Bracelet c. 1915

This bracelet was made by a Navajo artist, composed of silver and turquoise. I can only imagine how the artist’s hands carefully set each stone in place, the metal bending and conforming to its shape. Each turquoise stone has such variation in color, like a miniature landscape painting, embedded with so much history and meaning. It makes you wonder, where did these stones come from? What stories do they hold? What did the artist want to communicate? Wearing this bracelet would be like carrying a piece of the earth with you, a reminder of the beauty and resilience of nature and culture. It’s a piece of adornment, yes, but so much more than that. It speaks to the ongoing artistic conversation, where each piece builds upon the last, creating something beautiful and new.