Category Archives: art

Turquoise Necklaces

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For many years, turquoise necklaces have been an essential Native American souvenir and art form. In fact, the Native Americans have only been working in metal since after the Civil War, and the original turquoise was imported from the Middle East. But, by 1900, Native American turquoise, and, by 1930, jeweler’s sterling silver became the main components of the silver turquoise necklace and other types of Native American jewelry.

Turquoise necklaces come in many styles. There are those with tablet shaped beads strung with either small turquoise nuggets or heishi (pronounced hee-shee) made from turquoise, shell or other stones. Heishi are small, flat disks or small tube shaped beads used to cover the string between larger pieces of turquoise that are the highlight of the necklace. A turquoise and coral necklace may be a multi-strand necklaces, and these generally use heishi to provide the bulk of the necklace. Fetish necklaces, with small carved animals, also usually use heishi as the main ingredient.

A turquoise bead necklace can also come in the form of round or flat disks, strung without anything between them, to form heavy but impressive necklaces. These frequently have joclas, two oval loops of the same beads, that were originally earrings. These heavy ear loops were hung on the necklace when not on the ears, and now these turquoise necklaces are made with permanently attached loops as the central feature of the necklace.

The other most noticeable turquoise necklace is the turquoise and silver squash blossom. These are mostly silver, with handmade domed beads, and incorporate blossom shaped beads that may have turquoise mounted in them. The center piece of these necklaces is a horse-shoe shaped silver and turquoise piece called a naja. Squash blossom necklaces were developed by the Navajo as a way to wear their most precious currency, silver and turquoise, both of which were trade-able for food and other necessities of life on the reservation.

See Forms of Turquoise Necklaces.

Often turquoise, coral, shell, mother of pearl and other stones are worked into inlay pieces. These miniature mosaics are made by many tribes, and each has a distinctive style developed during the Twentieth Century. This century, the artists are experimenting with the differently styles and the style of the jewelry is no longer an indicator of the tribe of the artist or craftsman.

A Few Words About the Care of Your Turquoise Jewelry

Turquoise can be porous and fragile unless stabilized. Keep your turquoise away from oils, soaps, harsh cleaning agents and paste polishes. The silver components can be buffed up a little using a jewelry rouge polishing cloth. Otherwise, the jewelry should not be cleaned.

Store each piece separately, wrapped in a soft cloth, like a handkerchief, or in tissue paper. Any plastic used around your jewelry should be inert polyethylene, as other plastics off-gas chemicals that can damage your jewelry.

Turquoise necklaces, rings, bracelets, belts, earrings and other jewelry are true forms of Native American art, developed by those peoples for their own uses and in their own styles. Cherish the pieces you have.

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Native American Art

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Native American art can now be seen at museums and art galleries around the world. In some cases the members of the First Nations have adopted the techniques and styles of the Old World, using European perspective and making their two-dimensional art depict landscapes or other three-dimensional scenes or objects in great detail. Other Native Americans use non-European ways of depicting time and space, and produce works of art that are not within the conventions of European art. Many Native American artists work in conventional materials, including basketry and pottery, while others work in oil paints, watercolors and the materials of Western Civilization.

Contemporary Native American art includes singing, musical performances and dancing that defy recording and preservation as much as the European traditions of music and dance. To date, although the musical portion can be recorded, it is the recording of one performance, and not the accumulated mastery of the music. Dance is even harder to record as the camera has only a single point of view and monocular vision. Seeing and hearing performances is still the best way to partake of Native American music and dance, with faulty memory and circumscribed viewpoint of recorded performances to survive the act.

Two-dimensional art like paintings and works on paper have become one place where the Native American artist has more freedom of expression. Whether the artist produces oil paintings, watercolors, pastels, prints or even posters, these formats allow for the easy distribution of the artist’s vision to other locations. Many art galleries in America and Europe have access to canvas and paper works of art and can satisfy the requests of customers. However, it is better to travel the areas where Native Americans live, and visit the local galleries and even the artists’ studios to select your 2-D Native American art.

In three dimensions, the Native American can pursue mastery of native materials and forms, like ivory carving, stone carving, pottery, basketry and others, or he can use European techniques to create stone or cast metal statues and sculpture. The use of available materials has always been a hallmark of native North American art, but seeing the Native American motifs and styles in European materials does not detract from the work. Some forms of art do not really have European equivalents, like sand paintings, so the Native American must educate the viewer as to the meaning and process. In all cases of Native American art, when the artist uses the symbols of his own culture, some explanation is needed to help outsiders understand the meaning of the work of art.

Like artists everywhere, the Native American must balance the need for selling his art against the internal vision he is trying to express. Fortunately, more interest in Native American art means more money is available, and the compromises of the artist has to make becomes less onerous, and the artist works toward the goal of supporting himself by art alone.

Native American art includes European techniques and traditional forms of expression which are made by members of the First People. Learning to appreciate this different vision of the world, regardless of the form or style of the work, is well worth while and is a true American collectible.

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