I knew it would happen. I tried very hard to be comprehensive, and sure enough, I forgot some people. I asked if there were any artists who should have been in the "who to collect" blog that were left out, and some of you had some really good suggestions. So, I have this small addendum. I have included the category in which the artists should be listed, as well as a * if they are no longer with us. With all apologies, here we go:
Ron Bedonie, Navajo (Traditionals)--an outrageously talented silversmith, whose filework and sense of design is simply breathtaking. He does not exhibit at either of the major Indian Markets, so some people are not as familiar with him as they should be, but the true cognoscenti know him and his work.
Richard Chavez, San Felipe (Uniques)--a late addition! Perhaps the most modernist of all Indian jewelers, and someone whose work befits a man who started his college studies in architecture. Each piece has clean lines and impeccable workmanship.
Boyd Tsosie, Navajo (Uniques)--his work is instantly recognizable and completely unique. As a former student of Kenneth Begay, he learned about traditional techniques and materials before going off on his own to create his "dot" inlay pieces for which he has become rightfully famous.
And speaking of Tsosie, his work brings up an interesting point--what about the work a Unique does before they truly develop their own unique style? After all, Harvey Begay worked for a short time in the White Hogan, doing typical White Hogan silver and ironwood designs like his father had before. And Raymond Sequaptewa started out working in traditional Hopi overlay before he found his own groove. Are those pieces collectible, or should they be dismissed as not fully-formed works of a developing artist?
Take the pendant above--a beautiful silver and turquoise pendant by the one and only Boyd Tsosie. It is clearly a superior work, but it does not have the kind of "dot" inlay work and unusual materials for which he is now known. It is hallmarked, and the quality of the work is consistent with what he did later in his career, but it is definitely an earlier, developmental piece. Collectible as an early example, or not because it is atypical? In this case, we believe it is collectible, because of two defining characteristics: quality and a certain something that identifies it as the work of someone special. The quality speaks for itself--it is beautiful. But what puts it over the top, and makes it different from Harvey Begay's work for the White Hogan is that it has some technical and artistic traits that are unique. Mainly, the small gaps in the silver that accent the filework surrounding the stone. That small touch gives the piece huge visual "pop", and though this as not the direction in which Tsosie chose to go for future pieces, it identifies the maker as a real talent. Contrast that with Harvey Begay's White Hogan work, which is very well-done but offers no hints that the artist was a future great. (To see this pendant in greater detail, go to the NECKLACES section of the Turkey Mountain Traders website.)
Buying developmental pieces by great artists can be marvelous fun--look at Loloma's early cast silver pieces, which are very different from what his work would become but are of extremely high quality and creativity. Just be sure that there is something to recommend the piece beyond just a hallmark.
No comments:
Post a Comment