Arts Galleries

Miya Gallery Hosts Reopening Celebration

(Clockwise from above left) Mary Timmer, Jason Janow, Jennifer Jenkins and Chris Van Dyke

Miya Gallery’s Grand Reopening Celebration at 20 North Main Street, in Weaverville, takes place Friday, June 17, from 6–8 p.m. Previously owned by founding and current member Jennifer Jenkins, the gallery is now headed by co-owners Mary Timmer and Jason Janow.

“Jennifer has curated and fine-tuned Miya into a unique, one-of-a-kind craft gallery for more than 17 years,” says Timmer. “Our goal is to continue on in this tradition of excellence with a heavy accent on jewelry.”

A raffle, door prizes, libations and light snacks will be offered during the event. The work of Miya’s four studio jewelers—Jenkins, Timmer, Janow and Chris Vandyke—will be highlighted.

Jenkins has made fine jewelry for nearly 40 years. Her rings, pendants and earrings are designed to be worn for generations. “I use only the highest quality gemstones and metals,” she says. “Custom design and jewelry renovation are part of my portfolio.”

Vandyke considers each of his pieces a small-scale sculptural work of art. His passion for the work and the time and attention put into it are evident in each finished product. When creating a commissioned piece, he uses his 30 years of experience to guide the client while remaining true to their vision, but once he is creating for himself, all bets are off. Vandyke often experiments with stone setting, asymmetrical designs and unique details.

“I am at a point in my career where I do not want to copy anything from my past,” he says. “My goal is to continue to break new ground with each newly minted item.”

Timmer expresses her style using a unique combination of forging and hand fabricating. Sterling silver with gold accents are the basis for most of her production pieces. She strives to achieve a finished look of simple elegance with graceful lines, fluid shapes and the addition of pearls and gemstones.

Janow uses lost wax casting to capture branches and tree bark in metal. His work ranges from rings in gold with diamonds to larger-scale necklaces in bronze, silver, river rock and gems.

“Once I’ve chosen a cool branch or piece of bark to cast, I decide whether to cast it in gold, silver or bronze,” he says. “Then, things get really fun, picking out gemstones and found river stones to create a unique new piece.”

Though Timmer and Janow made some changes to the gallery, including the addition of new display cases and four jewelry studios in the back, they were careful to retain the feel that has made Miya Gallery a success for nearly two decades. In addition to handmade jewelry, the gallery continues to represent artisans including local potters, glass artists, painters, photographers, fiber artists and paper artists.

Learn more at MiyaGallery.com.

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