Neighbor News
Eco-friendly Concord jeweler now at Gallery 529
Local art gallery features Beryllina, jewelry handcrafted in Concord, MA with recycled silver and US-mined gems.
Concord artist Laurie Lynn Berezin recently joined the non-profit artists’ co-operative, Gallery 529, in Littleton, where her eco-friendly jewelry will be on permanent display. Laurie Lynn handcrafts all of her pieces at her studio in Concord, and also sells her work online and at craft shows under the name Beryllina.
A strong supporter of environmental sustainability, Laurie Lynn creates her jewelry using recycled silver, gold, and platinum, which she sources from a certified recycled refinery in Virginia.
“Precious metal mining is an extremely destructive process,” says Laurie Lynn. “According to the New York Times, to retrieve just one ounce of gold from the earth, 30 tons of rock is removed and processed with toxic cyanide to separate the gold from the host rock. In order to avoid contributing to the socially and environmentally destructive precious metal mining industry, 100% of the metals I use are recycled.”
Find out what's happening in Concordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Many are now familiar with the tragically accurate phrase “blood diamonds,” but many other imported gemstones also come with a high social cost. To avoid the conflict behind imported minerals on the market, Laurie Lynn sources all of her gems and minerals from the United States, and even mines many minerals herself.
“I’m a lifelong rockhound, and Maine is one of my favorite places to dig for tourmaline and garnets. I also love to go mining in New York for ‘Herkimer Diamond’ quartz crystals to feature in my jewelry.”
Find out what's happening in Concordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
By applying jewelry-making techniques (some of which have been in practice for over 5000 years) honed at time-honored North Bennet Street School in Boston, she creates each piece with the highest level of craftsmanship. “As a miner and metalsmith, I’m fortunate to be able to experience the entire jewelry-making process,” Laurie Lynn adds.
Gallery 529 showcases a variety of artists’ work in addition to Laurie Lynn’s eco-friendly jewelry. Other local artwork for sale includes pottery, sculpture, painting, and photography. Gallery 529 occupies the same space as Act III Restaurant (formerly the Acton Jazz Café), creating a special partnership of art and music.
Read more online about Laurie Lynn and Beryllina jewelry (http://beryllina.com), Gallery 529 (http://gallery529.com/), and Act III Restaurant (http://act3restaurant.com/).
