Todd Pownell, owner of the TAP Studios art jewelry workshop in Cleveland, will leave on June 28th, for a month-long backpacking hike of more than 400 miles across Iceland to raise money for the cancer support organization, The Gathering Place.

Todd’s brother, Travis, a professional ballroom dancer, will accompany the jeweler on the fund raising trek. 

As Travis and Todd approach their 30th and 40th birthdays, respectively, they decided to mark the milestone with a physical journey. The Pownells have already purchased their tickets and all other necessities for the trip, so all money raised will go directly to support the work of the charity. Anyone wishing to make a donation can go to Todd’s fundraising site at http://hikingiceland.kintera.org/tgp. The brothers so far have raised 10 percent of their $3,000 goal.

Todd Pownell is known for his expertise in the area of jewelry and gemology and for the classes offered at TAP Studios. He gave a talk on jewelry in May at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. He was also just named one of the finalists for the 2008 COSE Arts Business and Innovation Awards. Pownell’s work, currently on display on the Web site for Seattle’s Facèré Gallery, will be featured in a July show there. 

Pownell, who has been an employee of Michael W. Hayes jewelers in Woodmere for over a decade, plans to devote his time to the studio full-time upon his return from Iceland. He hopes to host a grand opening in September with partner Debra Rosen exhibiting both of their new work.

JCK