Journal
Beads have a long history among Native American culture. They have been used as trade goods, worn as adornment, and have even been used to tell stories. Tribes used shell, bone and stone to create these tiny pieces of culture, carving the stories into the material itself. Necklaces of such beads were passed down through […]
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Stamp work designs are among the most popular types of handcrafted Native American jewelry. The name sounds simple, but the skill and effort required to create a stamp which can be used to press a design onto metal is anything but simple. It also takes a great deal of skill to learn how to apply […]
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Pen shell has a long history with Native American artists who have used the shell for a wide variety of types of jewelry. These days, however, the beautiful shell which has long been a traditional part of Native jewelry, faces some challenges thanks to environmental changes.
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Marion Lovato grew up making jewelry with her mother in her home in Santo Domingo Pueblo. She was the baby of the family and would sit on the floor while her mother made her heishe necklaces. Her first duty, she says, was to string the cut stones. Later she worked her way up to drilling. […]
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Though he admits he finds it a “little bit nerve-wracking”, Eric Joe loves creating pieces of handcrafted jewelry in the cluster style. He says “it’s just so pretty”. And it is indeed that. This style has a longstanding role in the world of Native American jewelry and rightly so. What is it? The name refers […]
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