Featured Artists

The Gem Shop is proud to feature lapidary artists who create extraordinary art that highlight and celebrate the beauty of the mineral world. Our artists this holiday season are wire wrapper Jennifer Damrow, lapidary craftsman Jake Rankin, and artist Dale Bertram. 

Jennifer Damrow resides in Madison, Wisconsin as a full time jewelry designer and owner of Exclusive Inspirations. She works with her partner, Evan Radant, to create unique designs from their hand-cut gemstones. Each gemstone is hand selected and/or collected and cut by both Jennifer and Evan. Each is carefully selected for beauty and artistic allure. Jennifer uses Argentium Sterling Silver and 14/20 14kt gold filled wire to create her one-of-a-kind designs. All of her stones are unique and come from numerous locations from across the globe! Jennifer and Evan are fortunate to be able to work closely with the owners of gemstone mines to bring you the best selection and prices in the Midwest.

Jake Rankin is a lifelong stone enthusiast from Oregon, who began cutting and polishing rocks in 2002. His passion for all things lapidary has led to a growing collection of fine agates, jaspers, and petrified wood. He also spends parts of his year travelling across the states to rockhound and collect material for his own collection and to share with other enthusiasts. In addition to his slabs, specimens, and cabochons, Jake's expert craftsmanship is displayed in the stone-handled knives he creates.

Dale Bertram is mixed-media artist in Wisconsin who is sharing his series of Story Stones with us all. These works of fine art feature combinations of rough or finished wood and stone, and tell all sorts of stories. Dale, now retired, has a life full of experience, study, world-travel, and a true passion for rocks and nature that shines through in his artwork. Story Stones are lapidary creations that feature images found in cut stones that illustrate a short story. They are, in essence, mixed medium lapidary sculptures.