The Rock Shop offers jewelry, gemstones & gifts
by Kate Evans
The Rock Shop has jewelry, gemstones and gifts made by local artists. The shop opened on December 15 and also carries beads and jewelry-making supplies and books. The Rock Shop is located in Berkeley Springs at 240A Wilkes Street near the corner of U.S. Route 9 West and Wilkes Street.
Owner-manager Maya Fredo began hand-painting rocks for family and friends when young. She also makes jewelry from semi-precious stones as well as hemp jewelry. Fredo decided to open a shop to sell her wares as well as jewelry, arts and crafts pieces made by other local artists. Fredo worked in retail as spa manager at The Bath House for five years. She also worked at The Red Guitar, where she first sold her creations.
Fredo paints colorful "Welcome" yard and garden stones and decorative rocks with people's last names for their homes. She also paints rock art, depicting nature scenes, insects and ornamental wildlife. Fredo also adds inspirational quotes from famous people like James Dean, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Eleanor Roosevelt and Mother Theresa to her rocks.
Fredo also carries rock art that is created by several other artists at her shop. All work in different styles, she said. Other jewelry that The Rock Shop carries are wire-wrapped necklaces and rings, sterling silver rings, pewter charms and beaded bracelets and earrings.
The Rock Shop features gifts such as shea butter and assorted lotions and creams, bath salts and scrubs, locally made potpourri, herbal heat-assist neck wraps and eye packs, whimsical lavender-seeded pillows, Zen Garden vases and lamps, Longaberger baskets, retired Boyd's Bears, flowered ceramic teapots, handmade clothing, salt lamps, lacquered boxes, postcards and healing stones.
Benefits Humane Society
Fredo also carries paintings by Lynn Ferris and handmade quilts by Ann Darling at The Rock Shop. Sales of Darling's quilts benefit The Humane Society of Morgan County, of which Fredo is the president.
Fredo first got involved with fundraising for the agency and began selling pet items to help raise awareness about the needs of animals. Fredo organized last Saturday's Ice House benefit for the Humane Society where her husband, musician Jim Fredo, performed with guest appearances by friends.
The Rock Shop also features pet supplies, treats and gifts as well as an adoption board for pets needing homes. A percentage of the proceeds from the pet items go for support to keep the Humane Society shelter going, said Fredo. Fredo is also selling handmade kitty and puppy beds for extra income for the shelter as she gets a chance to make them.
Fredo has a foster program for shelter cats where she takes in an animal and works with it at her shop, while hoping to adopt it out to a good home in time.
"All kinds of babies need homes," said Fredo of the Humane Society shelter.
Classes
Fredo is offering a variety of beading and jewelry classes for teens and adults at The Rock Shop. A Basic Beading class is scheduled for Thursday, April 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with instructor Jennifer Willett. Willett will also teach a wire-wrapping class on Saturday, April 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon. Fredo plans to hold classes for children at The Rock Shop through the summer.
Fredo is really looking forward to the classes, for which she has had a large request. Several instructors will teach different jewelry-making and beading techniques. Fredo hopes in the future to start a beading club, where jewelry makers can get together with other artisans while they work on their pieces.
Hours for The Rock Shop are Monday and Tuesday by chance, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
For more information about The Rock Shop or upcoming classes, call 258-6770.
