During a busy day, most people are so concerned with tests, projects and work that they don’t take a moment to look around and discover the beauty of nature.

Gemologist Mark Ginsberg made this observation and decided to do something to make people notice the beauty surrounding them.

Ginsberg has chosen the art of ancient jewelry to motivate people to look at older works of art and to educate them about older beauty. His goal is to tie together feelings of the past to feelings of the present.

“I see jewelry as an object of art, not just as a commodity,” Ginsberg said.

The excitement he feels for history lies in the hidden passage-ways where pieces of evidence are found, Ginsberg said.

For him, part of this feeling developed from two archeological digs.

On two short trips to Sudan and South of India, near Madras, Ginsberg gained firsthand experience on the beauty of history.

“Growing up, I was always interested in history,” Ginsberg said. “I like to look for that rare find in objects, not just jewelry.”

After the digs, Ginsberg inferred that “the focus on art was missing in the Midwest. I can see that Iowa is a very educated state, and I want people to know that more exists beyond the boarders,” he said.

Currently, Ginsberg is working towards his goal of education with an exhibit of period art jewelry that will be held at M.C. Ginsbert Galleries in West Des Moines and Iowa City beginning March 27.

As a prelude to the exhibit, Ginsberg will give a lecture today titled “In Retrospect: Jewelry as Object: Edwardian Period to Art Deco, 1900-1930.”

He will discuss his knowledge and experiences of art and will focus on the Edwardian style.

Ginsberg will include 45 to 50 slides to show examples of his work including items from his jewelry by Tiffany and Cartier collections.

“This is truly a unique opportunity to learn about the most elegant jewelry in the history of personal adornment,” Victoria Quinn-Stephens, M.C. Ginsberg director of marketing, said in a press release. “Nowhere is the Edwardian style better represented than in its jewels and delicate use of diamonds.”

Ginsberg’s lecture will be tonight at 7 at the Brunnier Art Museum and is open to the public.