November 2, 2021 — MJSA, the trade alliance dedicated to professional excellence in jewelry making and design, will in 2022 launch a new series of seminars based on the technical and business expertise found in its monthly magazine, MJSA Journal.
The series, titled MJSA Journal LIVE, will debut at the 2022 AGTA GemFair Tucson, which will return to the convention center in Tucson, Arizona, Feb. 1-6. The six MJSA Journal LIVE sessions will take place twice daily (9 to 10:30 a.m. and 1 to 2:30 p.m.) from Feb. 2 through Feb. 4. They'll offer instruction in freehand drawing, CAD/CAM techniques, and running a profitable and sustainable custom design operation.
The presentations will feature several past Journal contributors: Lisa Krikawa, founder and CEO of Krikawa Custom Jewelers in Tucson (krikawa.com); Gary Dawson, owner of Gary Dawson Designs and an accredited Rhino 7 instructor (garydawsondesigns.com); and Rémy Rotenier, a Paris-born jewelry designer and award-winning artist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico (remyrotenier.com).
A full schedule is listed below. For more information about the program, click here. For more information about AGTA GemFair Tucson, go to AGTA.org.
Feb. 2
Profitable Pricing for Custom: Running a Sustainable Custom Shop
9 to 10:30 a.m. Lisa Krikawa will explore all the factors that should go into the price of a custom creation, as well as tackling one of the trickiest questions: How do you account for your own creativity?
Five-Star Custom Service: Nailing Internal and External Communications
1 to 2:30 p.m. Lisa Krikawa will explain how to talk with custom customers to discover their interests and tastes, and how to keep the lines of communication flowing between that customer and your inhouse team to ensure a custom piece hits the mark—and creates the ultimate experience.
Feb. 3
CAD Connection 1: Tips for "Blips" when Working in Rhino
9 to 10:30 a.m. CAD designers often have to deal with “blips”—small problems that can cause big headaches. Gary Dawson will explore how to handle the most common "blips" that occur in such tasks as filleting, blending, and surfacing. For beginner to experienced modelers.
CAD Connection 2: Transforming in Rhino
1 to 2:30 p.m. The "transform" command in CAD is crucial to positioning and orienting elements when modeling a design. Gary Dawson will describe how to use it most effectively, as well as how to create and modify SubD objects—a new geometry type that can create editable, highly accurate shapes. For intermediate to advanced modelers.
Feb. 4
Gaining an Edge: Drawing Common Gemstone Cuts
9 to 10:30 a.m. When presenting design concepts, a picture can make all the difference. Jeweler and teacher Rémy Rotenier will show you how to draw emerald-cut, round, and princess-cut gems (even if you have no art background) that can boost retail sales and clarify production details.
Going Organic: A Step-by-Step Guide to Drawing Pearls
1 to 2:30 p.m. Fashion experts have dubbed pearl jewelry the "ultimate fashion movement" of the past year. Learn from Rémy Rotenier how to sketch pearls of different types—round white, black Tahitian drops, and baroque—so you can bring them to life in all styles of jewelry, amazing your customers. No art experience necessary.