Hopi handmade sterling silver sandcast earrings, created by famous Hopi/Pima artists, Bennard & Frances Dallasvuyaoma. The earrings are channel inlaid with mexican opal, rhodochrosite and fossilized red dinosaur bone. The earrings measure 1" long. The artists call this design Dawa (sun) Mana (Girl)
Brand new and in perfect condition! Certificate of Authenticity and gift box included. Purchased in person directly from the artists, Bennard & Frances Dallasvuyaoma.
About the artists: Bennard & Frances Dallasvuyaoma are Native American Hopi/Pima Artists from New Mexico. They represent a new wave of artists who use new techniques and images in their jewelry. The result is a combination of traditional values with contemporary designs. Their innovative jewelry is a dramatic blend of both ancient and contemporary traditions, techniques and materials. Frances is Hopi and Bennard is Pima and Hopi. "We design each piece of jewelry to signify balance and harmony," says Bennard. "When we talk about balance and harmony, we mean that there is an order to everything and nothing is in disarray." Cut and polished by hand, natural gems and stones are set in a modern version of the ancient mosaic style. The results are dazzling each piece of jewelry in a rainbow of colors combining symbolism from their cultures.
The stones are encased in sterling silver cast in sandstone from Hotevilla on the Third Mesa. It was important to Bennard and Frances to find rock from their homelands to cast their jewelry. With characteristics different from tufa stone, learning to work with sandstone is "one of our secrets," says Bennard. The sandstone creates beautiful settings of textured metal which contrasts with the smooth surfaces of the gems.
The name "Dallasvuyaoma" is as follows: "Dallas" means "Corn Pollen" and "Vuyaoma" means to carry the corn pollen in Harmony.
