34_2_JesseMonongye.FINAL.1.indd 38 JESSE38 ORNAMENT 34.2.2010 MONONGYE CATCHING THE STARS 12/20/10 1:07 PM 34_2_JesseMonongye.FINAL.1.indd 39 Heard Museum, Jesse Monongye talked about his grandmother’s Heard Museum,JesseMonongyetalkedabouthisgrandmother’s Navajo teachingsthatshapedhislife. young AmericanIndianwhowasgroundedbytheDinéor stars. Otherdesignsdrewfromhisexperiencesgrowingupas a different coloredstonestocreatetheessenceofexploding stars andtheplanets.Attimes,heinlaidradiatingbarsofthese gold-lip oystershellandmotherofpearltorepresentthe inset smalldotsofcoral,turquoiseandothermaterialssuchas Acoma jetintosilvertoachievetheblacknessofskyand experience toplacethenightskyinhisinlaidjewelry.Heplaced about himselfinrelationtothatvastness. the earth.Hemarveledatvastnessofskyandthought He heardstoriestoldbyhisgrandmotheraboutthestarsand Navajo homehelivedinwithhisbrother,sisterandgrandparents. opening intheroofofhisfamily’shogan,traditional so when,asayoungboy,hewatchedthenightskyfrom There isnothingquiteascaptivating.JesseMonongyethought Some haveexperiencedasolareclipseorwitnessedcomet. the starsastheypass.” pointing up.“Thatwayyoucancatch his handandextendeditwithpalm “But insteadtodothis.”Heopened [index] fingerinthecommonway. this.” Hegesturedwithhispointer told menottopointatthestarslike grandmother’s teachings.“Shealways Jesse Monongyetalkedabouthis exhibit openingattheHeardMuseum, At aneventcelebratinghisrecent M opal, diamond,andeighteenkarat gold;2008.JESSEMONONGYE,2010. sugilite, dolomite, gaspeite,diamond,ruby, andeighteenkaratgold;2010.BRACELETbyJesseMonongyeof coral, turquoise,lapislazuli, karat gold;2009.TUFA-CASTSILVER BRACELETbyPrestonMonongye,withinlayJesse ofcoral,turquoise,Acomajet, Opposite page:BRACELETbyJesseMonongyeof coral, turquoise,motherofpearl,sugilite,gaspeite,diamond,and tufa-cast eighteen At aneventcelebratinghisrecentexhibitopeningatthe It wasyearslaterthathewoulddrawuponchildhood seen theMilkyWayormadeawishonfallingstar. stars swimminginadarknightsky.Wehave ost ofushavehadtheopportunitytoviewasea an inch—andcuttingandinlayingthestonestookgreatskill. was difficultbecausethesunfacesweresmall—lessthan3/8of the sunfaceinlaidinstoneandsetabouttocreateit.Thework in primarycolors.Monongyerecognizedthathehadnotseen weavings—a typeofHopifolkart—thatdepictedthesunface It wassomethingthatMonongyesawincolorfulyarn the HopisunfacedesignfromGrandfatherDavidMonongya. “Monongya” asahallmarkonhisjewelry.Helearnedabout Monongya andhisHopifamily,visitedoftenused was ayoungadult.JessefeltanimmediatebondwithDavid estranged throughouthischildhoodandreunitedwhenJesse Hotevilla onThirdMesa.JesseandhisfatherPrestonwere by DavidMonongyaandhisfamilyattheHopivillageof family. RenownedjewelerPrestonMonongyehadbeenraised the moon.Thesunfacewasinspiredbyhisfather’sadopted sun faceintheskyandpositioneditashewouldlaterposition encountered asayoungadult.Atfirst,heplacedSouthwest catch thestarsastheypass.” and extendeditwithpalmpointingup.“Thatwayyoucan common way.“Butinsteadtodothis.”Heopenedhishand this.” Hegesturedwithhispointer[index]fingerinthe teachings. “Shealwaystoldmenottopointatthestarslike All photographsbyStudio7Productions. Monongye wasalsoinfluencedbyHopiiconographyhe Diana F.Pardue 12/20/10 1:07 PM
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40 ORNAMENT 34.2.2010 his nightskydesigns. about selectingstonesforthosefeaturesandtousethemin higher gradesoflapistothestarsthatfillnightsky,andset he sawaresemblanceoftheflecksironpyritefoundin were nottohisliking.Fondofthedeepbluecolorlapislazuli, too softandthesmallripplesthatoccurredwhenpolished side revealedashinyopalorothersemipreciousstone. sun facependantsswiveledandwhenturned,theopposite a braceletoranevensmallerversiontothetopofring.These sun facewasanindependentelementattachedtothetopof signature bearnecklacesoronringsandpendants.Attimesthe was frequentlyincorporatedintohisjewelry,notably own in1979andintothe1990saninlayimageofsunface BEAR