A NATURE STORE

Specializing in Fine Gold & Silver Jewelry,
Exquisite Minerals & Rare Fossils

We are now offering jewelry making classes...

~Receive "hands-on" instruction and take home your finished piece of art~

Come learn the art of wire wrap and beading from one of New Orleans' best, Madeline Collara.  Please explore the details below and we'll see you in class!

Upcoming Class: Saturday, July 19, 2008 12:00pm-3:00pm

Class Description: You will learn the basic techniques of beading including pearl knotting and will complete three finished pieces of jewelry to take home.

Level: Beginner

Cost: $60 per class + $15 (materials fee) = $75

Materials Kit Includes:  Findings, stones & beads

*All necessary tools are supplied for student use

Space is limited to 6 students per class.  Please register at least 24 hours prior to class date to secure a spot.

Payment is due at the time of registration in the form of cash or check made payable to Madeline Collara.
The Instructor: Madeline Collara
A native to New Orleans, Madeline Collara has been a master jeweler for over 30 years.  Her experience in the lapidary field ranges from jewelry repair & stone setting to silver & goldsmithing.  She began her career as an apprentice, learning from masters such as H. Alvin Sharpe, the father of the Mardi Gras Doubloon.

 

She became a successful entrepreneur by working "behind the scenes" doing most of the custom design & repair work for local jewelry stores in the Greater New Orleans Area.  Meanwhile she sharpened her jewelry making & stone setting skills by receiving formal education and training from institutions such as the University of New Orleans, Trenton School for Jewelers and New Approach School for Jewelers.

As her passion for creative expression through jewelry design began to grow, she ventured out and presented her work to the public. For 15 years she traveled showcasing & retailing her designs at various Gem & Lapidary Expos around the country.

After years of experience as a jeweler, her path led her to become an instructor of jewelry repair for 5 consecutive years at William Holland School for Lapidary Arts and 2 years at Wild Acres Retreat.

At present, she is operating J&M Jewelry (formerly St. Bernard Jewelry) with her husband Joseph Collara.  Despite the lingering effects of Hurrican Katrina on St. Bernard Parish, many devoted customers and friends frequent her storefront seeking custom design work & jewelry repair by somenone with superior skills and talent.