(PRESS RELEASE) PORTLAND, OR — The Portland Jewelry Symposium, an annual educational event for jewelry manufacturers and retailers, will take place on Sept. 29 and 30 at the historic Sentinel Hotel in Portland, OR.
This year’s theme of Metals—Methods, Machines and Mastery will explore the many facets of jewelry metals and how they are transformed into wearable art. “Understanding and exploiting the intrinsic characteristics of a metal whether through design, casting methods or tailored bench techniques is very powerful for makers,” says Teresa Frye, founder of the Portland Jewelry Symposium. “The design pallet becomes broader when one can harness not only the aesthetic property of an alloy, but also the technical underpinnings that lead to the production of a high quality piece.”
The Sunday evening Keynote will be delivered by award-winning jewelry designer Zoltan David. “Zoltan is a true master of designing and creating in diverse metals and we are thrilled to have him delivering the Keynote this year,” says Frye. David will be sharing personal inspirations and practical applications from his creative process, considering the important role of design, the power of the art, and the marriage of these two creative methods.
New this year will be Sunday afternoon breakout sessions designed for topics that benefit from interactive small group settings. Topics include Jewelry Forensics, Basic Metallurgy for Jewelers, Legal Considerations for Custom Design, Inlay Techniques and more.
Monday’s mainstage program will feature manufacturing techniques in contemporary metals, a top-notch panel on jewelry casting, a healthy dose of good business advice towards making your money count, and much more. The full line-up of speakers and sessions can be found at www.portlandjewelrysymposium.com
Sponsors for the Portland Jewelry Symposium include TechForm Advanced Casting Technology, Stuller, Platinum Guild USA, JCK Magazine, Lightbox, Hoover & Strong, Gemological Institute of America, Rio Grande, MJSA, Women’s Jewelry Association, Instore Magazine, Ganoksin, International Gem Society, CustomMade, Jewelers Mutual, Laminated Metals Technology, Otto Frei , Orion, Metalsmith Magazine, United Precious Metals Refining, Red Sky Plating and the Santa Fe Symposium.
For further information or press inquiries, contact Sarah Loveland sloveland@techformcasting.com