My interest in the hobby was awakened when I received numerous strings of
gem beads from India from my husband Bruce in the mid 1980s. Since he did not
know what most of them were, I wanted to learn more about them before I too
went to India. When I took a bead stringing class, the teacher recommended
that I take a class on Gemstones offered near my home in Montgomery County,
MD. In February of 1990, I enrolled in the class, which was taught by Louise
Taggart, who at 90 years young was an amazing teacher. After only a month of
classes, I was hooked. It was like falling off a cliff. My husband Bruce and I
started subscribing to mineral magazines, going to shows and collecting
minerals. I also became a volunteer in the Mineral Room at the Smithsonian to
feed my "habit".
We joined the Gem, Lapidary and Mineral Society of Washington, DC in April,
and later that same year, we joined the Micromineralogists of the National
Capital Area. Over the years, I have been involved with numerous
organizations. In 1991, I became secretary of GLMS-DC for two years, then from
1993-1999, I was 3rd vice president in charge of programs. My service to the
club was recognized in 2000 when I was presented The Honorary Lifetime Member
Award. I served MNCA as editor from 1994-1995, as secretary 1996-1997 and as
president 1999-2000. I joined the Friends of Mineralogy Northwest and the
Northwest Micro Mineral Study Group in 1993 while we were on sabbatical in
Seattle, then I became a member of S.C.R.I.B.E. in 1994 and briefly served as
the Treasurer in 1997. My FOM membership was renewed in the Pennsylvania
chapter in 1994.
In 1995, I discovered the American Opal Society and the GIA Alumni
Association, both of which I was delighted to join. In 1999, I became the
safety chairman of the AOS, mostly because it was one of the few jobs that
needed doing that I could do from 3000 miles away. In 1997, we also became
members of the Mineralogical Society of the District of Columbia. When FOM SE
was established in 1998, I had to join that too and am currently serving as
Vice President. When I earned my certification in Precious Metal Clay in 1999,
I automatically was accepted into the PMC Guild. In 2000, I joined two more
organizations. When we became staff members (exhibits chair) of the Rochester
Mineralogical Symposium, we were asked to join the Rochester Academy of
Science. Then in order to go to the annual meeting of the Guild of Natural
Science Illustrators last summer in Portugal, I joined GNSI too.
It turned out, much to my surprise, that I like to write, so one of the
contributions I have made is to write for the bulletins of most of these
organizations. For MNCA, I have written numerous limericks (two EFMLS and one
AFMS trophy), many conference reports and articles (one EFMLS trophy), and a
30 year history of MNCA (AFMS 3rd place trophy). I have written member
profiles (about 60 total) for MNCA, GLMS-DC and GIA. I also do occasional
speaker write ups for GIA. GLMS-DC members have often been tortured by my gem
and mineral quizzes, and I have written over 20 video reviews. For MSDC, I
abstracted articles from the Rockhounds Internet list for a few years and
continue to contribute an article each month. My years as an editor primed my
interest in the bulletin editor contest for which I have served as a judge for
several years.
When I was president of the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and
Lapidary Societies in 1996-1997, I wrote monthly columns for the EFMLS News.
During 1999-2000, I wrote monthly president's messages for MNCA, one of which
earned an EFMLS trophy in the 2000 bulletin editors contest. Since 1999, I
have written over a dozen safety columns and limericks for the American Opal
Society. Mineral News has published five of my articles in the last few years
(one co-authored with Bruce). "Slabs for Cabs" appeared in Lapidary
Journal in December 1997. My abstract "Brazilian Hematite" was in
the Mineralogical Record in March/April, 2000. "Precious Metal Clay"
was published in the Australian magazine Metal, Stone and Glass in Autumn,
2001, and my article on micromounting "Wee Wonderland" is in press
for the same magazine.
Wildacres has been another favorite activity. We have attended most of the
sessions since September, 1990. In addition to taking several classes, I have
assisted in the cabochon class one session and taught the chainmaking class
three sessions. Last fall, I taught Precious Metal Clay, which was the first
time it had been offered at Wildacres and I will be teaching it at both
sessions in 2001. Early on, I took the judging class, just to learn how to
look at exhibits and to have some idea of what was important about them. This
eventually led Bruce and me to becoming EFMLS trophy winning mineral
exhibitors (pyrites and hematites) and eventually to me becoming a certified
judge in 1997. I was elected as a member of the Wildacres Functioning
Committee in 1995 and served my last term this in 2000. In 1996, I assumed the
responsibility for arranging speakers and demonstrators for Wildacres sharing
time. I taught introduction to mineral id at one session for sharing time and
did an evening program on the development of the new mineral hall of the
Smithsonian one year. For two years, I also led "federation night"
using games such as Jeopardy to educate participants about people and programs
in the federation.
The Rochester Mineralogical Symposium, a must-attend annual event,
recruited my husband and me a few years ago as the Auction Solicitors General
to collect donations for the auction from the dealers. In 1998 we designed the
RMS 25th anniversary t-shirt. Last year we became members of the committee and
are now the Exhibits Chair. I have given several talks about the Smithsonian,
Mineral ID and Precious Metal Clay for clubs, and I presented a short talk on
Brazilian Hematites at the Tucson TGMS/FOM/MSA symposium in 2000. This only
scratches the surface of what I do. Hardly a day goes by in which I do not do
something for at least one of the clubs, the federation or other mineral
related activities, but it has offered me many rewards in the way of good
friendships, interesting challenges, learning opportunities and fun things to
share. Last year at the EFMLS convention in Harrisburg, PA, I was thrilled to
receive the prestigious Each One, Teach One Award. It has been a great eleven
years, and I hope to have many more.
I was born in Alexandria, Virginia on December 19, 1949 and have lived in
the Washington area almost my whole life. I received a BA in History from
George Mason University in 1975 and an MA in Anthropology from George
Washington University in 1982. I worked for the better part of 20 years,
mostly in the computer field doing programming, systems analysis and database
administration. Besides my interests in writing and teaching, I enjoy travel
(usually wherever Bruce's job sends him - India, Japan, Hawaii, Spain,
England, etc.) and going to AFMS and EFMLS conventions. In addition to working
with PMC, micromounting, chainmaking, and various kinds of bead working, I
also enjoy needlework (felt and sequin projects, rug hooking, counted cross
stitch, etc.). My parakeets all have mineral names, and I have about 100
houseplants with a special fondness for purple flowering ones.
updated April, 2001
