Dr. Evonne Evans, retired Wisconsinite orthodontist, accomplished artist and singer/musician for over 40 years, has now concentrated her efforts in the lapidary arts and jewelry making.  Since retiring in South Dakota, she has been able to work with South Dakota agates, especially the Fairburn agate, South Dakota’s state Gemstone.

Although once very plentiful, the Fairburn agate is now more difficult to find and therefore is quite valuable.  The Fairburn’s striking colors and vivid banding lend themselves to becoming beautiful jewelry.  Dr. Evonne believes the Fairburn agate is one of the most beautiful agates found in the world.  She refers to the Fairburn as the “finger print of God…no two are the same, they are all different!”  For her, there is nothing more thrilling then opening a rough agate and being the first person to “see what’s inside.”  Even though her work requires cutting, shaping, polishing and artfully carving the agate to reveal it’s inner beauty, for her, all the time required is worth the effort.

The Fairburn agate of southwestern South Dakota is a beautiful silica gemstone originating from shallow ocean sediments between 250 and 300 million years ago.  They were brought to the surface by the geologic forces that created the Black Hills uplift and can now be found in the badlands, grasslands and in the Black Hills.