TOTEMS TO TURQUOISE - Native North American Jewelry Arts of the Northwest and Southwest

Accompanying an exhibition that originates at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the book emphasizes the spiritual values, high standards of craftsmanship, and on- going commitment to cultural tradition that contemporary Native artists exemplify. In personal statements, thirty-nine artists talk about their lives, their beliefs, and their approach to art and jewelry-making, revealing a remarkable depth and breadth of talent. Supporting chapters and essays by general editor Kari Chalker; contributing editors Lois Sherr Dubin and Peter M. Whiteley; noted artist Jim Hart, a Haida from the Northwest Coast; and anthropologist Martine Reid discuss how the cultures continue to communicate beliefs and traditions through visual adornment. - - Lavishly illustrated, both with historical photographs and a wealth of new photography commissioned for this publication, Totems to Turquoise: Native North American Jewelry Arts of the Northwest and Southwest will be an important resource for students, scholars, designers, and indeed for anyone who loves beautiful and well-made objects.
 

Kari Chalker is an anthropological writer, researcher, and editor. She was formerly assistant director of cultural explorations at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center in Cortez, Colorado. Lois Sherr Dubin is a noted authority on beads and jewelry and the author of Abrams' History of Beads and North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment. Peter M. Whiteley is curator of North American ethnology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Dubin and Whiteley are the curators of "Totems to Turquoise."