting the necklace.

Wax Model pictures so far...

I will be sculpting 2 more orchids above the first one plus a few more buds between the flowers. After that, I'll be designing the leaf links to the back and a clasp.

Ocean Reef Necklace

I'm getting close to finishing up the wax model on this new project. I have sculpted several fan corals with plate coral peaking out from between the overlaping corals.

Some of the plate coral will be cast in 14k yellow gold but the majority of the necklace will be Sterling Silver. I will have 3 clusters of small aquamarines dotted around the necklace. One cluster on the left side and two clusters to the right.

I took two of my sketches and combined them, coming up with this design...I think you can see by looking at my drawings, I took the best of both.

Needless to say, it's going to take some time to complete this piece but I can assure you...it will be photographed. This is a one of a kind piece, and if anyone is interested in this piece, please call me.

Two New Cuffs - UPDATED!!!

Two New Cuffs...

Bamboo Cuff

14K yellow gold & rose gold bamboo leaves

on sterling silver

Ocean Reef Cuff

Sterling Silver Fan Coral with 14k yellow gold

plate & cup coral



Finished Cuffs!!!

Sterling Silver & 14K Yellow Gold
Bamboo Cuff

Sterling Silver & 14K Yellow Gold
Ocean Reef Cuff

Bamboo Collection

The Newest Addition to my

Bamboo Collection

Two bamboo leaves, one in Sterling Silver and the other in solid 14K yellow gold.

The 4mm Sterling Silver Woven Chain is soldered into the bamboo stems creating a seamless neck piece.

If you are interested in this piece, please email me at:

dawnvertrees@gmail.com

...a watch for Kristi

Kristi's Watch Design

...a bit more nautical

Sculpted Wax:
The corals included in the piece are cup coral, fan coral, plate coral & tube coral.

Well, it's finished and I couldn't be happier! I love sculpting coral because each piece is telling a story such as the eel trying to snatch that piece of topaz that has fallen and stuck between the corals.

I'm not sure if my photos capture the details but here they are...I hope you like it.