Two Show Experience: Garan-Beadagio fills Casino del Sol with color | News

The Tucson gem, mineral and fossil showcase encompasses a rainbow of shows and experiences. 

Two of them — Colors of the Stone gem and To Bead True Blue bead shows — give collectors, designers and casual shoppers a chance to peruse a range of rare beads and antiquities, natural stones and minerals, wearable art and jewelry. 

The two shows are Saturday, Feb. 1, to Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Casino del Sol.  

Garan-Beadagio organizes the shows in Tucson in the winter and fall and others in California.

The company was started by Anna Johnson, a beadmaker, jeweler and merchant and her daughter Casey Kennerson. 

Johnson said their shows stand out from other bead and gem events in  Tucson because of the types of items featured. 

“We really focus on the unique, the handmade, the artisan,” she said. “A lot of the other shows in town are much more commercial. Ours is much more artisan-focused. You’re going to find the unusual, the one-of-a-kind pieces that you don’t find anywhere else.” For example, longtime exhibitor Mountain Robbins produces sculptural glass beads incorporating faces and animals. 

Johnson said they were doing the bead show in 1997 and added the gem show later. 

“To Bead True Blue is more about all the beads, like lampwork glass beads, antique beads and Colors of the Stone really encompasses everything, including art, jewelry, clothing, gemstones, crystals, all the findings, antiquities, tribal pieces,” Johnson said.  

The Tucson show is their longest-running event. 

Johnson started participating in Tucson shows in the 1980s when she saw the need for a show focused on beads. 

Her events now attract 1,000 exhibitors from around the United States and world, including Japan, Greece and the Czech Republic. 

“It’s an international show. It’s the largest gathering of artisan beads, jewelry and supplies. We have people from worldwide coming to show and exhibit,” Johnson said. 

Many exhibitors do the entire event, but some artisans appear the last three days. They have many returning exhibitors. Johnson said that these vendors  often develop longstanding relationships with customers. 

“The attendees will come to see them,” Johnson said.

“They get to see them once a year. We have wholesalers that come out of New York, and that’s the only time our attendees will get to see them and purchase from them directly in person, see all of their new products… It’s also a good way for people to meet and make contacts for their future ordering needs for their jewelry design. People will come and showcase everything new that they have, and people want to try out the new products.”

During the show, designers, retail store owners and artisans can purchase wholesale items to make jewelry or sell at their storefronts. 

“We’re a very good source for the designers because we have wholesale suppliers of beads, gems, the findings and anything someone needs to make their own jewelry,” Johnson said. 

“We also have finished artisan pieces for the galleries.”

Johnson said most of the people who come to the show are artisans, designers, and gallery owners who are interested in wholesale pieces. 

“People are looking for inspiration and new pieces to add into their line, if they’re designing jewelry,” Johnson said.

“The basic materials that they need, they can get all of those here, or they can learn some new techniques in the workshops. So, it’s a very inspiring experience for them. 

“Gallery owners will find one-of-a-kind jewelry, unique clothing, and native arts. We have wood carvings, paintings, beadwork, silverwork. Galleries that are looking for unique pieces to showcase will find them here.” 

They also see shoppers looking for standout pieces, gemstones or beads. 

“Because we have such a wide range, shoppers who are shopping for themselves, they find a lot,” Johnson said.

“You can buy a piece of jewelry. You can buy beads. You can buy a piece of clothing. It’s really a wonderful experience for everyone. People walk in and feel inspired by all of the creativity and the wonderful colors and shapes that they see. Even if you’re not a designer, you would have a great time walking through the show.” 

Johnson said recently, she has been seeing a resurgence of ’90s clothing and jewelry trends. 

“Beads are becoming very popular again, all different types of work with beads… Beads are back, and people are very excited to try different techniques with beads,” Johnson said. 

She has also noticed the trend of consumers wearing multiple rings and bracelets. 

The show is not only a chance to shop but to learn new skills. Artisans will teach workshops in areas such as bead-making, jewelry design, metalwork, wirework, silversmithing, bead weaving, metal clay, enameling, stone setting and mixed media. 

About 500 artisan workshops — designed for people at various skill levels — are offered during the run. Early registration is highly encouraged. 

“We have very basic, beginning level,” Johnson said.

“We also have some demos for people to come and see how to do a simple technique, all the way to very advanced classes… It changes every year, whatever the trend is that year. The wonderful teachers are always on top of the newest trends, what people want to be learning. So, every year, they add in new classes, new ideas, and we bring in new teachers.”

Exploring the two shows and other bead, gem, and mineral shows in      Tucson can be a multiple-day endeavor. 

The casino and resort offer amenities such as onsite restaurants for all palates. 

Guests can park at the casino and take a shuttle bus provided by Garan-Beadagio to Downtown. 

They can also get discount rates to stay at the resort.