NEWTON - The public is invited to Buccieri’s GEMS and JEWELRY on Saturday, Oct. 21 to kickoff the holidays by previewing a special art exhibit celebrating the Jewels of Italy by local artist, Jennie Traill Schaeffer. The Oak Ridge jeweler and Newton artist are hosting a reception from 6 - 8 p.m. featuring Italian wines and cheeses at the Oak Ridge jeweler’s 5669 Berkshire Valley Road store. The artworks to hang on the jeweler’s walls are true facets of Italy; prints, drawings, and oils depicting gelato, Tuscan landscapes, and Sicilian laundry by Schaeffer will be included. Schaeffer spent a semester living in Florence during art school and can’t seem to get Italy out of her mind. It’s in her family, in her food, in her paintings, and in her dreams. To help celebrate the preview, guests will have an opportunity to win a $50 gift certificate donated by Buccieri’s. Named “Best New Artist” at the 2006 Skylands Juried Show in Sussex County, Schaeffer is an emerging artist who has exhibited in the NYC metro area, with work located in a growing number of private collections in Manhattan, Vernon, and Morristown. Known for her oil paintings of appliances and hand painted tiles of epicurean delicacies, Schaeffer frequently paints works with Italy in mind. Buccieri’s GEMS and JEWELRY owners, Kathy and Matt Buccieri, invited Schaeffer to exhibit and sell her work in their store after meeting each other at a Sussex County small business owner’s group, ISBOG. Buccieri and Schaeffer individually have many success stories of collaborating with other businesses and saw art and jewelry a good match. The soft green walls, calming fountain formed of semi-precious stone, and the surrounding jewelry, gemstones and timeless gifts are a fitting space for Schaeffer’s Jewels of Italy. The Oak Ridge jeweler is a Graduate Gemologist of The Gemological Institute of America and has traveled the world seeking the finest and most rare colored gemstones while managing the Gem Stone Acquisition Department for Tiffany and Co. His extensive background and deep knowledge of gems show in the services provided and the jewelry available at the store. The sublime subjects in Schaeffer’s paintings and the exquisite jewelry pieces, coupled with the Buccieri’s warmth and knowledge make Buccieri’s GEMS and JEWELRY a place to visit this holiday season and stay awhile. For more information contact Buccieri’s GEMS and JEWELRY at (973)-208-6880 or e-mail Kathy@buccierisgemsandjewelry.com. Buccieri’s GEMS and JEWELRY is open from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays with extended holiday hours beginning Nov. 27. Schaeffer’s artwork will be available at Buccieri’s GEMS and JEWELRY through Dec. 31.