Bracelet c. 1930s

This bracelet was made out of silver and turquoise by A'shiwi, also known as Zuni artists. I imagine them carefully setting each stone, one by one, into its silver frame. It's a repetitive gesture, a labor of love. I wonder what the artist was thinking while they were making it? What did they look at out the window, what did they think about? There is a beautiful, turquoise color, almost electric against the cool silver. The stones are arranged in a grid pattern, creating a sense of order and balance. It's like a field, each stone a little plant, or even pixels. And I'm drawn to the tiny irregularities, the subtle variations in color and shape, that give the piece its handmade feel. It reminds me of the work of other jewelers who explore pattern and repetition, like those that favor symmetry. Ultimately, artists all help each other – it's an ongoing conversation through time. And here it embraces uncertainty, which always leaves space for you.