Shared Images: The Innovative Jewelry of Yazzie Johnson & Gail Bird
Thank goodness for such diligent curator-authors as Pardue, for many reasons. First, she and others of her ilk bring to light well-regarded artists who might not necessarily have a national or global following. Second, the exquisite color photographs, courtesy of Craig Smith, pay great homage to the detail in each work of art. And third, a broader readership then understands and appreciates the patience and design behind each item. Native American jewelry is a natural topic for such a renowned southwestern museum as the Heard; focus here is on Yazzie Johnson and Gail Bird, a self-taught jeweler couple distinguished by their uses of unusual materials and designs. Exotic stones, from psilomelane to charoite, are featured, as are their intricate concho belts with whimsical names like the Protein Belt and Spots and Dots. Illustrated sidebars explain processes such as overlay and tufa casting. Although the narrative of the two jewelers' lives is somewhat stilted, the jewelry speaks—and sings—for itself. Jacobs, BarbaraCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved