﻿{"id":2340,"date":"2016-07-27T15:37:00","date_gmt":"2016-07-27T15:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/?guid=5fbd9220cd9c9fafce0bcc627566fc46"},"modified":"2016-07-27T16:22:03","modified_gmt":"2016-07-27T16:22:03","slug":"agta-spectrum-awards-recognized-jewelry-designer-brenda-smith-for-her-light-my-fire-object-dart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/2016\/07\/27\/agta-spectrum-awards-recognized-jewelry-designer-brenda-smith-for-her-light-my-fire-object-dart\/","title":{"rendered":"AGTA Spectrum Awards\u2122 Recognized Jewelry Designer Brenda Smith For Her &quot;Light My Fire&quot; Object d&#8217;Art"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b id=\"docs-internal-guid-709e0d71-2cf1-5009-f620-5e55127cab20\" style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Award Winning Jewelry Designer Brenda Smith <\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Recognized For Her &#8220;Light My Fire&#8221; Object d&#8217;Art<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 17.333333333333332px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">AGTA Spectrum Awards\u2122 Announced July 25th<\/span><\/div>\n<p><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZaCskNw06ow\/V5jTcmQpI9I\/AAAAAAABhbY\/ha0tIiVMRYMyqAFGLIkGMAhBSU8zr04rwCLcB\/s1600\/lmf12193439_1099080983445186_4562483474575532884_n.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" border=\"0\" data-pinit=\"registered\" height=\"234\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZaCskNw06ow\/V5jTcmQpI9I\/AAAAAAABhbY\/ha0tIiVMRYMyqAFGLIkGMAhBSU8zr04rwCLcB\/s320\/lmf12193439_1099080983445186_4562483474575532884_n.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The American Gem Trade Association has announced the winners of the prestigious AGTA Spectrum Awards\u2122. The competition was held in New York on July 23rd and 24th. Often referred to as the &#8220;Academy Awards of the Jewelry Industry&#8221;, the AGTA awards are regarded as the world&#8217;s preeminent colored gemstone and cultured pearl design competition. <\/span><\/div>\n<p><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><b>As you can imagine Brenda was beside herself when she heard&#8230;she WON!<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;\"><i><b><span style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">\u201cI had put it out of my mind &nbsp;since I hadn\u2019t heard anything<\/span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;\">\u2026.assuming the winners had already been announced. &nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Then, I received the phone call from AGTA, you could\u2019ve knocked me over with a feather. &nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;\">I immediately called my husband who had flowers awaiting my return home. <\/span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;\">What an honor!\u201d<\/span><\/b><\/i><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<p><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">AGTA <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/agta.org\/pressroom\/2016SummerAGTASpectrumWinners.htm\" style=\"text-decoration: none;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Announced<\/span><\/a><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">:<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Objects of Art &#8211; Honorable Mention<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Brenda Smith, Brenda Smith Jewelry<\/span><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"> &#8211; &#8220;Light My Fire&#8221; object of art &#8211; Opalized Wood (250 ctw.) with a hand-carved 75.0 ct. Sunstone flame, 40.0 ct. hand-carved Mexican fire Opal and Diamonds (.20 ctw.).<\/span><\/div>\n<p><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"lmfWINNERAGTA.png\" data-pinit=\"registered\" height=\"397\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/Pj5C2ZEq38yjbH-75dnz8w_3svzw6FyFTR3uBuwgoYH5lSqZjduX4eCROfZz4TIQGIQY1NCCjhE4R4Xa1lJOzbW2MXEkqb10SOcaFZs1yEj6ROtu6Azz8ryCk11BUgA6PMQpvUbB\" style=\"-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);\" width=\"700\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<p><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">A true labor of love, &#8220;Light My Fire&#8221; was a step out of her comfort zone. With this piece you not only have a piece of custom designed jewelry but it becomes a miniature piece of sculpture when you aren&#8217;t wearing it.<\/span><\/div>\n<p><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Imagined by Brenda who was inspired by a stunning piece of Sunstone rough. &nbsp;Master Carver Darryl Alexander was commissioned to carve the Sunstone Flame and Mexican Fire Opal Embers. <\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<p><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-709e0d71-2d27-eb28-71e2-69042e72e627\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">&#8220;Light My Fire&#8221; is&#8221;:<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<ul style=\"margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\">\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Hand fabricated sterling silver and gold matchsticks linked to make a chain <\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Flaming Oregon Sunstone encircled in sterling silver with a .20ct diamond at the bottom where it sits atop the base, igniting the flame.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">When removed from the chain the flame connects to the base of opalized and petrified logs. &#8220;Hot Coals&#8221; carved from Mexican Fire Opal which is backed by a flickering LED light under the oxidized copper &#8220;firebox&#8221;, creating a flickering flame effect.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;;\"><span style=\"line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><br \/><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"lmf11220104_1099081103445174_800686699569589448_n.jpg\" data-pinit=\"registered\" height=\"417\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/2CDvPeWzNMGx4-tsZkxHwJeDIpjokY9k1NbSO-bT0Xnr3xlgsiYpGDWmyKuUOHZ04xNm6U1CH-a9IlF1fOrEmyKMdk6zI4Gh0I3FROn88XDb6xSBdzy-r6EeT8exdreGodKOZ8Fv\" style=\"border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);\" width=\"327\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<p><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">From the carver, Darryl Alexander:<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">&#8220;AGTA spectrum award winner in the art object category by Brenda Smith. &nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;\">I mined the piece of Sunstone myself from the Dust Devil Mine, (Plush, Oregon)  <\/span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">the piece lights up to look like a flickering fire inside the gem.<\/span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">&#8220;<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<p><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The awards were chosen by a panel of prestigious judges: Gail Brett-Levine of National Association of Jewelry Appraisers; Diane Garmendia of 33 Jewels at El Paseo; Jay Mednikow of J.H. Mednikow &amp; Co., Inc.; Victor Velyan of Victor-Christy Studios; and Lew Wackler of Lew Wackler Gem Co.<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/maA8LU0akQqGKmOtnbFZjlD9ktiKLX5miqiShw6s7snZG__GUVgaqTOXfQY4a4_csYMFBUd_AMvufcjtIM5Je7u-YIIaJ0ImxdmMAxj3DJ6GnjxHoFvfipDrRm5kWIsSvQlloQ8t\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"logo.png\" border=\"0\" height=\"79\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/maA8LU0akQqGKmOtnbFZjlD9ktiKLX5miqiShw6s7snZG__GUVgaqTOXfQY4a4_csYMFBUd_AMvufcjtIM5Je7u-YIIaJ0ImxdmMAxj3DJ6GnjxHoFvfipDrRm5kWIsSvQlloQ8t\" style=\"border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);\" width=\"320\" \/><\/a><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">ABOUT BRENDA SMITH JEWELRY<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;\"><span style=\"background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;\">Highly unique, one-of-a-kind and custom <\/span> jewelry in noble metals and gemstones by award-winning jewelry artist Brenda Smith. &nbsp;A former creative director and design teach<\/span><\/span><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">er, now designing and fabricating fine, custom jewelry. Brenda has been published in Jewelry Artist, UK&#8217;s Gem and Jewellery, AGTA&#8217;s Prism, Canada&#8217;s Jewellery Business,&#8221; teacher at William holland School of Lapidary Arts and the Georgia Goldsmith&#8217;s Group. Multiple award winner of the prestigious International Pearl Design Competition by Cultured Pearl Association of America. She was commissioned to design pearl jewelry for their documentary film, &#8220;Circling the Pacific&#8221; by the Cultured Pearl Association of America. Her jewelry has been chosen by celebrity stylist, Michael O&#8217;Connor, to be worn in the Academy awards. But her greatest achievement may be the number of pieces in private and public collections around the world, including pieces in the Smithsonian Institution.<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Website: http:\/\/www.brendasmithjewelry.com<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Facebook: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BrendaSmithJewelry<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Twitter: <\/span><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BSmithJewelry\" style=\"text-decoration: none;\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/BSmithJewelry<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><\/div>\n<p><b style=\"clear: left; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"spectrumsummer.jpg\" data-pinit=\"registered\" height=\"164\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/adnBdZXQwBo41d1LHMdtD4ROmmelOJAR21uPIZANZq9O0E3B-eeR70bOiLW7eE8_Wm1ftMmn9XtfH4lSrNC2CznBvO1XsvJtJTMeIwi4Usy_cdLkkfONo2saKLSmaFxDGR4n6Ev6\" style=\"border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);\" width=\"280\" \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">ABOUT AGTA SPECTRUM AWARDS<\/span><\/div>\n<p><b style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The American Gem Trade Association is a not\u2010for\u2010profit Association serving the natural colored gemstone and cultured pearl industry since 1981. The AGTA serves the industry as &#8220;The Authority in Color&#8221; and has its headquarter office in Dallas, Texas.<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Website : &nbsp;http:\/\/www.agta.org<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Facebook: &nbsp;https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AGTASpectrumAwards<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Award Winning Jewelry Designer Brenda Smith <\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Recognized For Her &#8220;Light My Fire&#8221; Object d&#8217;Art<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>AGTA Spectrum Awards&trade; Announced July 25th<\/span><\/div>\n<p><b><br \/><\/b><b><br \/><\/b><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZaCskNw06ow\/V5jTcmQpI9I\/AAAAAAABhbY\/ha0tIiVMRYMyqAFGLIkGMAhBSU8zr04rwCLcB\/s1600\/lmf12193439_1099080983445186_4562483474575532884_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" border=\"0\" height=\"234\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZaCskNw06ow\/V5jTcmQpI9I\/AAAAAAABhbY\/ha0tIiVMRYMyqAFGLIkGMAhBSU8zr04rwCLcB\/s320\/lmf12193439_1099080983445186_4562483474575532884_n.jpg\" width=\"320\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>The American Gem Trade Association has announced the winners of the prestigious AGTA Spectrum Awards&trade;. The competition was held in New York on July 23rd and 24th. Often referred to as the &#8220;Academy Awards of the Jewelry Industry&#8221;, the AGTA awards are regarded as the world&#8217;s preeminent colored gemstone and cultured pearl design competition. <\/span><\/div>\n<p><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span><b>As you can imagine Brenda was beside herself when she heard&#8230;she WON!<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><i><b><span>&ldquo;I had put it out of my mind &nbsp;since I hadn&rsquo;t heard anything<\/span><span>&hellip;.assuming the winners had already been announced. &nbsp;<\/span><span>Then, I received the phone call from AGTA, you could&rsquo;ve knocked me over with a feather. &nbsp;<\/span><span>I immediately called my husband who had flowers awaiting my return home. <\/span><span>What an honor!&rdquo;<\/span><\/b><\/i><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<p><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>AGTA <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/agta.org\/pressroom\/2016SummerAGTASpectrumWinners.htm\"><span>Announced<\/span><\/a><span>:<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Objects of Art &#8211; Honorable Mention<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Brenda Smith, Brenda Smith Jewelry<\/span><span> &#8211; &#8220;Light My Fire&#8221; object of art &#8211; Opalized Wood (250 ctw.) with a hand-carved 75.0 ct. Sunstone flame, 40.0 ct. hand-carved Mexican fire Opal and Diamonds (.20 ctw.).<\/span><\/div>\n<p><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"lmfWINNERAGTA.png\" height=\"397\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/Pj5C2ZEq38yjbH-75dnz8w_3svzw6FyFTR3uBuwgoYH5lSqZjduX4eCROfZz4TIQGIQY1NCCjhE4R4Xa1lJOzbW2MXEkqb10SOcaFZs1yEj6ROtu6Azz8ryCk11BUgA6PMQpvUbB\" width=\"700\"><\/span><\/div>\n<p><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>A true labor of love, &#8220;Light My Fire&#8221; was a step out of her comfort zone. With this piece you not only have a piece of custom designed jewelry but it becomes a miniature piece of sculpture when you aren&#8217;t wearing it.<\/span><\/div>\n<p><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Imagined by Brenda who was inspired by a stunning piece of Sunstone rough. &nbsp;Master Carver Darryl Alexander was commissioned to carve the Sunstone Flame and Mexican Fire Opal Embers. <\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<p><span><\/span><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>&#8220;Light My Fire&#8221; is&#8221;:<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Hand fabricated sterling silver and gold matchsticks linked to make a chain <\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Flaming Oregon Sunstone encircled in sterling silver with a .20ct diamond at the bottom where it sits atop the base, igniting the flame.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>When removed from the chain the flame connects to the base of opalized and petrified logs. &#8220;Hot Coals&#8221; carved from Mexican Fire Opal which is backed by a flickering LED light under the oxidized copper &#8220;firebox&#8221;, creating a flickering flame effect.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div><span><span><br \/><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"lmf11220104_1099081103445174_800686699569589448_n.jpg\" height=\"417\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/2CDvPeWzNMGx4-tsZkxHwJeDIpjokY9k1NbSO-bT0Xnr3xlgsiYpGDWmyKuUOHZ04xNm6U1CH-a9IlF1fOrEmyKMdk6zI4Gh0I3FROn88XDb6xSBdzy-r6EeT8exdreGodKOZ8Fv\" width=\"327\"><\/span><\/div>\n<p><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>From the carver, Darryl Alexander:<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><i><span>&#8220;AGTA spectrum award winner in the art object category by Brenda Smith. &nbsp; <\/span><span>I mined the piece of Sunstone myself from the Dust Devil Mine, (Plush, Oregon)  <\/span><span>the piece lights up to look like a flickering fire inside the gem.<\/span><span>&#8220;<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<p><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>The awards were chosen by a panel of prestigious judges: Gail Brett-Levine of National Association of Jewelry Appraisers; Diane Garmendia of 33 Jewels at El Paseo; Jay Mednikow of J.H. Mednikow &amp; Co., Inc.; Victor Velyan of Victor-Christy Studios; and Lew Wackler of Lew Wackler Gem Co.<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/maA8LU0akQqGKmOtnbFZjlD9ktiKLX5miqiShw6s7snZG__GUVgaqTOXfQY4a4_csYMFBUd_AMvufcjtIM5Je7u-YIIaJ0ImxdmMAxj3DJ6GnjxHoFvfipDrRm5kWIsSvQlloQ8t\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"logo.png\" border=\"0\" height=\"79\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/maA8LU0akQqGKmOtnbFZjlD9ktiKLX5miqiShw6s7snZG__GUVgaqTOXfQY4a4_csYMFBUd_AMvufcjtIM5Je7u-YIIaJ0ImxdmMAxj3DJ6GnjxHoFvfipDrRm5kWIsSvQlloQ8t\" width=\"320\"><\/a><span>ABOUT BRENDA SMITH JEWELRY<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span><span><span>Highly unique, one-of-a-kind and custom <\/span> jewelry in noble metals and gemstones by award-winning jewelry artist Brenda Smith. &nbsp;A former creative director and design teach<\/span><\/span><span>er, now designing and fabricating fine, custom jewelry. Brenda has been published in Jewelry Artist, UK&#8217;s Gem and Jewellery, AGTA&#8217;s Prism, Canada&#8217;s Jewellery Business,&#8221; teacher at William holland School of Lapidary Arts and the Georgia Goldsmith&#8217;s Group. Multiple award winner of the prestigious International Pearl Design Competition by Cultured Pearl Association of America. She was commissioned to design pearl jewelry for their documentary film, &#8220;Circling the Pacific&#8221; by the Cultured Pearl Association of America. Her jewelry has been chosen by celebrity stylist, Michael O&#8217;Connor, to be worn in the Academy awards. But her greatest achievement may be the number of pieces in private and public collections around the world, including pieces in the Smithsonian Institution.<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Website: http:\/\/www.brendasmithjewelry.com<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Facebook: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BrendaSmithJewelry<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Twitter: <\/span><span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BSmithJewelry\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/BSmithJewelry<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<p><b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"spectrumsummer.jpg\" height=\"164\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/adnBdZXQwBo41d1LHMdtD4ROmmelOJAR21uPIZANZq9O0E3B-eeR70bOiLW7eE8_Wm1ftMmn9XtfH4lSrNC2CznBvO1XsvJtJTMeIwi4Usy_cdLkkfONo2saKLSmaFxDGR4n6Ev6\" width=\"280\"><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>ABOUT AGTA SPECTRUM AWARDS<\/span><\/div>\n<p><b><br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>The American Gem Trade Association is a not&#8208;for&#8208;profit Association serving the natural colored gemstone and cultured pearl industry since 1981. The AGTA serves the industry as &#8220;The Authority in Color&#8221; and has its headquarter office in Dallas, Texas.<\/span><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Website : &nbsp;http:\/\/www.agta.org<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><span>Facebook: &nbsp;https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AGTASpectrumAwards<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":102,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2340"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2340"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2340\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2341,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2340\/revisions\/2341"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/dailyjewel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}