News

Mark Arts, Mary R Koch Arts Center, Wichita, KS and Art League of Lincoln,  Lincoln, CA announced this week that jewelry created by Joan North, Stevens Point, has been selected for inclusion into their national juried exhibits. “I look forward to starting a new affiliation in Kansas and continuing my California ties,” enthused North.

 Mark Arts will feature “Lifeline” necklace, containing a rugged piece of limestone, & a round garnet held both in place with custom silver & copper bezels resting on textured copper and finished with an 18-inch artisan silver chain. Art League of Lincoln will feature three of North’s necklaces; “Come With Me”, “Firefly” and “My Star” exquisite serpentine and citrine held by custom silver bezels resting on formed silver with 20-inch custom-made link chain. 

Joan is a full time award-winning silversmith whose works are shown at galleries and exhibits across the country, most recently in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Wisconsin, California and Florida. North has been operating Joan North Designs for 17 years in her Stevens Point studio. Find her online at JoanNorth.com, Facebook and Instagram.

The Show in downtown Milwaukee starts on Sunday, June 4. This annual show is the second-largest convention held in Milwaukee with 11,000+ attendees, and it brings in jewelry makers from across the country and around the world. 

Michael and Mary are teaching soldering and metal fabrication workshops for beginner, intermediate, and advanced makers. “Most of our students complete their projects in class,” Mary said. “I love to see them wearing their jewelry out the door and onto the show floor!”

The pair will also be selling their made-in-Milwaukee tools for jewelry makers. If you’re headed to the show, stop and say hi in their Wisconsin Center classroom, 203D.

The Center for the Visual Arts, Wausau, WI invited Stevens Point silversmith, Joan North to exhibit her jewelry in its Stoned Invitational Exhibition, which opens on June 9th and closes on August 12th. Opening Gallery Gala: June 23 from 5 – 7pm. “Stoned” is meant to celebrate and recognize artists that feature natural mineral elements, or rather, stones in their artwork. North is showing a rainbow of stones in her rings, bracelets, and necklaces: jasper, kyanite, citrine, agate, sandstone, rhodochrosite, malachite, turquoise, sapphire, prehnite, amethyst, tourmaline, labradorite, aventurine and peridot. 

North is an actively exhibiting, award-winning silversmith whose works are shown at galleries and museums across the country, most recently in California, Florida Michigan and Pennsylvania. North has been operating Joan North Designs for 17 years in her Stevens Point studio. Find her online at:

 JoanNorthDesigns.com and facebook.com/JoanNorthDesigns

Long time member and Morning Glory exhibitor Jean Smalik-Wells has been selected to be the  featured potter for the 2017 US Open Championship at Erin Hills.

Check out this Fox6 report featuring Jean in her studio.

So who's not looking for an excuse to go to Door County this summer? That's where Sarah will be leading a workshop on designing and constructing sculptural rings. The workshop will be held on Jul 6, 7, 8 at the Pennsylvania School of Art in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. You can go here or click on the image at the right for complete information and to register. Fun...learning....Door County....what's not to love!

Artist, inventor, and influencer Brenda Meintz Schweder will show you how to harness the power of the best web-based and social media tools available in an easy-to-understand, pick-what-works-for-you, simple-to-dive-into way.

Learn the basics of:
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For more details or to register - CLICK HERE

Idaho Falls Arts Council, Idaho Falls, Idaho, announced this week that “Lifeline” a custom necklace of copper, silver, limestone & garnet created by Stevens Point silversmith Joan North was chosen for its National Juried Exhibition. Only 57 art works were selected out of 169 applications. The exhibition opens on March 16 and closes on June 11. Earlier in 2017 three other fine art exhibits included North’s works. Lancaster County Art Association, Strasburg, PA, chose a North creation for its “Tree Lines” exhibit running from Feb. 19 to March 16. Wisconsin Alliance of Artists & Craftspeople, Madison, WI, included two of North’s creations for its show at the UW Hospital Feb. 4 to March 4. The Art Garage in Green Bay sponsored a February “Art in Circles” exhibit and chose North’s “Coming Full Circle” necklace of silver, diopside and ocean jasper. Former Dean of the College of Professional Studies at the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point, North is now an actively exhibiting, award-winning silversmith whose works are shown at galleries and museums across the country, most recently in California, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Florida and Wisconsin. North has been operating Joan North Designs for 17 years in her Stevens Point studio. Find her online at JoanNorthDesigns.com and facebook.com/JoanNorthDesigns as well as locally at the Center for the Visual Arts, Q Gallery & Riverfront Arts Center.

Michael Thee and Mary Wohlgemuth are excited about their collaboration with Ephraim Pottery.  Mary passed on the news, saying, " Michael and I make jewelry using their glaze drops, a byproduct of the ceramic glazing process. We developed about 30 different styles for the line, which is sold in their galleries/retail shops in Lake Mills, Wis., and Cambria, Calif., and online on their website. The folks at Ephraim have been enthusiastic and creative partners in this journey – just fantastic to work with. 

What great synergy both in the art and the artists!  Check out the Ephraim Blog Post  to learn more and see photos of the great work resulting from the collaboration!

Be sure to visit the Color Pop Gallery Exhibit at the Plymouth Arts Center, running from 1-27-17 through 3-17-17! This exhibit features the colorful work of artists Claudette Lee-Roseland and Jeanette Payne. Roseland’s bright paintings and Payne’s colorful jewelry are sure to amuse the viewer The opening reception is Fri. Jan. 27 from 4:30-7:30pm with an Artists’ Talk from 4:30-5pm. More on the Arts Center and exhibit on their FB page.

Center for the Visual Arts, Wausau, WI announced on December 9th that three custom necklaces created by WDCC member Joan North, have been selected for inclusion into their signature exhibit “Midwest Seasons”. Pictured is “Raindrops Falling on My Head” which features textured silver with custom bezels holding the focal gem, serpentine, highlighted by citrine and finished with an artisan silver chain. Artists from around the country submit artwork in all mediums and style describing the seasons of the Midwest. The exhibit opens on January 6th and runs through April 1st Former Dean of the College of Professional Studies at the University of WisconsinStevens Point, North is now an actively exhibiting, award-winning silversmith whose works are shown at galleries and museums across the country, most recently in California, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Florida including solo shows at artZ Gallery, CVA & Q Gallery in Wisconsin. North has been operating Joan North Designs for 17 years in her Stevens Point studio. Find her online at JoanNorth.com and facebook.com/JoanNorthDesigns.