Product Description

Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry reveals the captivating history of the art of American Indian jewelry making, uncovering the ancient techniques, tools, and materials that have shaped contemporary southwestern jewelry. As you explore Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry's stunning photography, let the art speak to you of how it came to be and what it represents, echoing a similar message still told by traditional Native American jewelry.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #444995 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 184 pages

From the Inside Flap
Challenging the traditional look of Native American turquoise and polished silver, a group of contemporary Southwest artists are creating stunning jewelry using rough metals and stones of all kinds. Abstract configurations twist through wristbands, weave through necklaces, and transform the art of jewelry making. Beginning in the early 1950s, Hopi artist Charles Loloma, Navajo silversmith Kenneth Begay, Mexican/Mission jeweler Preston Monongye, and others emerged with a new style of Native American jewelry. Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry delves into their lives, allowing us to better understand their revolutionary motives, methods, and sources of inspiration. Native American jewelry of today, though carved, cast, and stamped much differently from its predecessors, still celebrates the freedom and beauty found in nature that have been interpreted by American Indians for thousands of years.
Diana Pardue is author of Shared Images: The Innovative Jewelry of Yazzie Johnson and Gail Bird (2007) and The Cutting Edge: Southwest Jewelry and Metalwork (1997). She has written articles about jewelry for Ornament, American Indian Art, and Frontdoors magazines. She is curator of collections at the Heard Museum, where she has worked since 1978.
Jacket design: Kurt Hauser
Jacket photos 2007 Heard Museum

About the Author
Diana Pardue is author of Shared Images: The Innovative Jewelry of Yazzie Johnson and Gail Bird, and The Cutting Edge: Southwest Jewelry and Metalwork. She has written articles about jewelry for Ornament and American Indian Art magazines, among others. She is curator of collections at the Heard Museum, where she has worked since 1978. She lives in Phoenix.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Jolted by the heat but fueled with a good idea, by 1961, the Third Annual Heard Fair was held in the much cooler month of March.

Customer Reviews

A sparkling gem
Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry is a sparkling gem of a book. The author, Diana Pardue, curator of collections at the Heard Museum, has written brilliantly about modern day Native American artists who hammer, forge, cast, and fabricate stunning jewelry and silverwork. The artists included in this book were born, trained, or live in this area of the country.

The introduction and first chapter set the stage for the remainder of the book. The author clearly elucidates how traditional Native American jewelry has evolved from a distinct cultural and geographic identity to an art form embraced by national and international collectors, high fashion, upscale department stores, and the media. The chronicle starts in the 1950's with pioneering artists such as Charles Loloma and Kenneth Begay, continuing through the cultural and population changes that occurred in the Southwest, and the establishment of supportive galleries, and craft centers.

Ms. Perdue's impeccable fusion of artists' biographies, discussion of metalworking techniques, and use of beautifully photographed silverwork guides the reader through the last fifty plus years of Southwest Native American jewelry creation. The transition from the customary, conventional, and long-established techniques to contemporary art forms have been accomplished with the introduction of new and imaginative use of diverse stones and patterns, silverwork techniques, the addition of gold, copper, and alloys, as well as the use of shell and wood. Electric tools and improved adhesives have been invaluable assistance for contemporary jewelers.

The work is exclusively about Native American artists; however, the title purely states Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry. My interpretation is that the author would like the reader to understand that current Native American metalwork has evolved beyond narrowly defined limits. Although Native American spirituality, multigenerational influences, and traditional techniques still influence present day artists, their work can no longer be solely defined by their ethnicity. Almost all of the emerging artists highlighted in the last chapter of the book have had important educational experiences outside the Southwest by non- Native American mentors.

Contemporary Southwest Jewelry is an important book. Those interested in Native American art, jewelry making, and collecting will find it a welcome addition to their library.

Jewelry to covet
The only reason I don't give this volume five stars is that, in my opinion, several of the most important artists (e.g., Nathan Lefthand), were left out. While it is not possible to include works from all the great Native American artists we are privileged to have around us today, it would have been worthwhile to mention more of them in passing. It is, nonetheless, an excellent book, with fine illustrations.

Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry
This is an excellent reference book chalked full of beautiful
pictures. This book features pictures and information on the very
beginning contemporary artist and the emerging generation of very talented
artist.
I would recommend this book to everyone who loves Native American jewelry
and designs. Whether you are the seasoned collector or the beginning
collector of this wonderful jewelry and art.