Friends Of Jade Dinner

This year in Tucson we had a wonderful gathering at the "Black Angus" on Oracle Rd.. For those of you who remember this was the site of our very first "Friends Of Jade" dinner in Tucson nine years ago. We have seen many changes since that time and it seems the Jade community is growing in bounds. The larger banquet room at "Black Angus" was nearly filled with people who's common passion for the stone was evidenced by the easy way that people meeting for the first time engaged in spontanious conversation. 

Brian Matheson was kind enough to give an update on the impact of this years "Jade Symposium" and to share what lay ahead for the next year. This was a huge undertaking for Brian and through this event  the Jade community has garnered good will and many new enthusiast who may become Jade lovers. Well done Brian and on behalf of the Friends Of Jade  thank you for your efforts.

Many times at the Friends Of Jade dinner we acknowledge the individuals who have a huge presence in the Jade world and yet there are those who for decades have contributed  out of the spotlight. At our dinner this year we acknowledged Kirk Brock for the amazing contributions he has made over the decades. Kirks work in organizing the Jade Festival and assuring things flow smoothly takes a lot of time and energy away from his own Jade business, so once again Kirk the community thanks you.

The second person recognised was Roger Kirchbaum, a Yukon miner of the Jade used in the Jade Symposium this last year. Roger has mined this stone for years with a passion to get his Jade to carvers who have come to love the stone. Roger we also thank you for your efforts to move the stone thousands of miles to put in the hands of people who use it to create art. The Symposium has shown the world what a beautiful stone your mine produces.

I would like to close this update with a persoal note of thanks  to Fred and Charlotte Ward  whose place at the dinner table  was empty. We know that Tucson is hard to make nowdays so we look forward to the Friends of Jade dinner at the Jade Festival this October! We also thank you for the tradition of getting together over a meal and sharing stories  and warm fellowship. It has become a place where through Jade we share a common passion and the opportunity to extend our circle of friends.

Thanks to Pat Jordan for snapping a few pictures at the dinner. He also suggested we have a time to share  our favorite pocket stones at the next dinner, sounds like fun!                             Cheers, Mike

JADE COVE

The Pacific Ocean looking out over Sand Dollar beach.

JADE FESTIVAL 2011

AS the fall season comes to the central California coast, Jade lovers are not thinking of autumn leaves and pumpkin pie, they begin to anticipate the Big Sur Jade Festival. Although this event goes unnoticed by  a large part of the population in California, a growing number of people from many states and countries mark their calendar and set the time and money aside for a Jade experience unlike any other in the world .

Mike Burkleo showing his new  "Ogdon Mtn." mountain stone.

This year marked the twentieth year since some of the locals got together and started the festival as a fundraiser for the South Coast Community Land Trust and the Pacific Valley School. I remember one of the early years when my father and I  headed down Highway One to Jade Cove and were surprised to see a sign that said "Jade Festival" as we passed the Pacific Valley School. Our thought at the time was  "who would hold a festival out here in the middle of California's outback"? For those who have not traveled this road , it is one of California's most untamed  unpredictable and yet most beautiful roads.During the fall and winter storm months the road is often closed due to landslides that can take out entire stretches of the highway for months. And yet as the years passed and the word grew so did the festival which now has thousands of Jade loving regulars coming to get another sculpture, cobble or piece of jewelry to add to their collection.

Dick Horan mixing with customers.

I believe it was after the seventh year of the festival that my wife Joan and I asked  Kenny Comello to add our names to the waiting list of vendors who would like to sell at the Jade Festival. To our shock and surprise two days before the start of the eighth festival we received a call from Kenny that someone had cancelled and "would we like to come"? I believe that sometimes seemingly small decisions can have dramatic impacts on our lives and our choice to do a small festival in a remote part of California was a game changer . As it turned out the Jade Festival was only the tip of the iceberg for us. Through the festival we met and became part of a dynamic community of people who love Jade and what it stands for. For me, the son of a jade hunter who taught his children that Jade was a treasure, I felt as though I had come home.  This love and appreciation of Jade is one of the strongest impressions you will get if you come to the festival. You will actually find vendors who have Jades on their tables that are not for sale, they just bought them to share and be appreciated. Others come to the festival wearing a pendant made of one of the treasures they found at one of the local beaches, or they will take a piece out of their pocket or purse and with the face of a mesmerized child share their treasure. Often they will look at your face to see if the light goes on in your eyes as you look it over. I have seen this scene played out over and over and in the act of sharing these moments you may just notice that a type of affection is displayed as people caress and gently pass to one another the stone we all treasure. 

The famous Jade Festival 'Belly Dancers'.

As we look back over the past twenty years of celebrating Jade at the festival I am so encouraged about the future. I was talking this subject over with a close friend in the Jade community from Canada and he shared  that what is taking place through the festival is having an impact in jade cultures around the world. What an impression that statement has made on me and as I have pondered  it my appreciation for what we are doing as a community of Jade lovers has grown. We are indeed blessed to live where we do, to be a part of a community of kindred spirits that reaches to China, New Zealand, Central America,Russia or British Columbia. Wherever people find a place for Jade in their lives, we have something in common.

One day on a dive in North Cove with Don Wobber, he looked up from getting his gear ready and said, "I am always amazed that I  get payed to do the thing I love most , to work with and hunt Jade", then he continued to get ready.  These casual words have challenged me to  keep a balanced perspective in my business and life . I too am  thankful that I have been given the incredible opportunity to make  a living working with Jade . I get to share  the stone and what it means with others, then watch as their face changes as they touch it and it touches them. So much to be thankful for!

                                                                              Happy Thanksgiving to all, Mike Burkleo

Win Robertson:

The "Jade Queen" of British Columbia has passed. I have received notice from Debra Wilson that Win Robertson  passed this last week. For those who are not familiar with Win, she  was quite a significant part of  Canadian Jade hunting history. The story of her discovery of the "Jade Queen"deposit was widely published  and even included in Stan Leaming's book "Jade Fever".

We in the Jade world have such a rich community of fascinating people who have preceded us, and the loss of one of the great women prospectors is significant. Through Debra I had planned to interview Win and with her passing I am sorry that she did not get to tell her story one more time to inspire the Jade hunter in all of us. Thank you Win for your enthusiasm and zest for life and especially your love for Jade. You are and will be missed!

                                                                                   Sincerly, Mike Burkleo

Passing The Torch

As I considered the kind offer by Fred and Charlotte to follow them in managing Friends Of Jade I realised quickly that  it would be a huge challenge for myself and Joan. I am quite sure I do not have the credentials or the life experience of Fred and Charlotte, but as I talked over the idea with respected  friends the feedback I received was encouraging.  We have all reaped the wonderful benefit  of Freds undertaking to revive Friends Of Jade . As a result we can sit at our computers and study all about Jade through the  Journal articles or read about current happenings in the world of Jade through articles contributed by those in the Jade world today. In fact, Friends Of Jade dinners at Tucson  and Jade Cove have had a great impact in helping to connect and mould the current community of Jade lovers around the world. All of this a result of a man with a plan sitting at the computer!

In closing I would  like to Thank Fred and Charlotte for their hard work and the trust they have given me. I would also encourage feedback and dialogue as to the focus and the future of Friends Of Jade.

In the following weeks I will be adding weekly suggestions for articles and posting a few myself.

             Until then ,

            Mike Burkleo