NECKLACE(obverseandreverse) ofturquoise,coral,opal,lapislazuli,dolomite,gaspeite,jet,shell, diamond,andeighteen karatgold;2004. Although he used jet often in his early jewelry, the stone was Although heusedjetofteninhisearlyjewelry,thestonewas From thetimeMonongyebeganmakingjewelryonhis current stylewiththependantlooponitsbackhadajet a differentcolor.Forexample,thefirstbearhemadeinhis and hemakeseachsideofthebearadifferentdesignoften necklaces areuniqueanddistinctivetoMonongye’swork and mineralshowintoabearnecklacehewasmaking.Bear he wantedtoincorporatealargeopalhadseenattherock moons andsmallstarsbutinnumerousotherways.In1991, the mooninhisnightskyjewelry. his designs.Thelovelyluminescentopalcametorepresent luminescence wereappealingandhebegantoutilizeopalsfor exotic stonesincludingAustralianopals.Theircolorand in Tucson,hehadtheopportunitytoseeawiderangeof transformations. Whileattendingtherockandmineralshow They wereusednotonlytocapturetheessenceof In theearly1980s,Monongye’sjewelryunderwentseveral 12/20/10 1:07 PM 34_2_JesseMonongye.FINAL.1.indd 41 features suchasthesnow-capped mountainsofMountTalmac Monongye hasalsochosenopals todepictmonumental shatter easily.Sincemuchofhis jewelryispictorialinnature, but carvingandsettingthemcanbechallengingasopals coveted bestofshowaward. necklace; whenheentereditinthecompetition,won that hehadadmired.Itwashisfirstuseofthestoneinabear opal andMonongyedrovebacktoTucsonbuytheone came toanarrangement—Garlandfundedthepurchaseof confident hewouldwinthebestofshowaward.Thetwomen necklace attheGallupInter-TribalIndianCeremonialandwas to useopalasthebackground.Hethenplannedenter to doontheotherside,Monongyerespondedthathewanted showed Garlandthependant;whenaskedwhatheplanned prestigious shopinSedona,andtraveledtomeethim.He had beenencouragedtomeetDanGarland,whoowneda background ononesideandacoraltheopposite.He Opals became a material consistently employed in his work, Opals becameamaterialconsistentlyemployedinhiswork, one stonemeetsanother.Your eyeseesonlytheimage.After you lookatthedesignclosely, youcannotseealinewhere inlay, youcannotfeelachangein theheightofstones.When jewelry. Whenyoumoveyourhandoverthesurfaceofhis new toolscombinedwithlargerstoneschangedthelookofhis could nowinlaylargersectionsthathehand-cut.Theuseof stones. Henolongerhadtopiecesmallstonestogether,but of hiscurrentinlayjewelry. of experienceareevidentinthecomplexityandseamlessness inlay andhisrecentworkismarkedlydifferent.Thoseyears more thanthirtyyearslater,the difference tools, itallowedhimtodevelopmoreintricateinlay.Now, purchased bettertools.WhenMonongyebegantousediamond tools. Ashisjewelrysoldandheacquiredmorefunds, for thesmalleyesinladybugbeetlesandasdragonflywings. or icebergsonwhichpolarbearsstride.Hehasalsousedopals More fundsalsogaveJessetheoptiontobuybigger Another majorimpactonhisjewelrywasaccesstodifferent between hisearly 12/20/10 1:07 PM
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42 ORNAMENT 34.2.2010 make hisowndesign.Hemade twodifferentsizesofhigh-heel found theshoestobesomewhat lackingandsetaboutto her car.Hecommentedonthe “whitewomanmoccasins,” collection whenMonongyesaw thedollshoesinabasket The collectorwastravelingtoCaliforniashowher small, high-heeledshoeslikethosetheBarbieswear(seepage2 a customerwhocollectsBarbiedollswantednecklacewith for theringwasdifficultbutheaccomplishedit.Mostrecently, of thatsize.Cuttingthestonessmallenoughtomakeinlay him apostagestampofMonumentValleyandaskedforring been posedbythosewhocollecthiswork.Onecustomersent natural featuresoftheland. it tohighlightthestone’snaturalelementsthatresemble different shadesofcoral,orbyselectinganopalandcutting ranges thathavedepthandperspectiveaccomplishedbycutting see inasouthwesternsummerstorm—thesun,andmountain The dayskiesmayhaveclouds,linesofrain—likethoseyou shooting starsorcometsandalsoholdopalharvestmoons. turning intoday.Thenightskiesgenerallycontainplanets, complex andattimesmaydepictbothnightdayor and othermountainranges.Theseinlaydesignscanbequite has alsocreatedbucklesorbolotieswiththeGrandTetons