Loop-d-Loop Hoops: A fun twist on a classic style, Loop-d-Loop Hoops can be made in both the synclastic and anticlastic styles.  

These quirky hoops add a bit of pizzazz to any outfit! Available in both sterling silver and 14k gold, these earrings can be made in a variety of sizes to best suit your style! If you are looking for a gift that a jewelry lover may not already have, look no further than these fascinating earrings. Made of one piece of metal that has been twisted into form, these earrings will be a talking point on every outing!

Wire Hoops: Refined and minimalistic, these are everyday hoops at their simplest. Hand forged, these wires often feature wider and thinner edges, to add a bit of intrigue to the profile of the hoop.

These earrings make great gifts for both young and old, as they look fun and laid back. That is not to say thought that they cannot be dressed up: add a string of pearls around your neck and swoop your hair up, and voila! A simple but beautiful glamorous look.

Anticlastic hoops: My personal favorite style of hoops, Harvest Gold’s Anticlastic hoops are polished smooth, and reflect the light with a brilliant shine. These hoops are elegant and make a stunning gift to any fashion forward person! Coming in styles ranging from classic rounds to ovals, waves, and loop-d-loops, there is an anticlastic hoop to suit everyone’s style.

Our anticlastic hoops can be made with a variety of posts to best suit your needs. The two main styles of posts that we build are basic straight posts, and self-locking posts. Where the synclastic self-locking posts are straight posts that lock into holes in the back tab of the hoop, anticlastic self-locking posts loop directly over the hoop. The curved walls built by the anticlastic style of hammering allow the equally curved post to nestle into the back of the hoop, and guarantees a comfortable and easy wear!

This month on the Harvest Gold Blog is Hoops Month! Hoop earrings are a classic piece of jewelry that will never go out of style, and are a staple in any jewelry lover’s box! Here at Harvest Gold we carry a multitude of hand-forged styles of hoops, ranging from classic synclastic gold hoops to loop-d-loop hoops and even thin, elegant wire hoops. Stay tuned for the rest of September as each week we showcase a different style of hoops! Happy hoop hunting!

Synclastic Hoops: Bill’s hand-hammered synclastic hoops are a favorite amongst customers for their classic shape. Light reflects off the planes left by the hammer, and so they glisten and glow no matter how you wear them! These hoops can be easily dressed up or down and so can transition from daytime casual to evening wear in a snap!

Plus, most of the synclastic hoops have posts that hook back into themselves, and so you will have no backing to fiddle with and the hoop will look like one smooth continuous loop around your ear. And finally, an added plus built into many of the designs is a small tab at the top of the hoop. This tab is where the post is soldered to, and can be customized to suit your ears! Do you have unevenly placed piercings? Or has one piercing hole been stretched? By slight adjustments on where the post is placed on the back of the tab, we can make these earrings sit evenly on your ears. And further, if you dislike the way most hoop earrings sit against your face, we can adjust the angle of the post so that the hoop sits as you like it.

Here at Harvest Gold Gallery we celebrate and enjoy all types of arts and crafts, from all sorts of folks! And one product that we noticed we hardly ever showed online were the little hand-cut magnets that celebrate all things Maine!

These magnets make perfect souvenirs and gifts to remember your time in Lovell. With designs ranging from loons to lighthouses, and lakes to lobsters, there is a pattern and cut here to suit every kitchen fridge … or wherever you like to place your magnets!

Stop by the Gallery to pick one up. Hope to see you soon!

Like Heliodors and Emeralds, Aquamarine is part of the Beryl family of gemstones. Aquamarine is easily recognizable for its unique pale blue color. The name Aquamarine is derived from the Latin aqua marina, meaning sea water. Associated with truth and clarity, the aquamarine is a strong crystal for healing and for organizing the body and mind.

