AUSTIN, TX – Beginning February 3, 2006, Mexic-Arte Museum Store will present it’s third annual Ámame  Bésame Adórname, an entire month full of exquisite one-of-a-kind jewelry just in time for your Sweet Valentine.  Our selection of hand-made FINE JEWELRY makes the most thoughtful holiday gift for today’s sophisticated woman.  The Museum Store will provide complimentary gift wrapping for all jewelry gift purchases.  The proceeds of this month-long event contribute to Mexic-Arte Museum programs and educational endeavors.   

2006 Featured Designer

Mexican designer Magally López handcrafts her distinct line of jewelry in a New York City studio.  Using fine silver (.999) or 18K gold as “thread”, she creates each intricate link within her work by hand — resulting in pieces that marry the strength of the material with the femininity of the artist’s own aesthetic. The results form an effortless elegance reflecting the color and tone of the changing seasons, particularly with the inclusion of various precious and semiprecious stones and pearls. López’s jewelry demonstrates a delicateness and durability which only truly fine craftsmanship can reveal in combination.  The artist’s jewelry is designed to be multi-occasional, appealing to many different types and generations of women.

Born in Mexico, Magally grew up watching her grandmother’s fingers create intricate needlepoint, giving her an appreciation for quality work at an early age. She went on to received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Houston, focusing on sculpture and specializing in jewelry and metalsmithing, where she studied traditional techniques such as forging, chasing, repoussé, anticlastic raising and more.

She began exhibiting her work in jewelry and art shows around the country. Presently, Magally’s pieces are sold in high-end boutiques, galleries and museum stores from the East Coast to the West Coast.   Magally’s jewelry is designed for every occasion — sophisticated enough for an evening out on the town and durable enough to withstand everyday wear. 

In June 2004, Promax Conference (the television industry’s leading gathering of TV promotion and marketing executives) keynote speakers received Magally López jewelry.  Speakers included Donald Trump, Barbara Walters, Judith McGrath (president of MTV), Brian Williams (NBC News), Geraldine Laybourne (CEO of Oxygen Network), Dominick Dunne (Vanity Fair), Stuart Elliott (New York Times), and David Hill (president of Fox Sports).    

2006 Guest Designers 

The Mexic-Arte Museum Store warmly welcomes Monterrey’s Sofia & Yuyi Guajardo.  The Guajardo sisters are both designers for KumKum Joyas.  Their elegant, old world-meets-modern day designs feature semi-precious stones set in silver and gold.  Also, new this year is Houston's Kristina Vaquero-Nemec.  Her creations include feminine earrings and necklaces dotted with hand-selected precious and semi-precious stones.  Other 2006 Guest Designers include Mexic-Arte Museum Store top-selling designers San Antonio’s Pat Guerrero, Austin’s Luz Angela Norton, Dallas/Taxco's Shayna Weeden and Mexico’s award-winning Martha Vargas.   

Mexic-Arte Museum Store 

In a USA Today article published on Friday, November 28, 2003, the Museum Store Association named Mexic-Arte Museum Store one of the “Top 10 Great Places To Find Museum-Quality Gifts” for the 2003 Christmas Season.  When you are looking for that special gift that reflects our remarkable artistic heritage, visit the newly designed Mexic-Arte Museum Store.  Browse through a variety of magnificent folk art by Mexican Grand Masters Tiburcio Soteno, Gorky González, and Hilario Alejos Madrigal.  Enjoy an assortment of collectible and bilingual books for all ages.  Purchase items from traditional Mayan huipiles from communities in the Lake Atitlan basin to the silky collection of handbags, shawls, scarves and ties by Mexico City’s Pineda Covalin.

Location:   Mexic-Arte Museum Store, 419 Congress Avenue, Austin, TX

What:     Ámame  Bésame Adórname (Love Me, Kiss Me, Adorn Me) Fundraising Event

When:  February 3 – 28, 2006 www.mexic-artemuseum.org/

Description:   February is Jewelry Month at the Mexic-Arte Museum Store, Fundraiser   

JEWERLY FIT FOR TELEVISION TITANS:

Presenting a Jewelry Showcase/Fundraiser Featuring Top Latino Jewelry Designers from Mexico and the United States.Special Guest – Mexican designer Magally López