Certainly one of Blue-Eyed Bear's most
highly-regarded artists, Jimmie has had so much written about him
it's difficult to know where to begin. He does have a quality that
many would envy; he seems profoundly at home with his work and life
and himself. Jimmie brings the old and the new together in his jewelry-making
to create pieces that are at once deeply traditional and stylishly
high fashion.
The delicate instrument that measures the inlay pieces is none
other than King's sharp eye. With a diamond saw he cuts each piece
by hand and fits each tiny section only by eyeballing it. The
stone cutting is traditional Zuni, the silver smithing Navajo
and Zuni, and the designs are pure Jimmie King, Jr's. Each piece
is stamped with a recognizable trademark that looks a bit like
a bow knot with six dots over it. The symbolic significance of
the six dots represent in order: East, South, West, North, Father
Sky, and Mother Earth. Together they symbolize a person's life
as he is born like the new sun and travels in a cycle until his
hair is white as the snow from the North.
King's father was one of the original Navajo Codetalkers during
World War II. His dad believed in doing things right and building
them to last, which has obviously been King's mantra. When you
purchase one of Jimmie's pieces, it will last through eternity. |