One of the most commonly found beryls, aquamarine can be found all over the world, with slight color variations from region to region. The color blue has often represented wisdom and enlightenment throughout human history from the modern Abrahamic religions to Ancient Egypt. The blueness of the stone, coupled with aquamarine's often unblemished clarity, has resulted in the idea that aquamarine represents and inspires truth and clarity, and as such often can make the wearer more in tune with their emotions and thoughts. This makes aquamarine a soothing and healing stone, which can help you keep a clear head even in stressful situations.

Aquamarine is believed to inspire truth and understanding in relationships as well. The ancient Romans would exchange gifts of aquamarine between lovers in order to maintain focus on trust and growth as a couple rather than on lust. Aquamarine will help you tune in to your partner's emotions, and so they won't even have to say a word for you to know how they are feeling. Aquamarine will also imbue you with tolerance and understanding so that you will not be easily offended, angered, or annoyed.

   
In non-romantic situations, aquamarine can be given as a token of protection from harmful thoughts or a disorderly and unhappy mind. Aquamarine is said to have a strong healing nature as well, and is thus good for mothers, children, and pregnant women to ward against complications like illness or injury.

Aquamarine is a truly lovely gemstone, and the color has always reminded me of seawaves breaking along a rocky shoreline, or the early morning sky. Stop by Harvest Gold to inquire about a piece made in local aquamarine!

Recently here at Harvest Gold, we've had many couples -- including dear friends of ours Hal and Carol Severance-Taylor -- celebrating their 50th wedding anniversaries! How lucky for us to have so many wonderful couples surrounding us, customers and friends. Did you know that the traditional 50th anniversary gift is gold? If someone you know is celebrating 50 years of love stop by Harvest Gold and find the perfect gold jewelry for your loved ones.

The ever-perfect Tree of Life design represents the long years of dedication to each other, and the accumulated growth of wisdom and love that has been created out of such a relationship. One of our oldest designs, this cutout pattern is near and dear to our hearts, and we hope soon yours as well!

   

Another favorite here at the gallery is the White Mountain Interlace Cuff. This bracelet is made of two pieces of interwoven gold, and represents two lives that have been intertwined together in happiness and love. The design was inspired by the interplay between mountains reaching up to the sky and the clouds stretching down to blanket the peaks, this bracelet can be made in any color of gold you would like, and in sterling silver. 

 

Varvara Harmon, a Windham local originally hailing from Russia, is an internationally guilded painter who is now showing new work at Harvest Gold Gallery. An accomplished artist who works in watercolor, acrylic, and oils, Harmon’s art is a favorite of many who stop by Harvest Gold. After a long struggle with immigration and hard work to reach the US, Harmon is now a well respected member of the Maine art scene.

Born and raised in Volzshk, Russia, Harmon began painting in her early childhood, and was later a student at the Volzshk School of Art. After her first years of college, Harmon’s career goals turned briefly from the arts towards earth sciences. She continued on to the Moscow Geological Exploration Academy, where she earned a degree in Geological Studies.After graduation, Harmon worked as a geologist: work that brought her to some of Russia’s most spectacular wildernesses. It was during this time that Harmon returned to painting landscapes.

Harmon immigrated to the United States in 2001, where she moved to Windham, Maine. For Harmon the immigration process was long and difficult, and she worked tirelessly to make her dream of living in New England a reality. Attracted to the beautiful scenery and the way of life here in Maine, Harmon has been a very active member of the both the Maine art scene and the outdoors hiking and conservation communities.

From her initial photo, as seen above

Transformed into a beautiful painting

New England, especially Maine, is a place whose lands, lakes, coasts, and people have inspired many of Harmon’s recent paintings. While the majority of her work is done in oil, Harmon also is skilled in acrylic, watercolor, and pencil. And although landscapes are her favorite subject, Harmon also does portraits, commissioned works, geological illustrations, and perspective views of architectural designs. Harmon is an internationally praised and awarded artist, and is a member of the International Guild of Realism.

Come see Varvara work her magic and paint Plein Air, this Saturday July 28th from 10am-5pm at Harvest Gold Gallery!