Wonders of Nature: A Selection from the Gerard L. Cafesjian Collection

October 03, 2013 – March 02, 2014 Mineral wealth comprises the natural treasury of the earth. It has defined and sustained major ages of civilization's development. Minerals – naturally occurring inorganic substances - are used everywhere; for everyday needs, industrial use, and modern technology. There are over 4,000 officially recognized mineral species. Throughout human history the creative spectrum and marvelous configurations of nature have been prized as miracles, fascinating and inspiring man to reconfigure those creations as new works of art.  

The Gerard L. Cafesjian Collection has a remarkable collection of natural history specimens. This exhibition, Wonders of Nature, presents a selection of minerals from the Collection as natural works of art, as well as sculptures and decorative works fashioned from natural stone. The two rare spheres of Mara Mamba tiger's eye, with their vivid hues and stunning patterns, appear like crystallized planets from the universe. The Chinese Quartz, a Green Quartz bed, amethyst and citrine geodes, petrified wood and Mara Mamba tiger's eye slabs, ravish with the spectacular beauty of natural abstraction. 

The Sea Turtles sculpture, carved of boulder opal and the Iguana, sculpted in serpentine stone, reflect human inspiration and the transformation of nature's creative energy into new works of art. The gem of the exhibit, Rising Phoenix Totem, by famous lapidary artist Lawrence Stoller, stands as a symbol of man’s reverence for nature. The blaze of amethyst geodes rising from bronze wings conveys the artist’s vision of translating the beauty of nature into the nature of beauty.

The exhibition, Wonders of Nature, also gives an educational insight into mineralogy by including basic information about the specimens on exhibit. 

Discover the wonders of the mineral world; experience the interplay of nature's creative genius and the human imagination.