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