Opal collection and gem art – Museum Notes & Announcements – Gemological Institute of America Museum, Carlsbad, California – Brief Article
The sciences of gemology and paleontology meet in a fascinating new exhibit, Opal and the Dinosaurs: Discover the Link, currently at the Gemological Institute of America Museum in Carlsbad, California. The exhibit opened 10 June and runs for six months. It is part of Australia’s National Opal Collection, and this marks the first time it has been shown outside the country. On display are the opalized remains of a pliosaur, a prehistoric marine reptile, as well as the opalized remains of other extinct plant and animal life that existed in Australia more than 100 million years ago. Also featured is a 9-foot diorama of a prehistoric terrestrial scene re-creating the plant and animal life typical of that era. Examples of various types of opal gemstones and opal jewelry are part of the exhibit.
Another temporary exhibit worth seeing at the museum is Gems in Art: Art in Gems, a fascinating array of gemstones and other gem materials whose natural beauty takes on even greater appeal as an art form. The focus is on the various ways gems can be used as a medium for artistic expression. Several categories of artwork are featured, including cameos and intaglios, carvings of natural-history subjects, boxes and bottles, fantasy and abstract carvings, objets d’art, and jewelry (wearable art). Both antique and contemporary pieces are shown, representing the work of several artists. Last day to see the display is 31 October.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Heldref Publications
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group
