“The building of the foundation for the creative gem art in this country will have an exciting, attractive, and comprehensive documentation of the gem artist and their work,” says gem artist Elizabeth Beunaiche. She and a small team of other gem artists have created www.GemArt.org, a Web site slated to go online last month. “This past year the team developed the idea to collect complete information regarding gem artists and their creations.”

According to Beunaiche, the gem artist database and Web site will facilitate proper record keeping, valuations, and appraisals of gem carvings, objets d’art, and jewelry. “We aim to reach appraisers, galleries, museums, and jewelry store owners, and ultimately to build confidence for the buyers, collectors, and connoisseurs,” she explains.

The database is scheduled to be available early in 2003 and will be updated annually. Subscriptions will be available through the Web site. For more information, contact Beunaiche at (262) 279-2905 or by e-mail at writteninstone@att.net