Roll back to January 30, 2022.  

A client, Betsy Foi, was commissioning a necklace with a gorgeous family opal. She came by the gallery with an older couple who I learned were her mom, Barbara, and step-dad, Bob. We made our way up the stairs to our custom loft with Bob using a cane to help guide him. We sat down and looked at the beautiful opal and talked about the design sketches I had done. The sunlight was streaming in the window and Bob put his hands on the felt desktop to lean in for a closer look at my drawings. I noticed he was wearing big, crazy rings that only an artist jeweler could have made. I asked, “Were you a jeweler?” Bob’s whole energy changed as he answered: “Yes, and I started my career here in Berkeley.”

He showed me the rings on his hands and Barbara was also wearing two of his rings. Their hands in the sunlight were beautiful. I blurted out, "Can I take a photo of your hands?" And I did. Then they told me that they had a large opal collection but Bob was no longer able to work due to his eyesight. I jokingly asked if they wanted to adopt me and we all had a good laugh.

I posted their hands shot on Instagram which gathered over 190 likes and many heartwarming comments.

Later when Betsy picked up her pendant, she told me that Bob kept asking her to check the likes and comments on the post. It made me smile. I had seen through his age today and back to when he was a working jeweler.

I could imagine the spark in Bob’s eye. I saw how he once sat at his jeweler’s bench and loved to make his creations and the one-of-a-kind pieces in gold with beautiful stones. He once had a steady hand and a sharp eye. He was once young with the world ahead of him.

It made me think about getting older and possibly having one’s talents fade away with age. When we are young or even mid-career like myself, we feel like so much is still ahead of us.

I thought about Bob often in the weeks after and about his huge opal collection sitting at his house in their dark velvet boxes. I remembered how he lit up when I asked about his rings and his work. I thought about what I would I want in his position? And realized I would want to be remembered and to further help forward the art of creative jewelry making.

I came up with an idea.

I proposed to Betsy that Bob donate a portion of his opal collection and I would invite my artists to use them to create special pieces. The proceeds from these pieces would go to a jewelry-making school in the area and be used to fund a scholarship in Bob’s name. Bob and his family loved the idea.

And The Opals Show was born to honor Bob.

THE OPALS SHOW will feature work by 26 artists using Bob’s opals in their work.

SHIBUMI GALLERY is pleased to present our Annual Holiday Party : featuring Bob’s opals and work from over 26 of our artists.

THE OPALS SHOW

April Higashi, Ben Farnya, Big Sur Goldsmith, Claudia Alleyne, Eric Silva, Kate Eickelberg, Kelsey Simmen, Kirsten Muenster, Julia Effimova, Julia Turner, Laura French, Laura Leinhard, Lisa Ziff, Margery Hirshey, Maya Kini, Megan Rugani, Mew Chiu, Olivia Shih, Sam Woehrmann, Sandra Enterline, Sarah Graham, Ruth Tomlinson, Trevi Pendro, Tura Sugden, Wendy Wagner, Willum Tseng.

Model: Nadya Lateef , Hair/make-up: Rebecca Shine Forth Salon

All opals were generously donated by retired jeweler Bob Grabowski, to inspire emerging and established Shibumi artists to create new pieces for this show. Bob and retrospective of some of his work, will be joining us for the evening with a special Q&A from 4-4:30 pm, facilitated by Silvera Jewelry School and interviewed by April Higashi. Proceeds from opals sales will be donated to Silvera's scholarship fund in Bob's name.

Please join us in our original gallery space and studio, for this special gathering with food and drinks. RSVP requested.

INSPIRATION: Meet Jeweler Bob Grabowski

Here is the story about the inspiration for our ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOW for 2022:

THE OPALS SHOW