As a San Juan island resident who loved art but grew up with limited access to resources on the island, Maria Michaelson had a vision. She longed to create opportunities and accessibility for islanders, particularly island youth, to explore and experiment with different art forms. Her dreams were realized as the co-founder and co-director of Alchemy Art Center, a non-profit community art center which offers monthly memberships, classes, workshops and seasonal artist residencies. However, her original vision had never involved meeting her future husband through the process, nor that he would be the other co-founder of the organization.
American artist, Valerie Jo Coulson, is internationally renowned for her sophisticated aesthetic, inspired by aesthesia formed from events, a work of art, or gemstones. Her father, a painter and designer, and her mother, a textile artist, influenced her disposition for the arts and culture, alongside the colors and textures of her surrounding Lancaster County roots. Coulson’s masterful stone inlay and aptitude for balance, have likened the workmanship of her jewels to architecture. Newly debuted, “BBeyond Jewellery: Spectacular and Collectible Pieces,” is a loose-leaf coffee table book, featuring the world’s leading master jewelers. Five breathtaking masterpieces by Valerie Jo Coulson are featured in the publication.