During the American Craft Council (ACC) show held Feb. 20-25 in Baltimore, Md., the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) presented four new awards for excellence in jewelry and metalsmithing. Jeff and Susan Wise of Durango, Colo., were honored for jewelry that integrates goldsmithing and lapidary techniques. They received $500 and guaranteed admission to the 2002 ACC show in Baltimore. Three Honorable Mention awards went to Boris Bally, Joan Parcher, and Todd Reed. The four award winners also received one-year memberships in SNAG.

The group held its second Connections Room and Portfolio Review during the annual SNAG conference, held this year in Richmond, Va., from Feb. 28 through March 3. The event brings together emerging artists and prospective graduate and undergraduate students with representatives from 45 metal arts programs and workshops, gallery owners, independent curators, and professional metalsmiths from the United States and Canada. New this year was the opportunity for employers to interview people for various positions, a component that will expand at the next conference, slated for June 12-15, 2002 in Denver.