The Silk Road; Tales of the Exotic (Holiday Show and Party)

Our 15th Annual Holiday group show is inspired by the period of trade between 130 BCE and up to the 19th century, when the acquisition of exotic materials required exhaustive travel, by horse or camel, across continents. Merchants would set forth for months of journeying in search of lapis, coral, jade, pearls, silk, spices, diamonds, sapphires, beryl, amber, rubies, camel bone, ceramics, embroidery, tiles, sand and woven textiles to acquire, sell, and trade. While The Silk Roads were an ancient network of trade routes between the East and West they disseminated more than just goods. These routes also led to and inspired exchanges of ideas, philosophies, literature, technologies and traditions of arts and crafts.

Today exotic goods are just an Internet search away. And while cars and planes have replaced horses and camels, dealers still travel to far off destinations in search of gems and new materials. While these gems and materials are more accessible than ever, each piece still has the unique story of its place of origin that often gets overlooked without the fascinating and evocative tales of travel to accompany them.

Please join us as we pay homage to The Silk Road, which continues to stir the imagination with its mysterious and romantic notions of new cultures, adventures and beautiful and unusual finds. Yet perhaps in the tradition of The Silk Roads’ greatest legacy, we invite you to our opening Sat. 07 December, 5-9pm not only to peruse the jewelry and goods, but also to gather, perhaps make a new acquaintance, exchange an exotic tale or simply share an idea or two.