Author and publisher, Elyse Zorn Karlin, founder and executive editor/publisher of Adornment, the Magazine of Jewelry & Related Arts, has formed the Association for the Study of Jewelry & Related Arts, LLC, dedicated to the advancement of jewelry studies.
The organization will promote jewelry studies in schools, museums, and institutions of higher learning. It is committed to the dissemination of scholarship to all those interested in the history of jewelry. ASJRA takes a broad approach to the subject, seeking to understand and place jewelry within a variety of contexts, including historical (from the ancient past to present day), the decorative arts, and fashion. Membership is open to anyone interested in jewelry studies.
Yvonne Markowitz, a noted jewelry historian and curator, will work with Karlin to achieve ASJRA’s goals.
“As a jewelry curator, I recognized the need to lead in providing jewelry students with an understanding of jewelry history, “Markowitz said. “I am already bringing students to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston to study jewelry from our collections. Elyse and I also want to bring the history to institutions of higher learning. Forming this organization will be a means for us to do that.”
To achieve its mission, ASJRA said it will do the following:
* Offer the quarterly magazine Adornment, the Magazine of Jewelry & Related Arts to its associates as a vehicle for scholarly articles in jewelry studies. The emphasis is on new research in the field and jewelry events throughout the world.
* Sponsor an annual conference as a forum for curators, academic historians, and scholars to present new and interesting information about jewelry. It provides an opportunity for scholars, collectors, dealers, and appraisers to connect and share information. The second annual conference, A Place in Time: Jewelry within the Context of the Decorative Arts, took place Oct. 5-8, 2007 at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City.
* Encourage the inclusion of courses in jewelry history at the college and graduate level for both applied jewelry students and decorative arts majors.
* Encourage the development of study programs for jewelry design students and jewelry history students at museums. The model program is already underway at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
* Provide a scholarship(s) for students to attend the annual conference.
* Publishes the proceedings of the annual conference.
* Build a Web site with useful information for those interested in jewelry studies.
Individuals can become Associate of ASJRA for $85 per year. For a brochure write to:
ASJRA 246 N. Regent St., Port Chester, NY 10573 USA; or call (914) 286-7685.
Information is also available at www.asjra.net.

JCK