| If you haven't visited the Dixon Gallery and | | | | depends on sponsors and membership. Dixon |
| Gardens gift shop in a few years, you might | | | | members get a 10 percent discount. |
| not recognize the place. It's aglow with | | | | |
| beguiling jewelry ranging from inexpensive | | | | Robertson has an M.A. in crafts from the |
| baubles to items intricately handcrafted in | | | | University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she |
| precious metals. | | | | studied metalsmithing, enameling, pottery, |
| | | | silk screening and weaving. She also worked |
| When store manager and jewelry buyer Nancy | | | | for many years in fine jewelry at Marshall |
| Robertson took her post there almost four | | | | Fields in Chicago. |
| years ago, the shop focused on things such as | | | | |
| Monet mugs and magnets and art prints that | | | | "The knowledge of how these jewelry items are |
| were not big sellers with local folks. | | | | made has really helped me be more discerning |
| | | | in making quality choices," she said. She and |
| "My vision was that (we) could do a lot | | | | other sales people at the store enjoy |
| better if we focused on craft items such as | | | | educating customers about the pieces of |
| pottery, woven textiles, beaded purses and | | | | jewelry. |
| jewelry that would support craftsmen and | | | | |
| artists in their own right," she said. Items | | | | Some seem to demand it. Cynthia Bloom's |
| still relate to the Dixon through their | | | | alluring dragonfly necklace, $186, for |
| artistry and nature-related themes or by | | | | example, is a hand-painted glass button |
| reflecting current exhibits. | | | | embellished with 14-karat gold, kiln fired, |
| | | | and adorned with rare, antique, 24-karat |
| As she saw what sold, Robertson -- little by | | | | gold-lined, antique Czech glass beads and |
| little -- expanded jewelry lines until she | | | | Swarovski crystals. |
| had tripled the merchandise. Jewelry is now | | | | |
| their best-selling category. Shop sales have | | | | More whimsical are earrings and necklaces by |
| more than doubled. | | | | Ayala Bar pieced together from printed |
| | | | fabrics, beads, stones and crystals. |
| "A lot of people look to us for jewelry they | | | | |
| haven't seen anywhere else that has a | | | | Some items are purely for fun: Stretch |
| high-end look without being super high end," | | | | bracelets of transparent disks in smoke and |
| she said. | | | | bronze are only $12 each but will wonderfully |
| | | | complement fall's trendiest color -- gray. |
| She purchased fine jewelry pieces that sell | | | | |
| for $300 or $400, but also added | | | | Eleanor Scott, a Memphian and former art |
| fashion-forward items from $6 to $30. Even | | | | director of the Memphis Jewish Community |
| those are usually handcrafted with | | | | Center, said she and her daughter shop often |
| considerable skill. | | | | at the Dixon to find unusual gifts for |
| | | | friends. |
| "It's a lot of fun to spend $10 on a jewelry | | | | |
| that everyone in the office admires," she | | | | "We've found fabulous stuff for Christmas |
| said. | | | | gifts. We've bought a lot of amber jewelry, |
| | | | all kinds of earring and brooches." She said |
| And shopping at the Dixon is relatively guilt | | | | she could take things directly from the store |
| free because all profits support the Memphis | | | | to the recipient because items are |
| landmark, a private jewelry museum that | | | | attractively packaged in bags or boxes. |