of miniaturepaintings.HeoftendepictsMonumentValley,but wax toprotectthemashepolishesotherstones. individually, coveringthepolishedstonewithalayerofhot the seamlessnessofinlaybypolishingeachstone Monongye knowstheirpropertiesintimately.Heaccomplishes working withthesestonesformorethanthreedecades, Monongye notes that some of his biggest challenges have Monongye notesthatsomeofhisbiggestchallengeshave Monongye’s complexinlayshavetheexquisiteappearance gold; 2007. mother ofpearl,andtufa-casteighteenkarat coral, turquoise,opal,gaspeite,shell,dolomite, MONUMENT VALLEYRANGERSEToflapislazuli, ). on willowy stems. Tufa-casting is a technique that has been used on willowystems.Tufa-casting is atechniquethathasbeenused and ontotufa-castflowerstems togivetheeffectofblossoms jewelry. Hehasplacedsomeof thesebeyondthebraceletedge hard tofind.” dark redisfromItalyandcalledoxbloodcoralvery South Pacific.TheorangeisfromtheAnd different continents.ThepinkcoralisfromHawaiiandthe messed withdifferentshadesofcoral.Allthecoralisfrom I these formations,”hestates.“Lateroninmyjewelryworld, so fascinatedwhenIwasalittlekidwewouldtravelby changes isachievedbyusingdifferentshadesofcoral.“Iwas leave themlikethis.”Inhisinlay,thesubtlecolorofformation study them,”hesays,“andIwonderedwhywouldsomeone and becameinterestedwhenjustaboy.“Iwouldlookat perhaps showitbest.Hegrewupneartherockformations depictions ofMittenRockinMonumentValleyscenes Valley settings.Coralisusedinabroadrangeofcolors.His often depictsadesertyuccaoutofgaspeiteinhisMonument began tousegaspeiteachievethecolorationhesought.He color, butmalachiteistoxicwhencutandpolished,sohe example, inhisearlyworkmalachitewasusedforthegreen stones throughouthiscareer,attimesaddingnewerones.For karat goldcoveredwithsmallpavé-setdiamonds. central pendantisoneofthelargershoesandmade from differentbodiesofwater,blackjet,andotherstones.The red) blue lapislazuli,variousshadesofcoral(pink,orangeand individual shoesofdiversestonesusingapplegreengaspeite, pendants, interspersingthemonthenecklace.Hecarved Monongye alsofavorslargecabochons ofcoralinsome Monongye hascontinuedtoincorporatesomeofthesame eighteen eighteen 12/20/10 1:07 PM 34_2_JesseMonongye.FINAL.1.indd 43 These specialtyitemsreference theindividualsbutalsospeak tufa-cast braceletforanindividual whohasahomeinHawaii. design withfloralpatternsininlaid coralwasplacedonanother owners whospecializeinbreeding cattle.Abirdofparadise placed onthereverseofaMonumentValleybucklefor represent theownerandhertwosisters.Atufa-castbullwas diamonds weresetonabraceletasstarsinnightskyinlayto jewelry maydirectlyrelatetothecustomer.Threesmall These aretoppedbythedeepredcoralcabochons.Often with smallcoralflowersandhummingbirdshoveringnearby. Tahitian pearls,Australianopalsorhigh-qualityturquoise. these heplacesathree-dimensionalspiderwithbodyof tufa, thewebappearsasaraisedsurfaceoncastpiece.On fascinating tufa-castdesignsisofaspiderweb.Carvedinthe Monongye isalsoanaccomplishedmetalsmith.Oneofhis appears inrelief.Althoughrenownedforhisinlayjewelry, into thecarvedandhollowedstone.Oncecooled,design the tufaatsametimesothatmoltenmetalflowsevenly into thecavitythroughspruehole.Thejewelerhastoheat The twoslabsarejoinedandmoltensilverorgoldispoured carved ononeorbothsideswithasprueholeinend. volcanic rockisslicedintotwomatchingslabs;thedesign for morethanacenturybySouthwesternjewelers.Atypeof Recent braceletdesignshavealsofeaturedtufa-castplants karat gold,2009. diamond, andtufa-casteighteen opal, gaspeite,dolomite,sugilite, of lapislazuli,coral,turquoise, MONUMENT VALLEY/BULLBUCKLE have disciplineandpatiencetomakethesepieces.” sometimes seemsliketheyweredonedaysapart.Youhaveto where Icandoveryfineinlay,”Monongyepointsout.“It acumen. “Ittookthirtyyearsfromthefirstbeartopoint and productivecareer.Hiscreativityismatchedbyhistechnical in thebrilliantanddiversejewelrymadethroughoutalong very spiritual,”hestates.Hisinnovativedesignsenseisevident designing forthem.” very specialtome.Ihaveknowthepersonwellwhenam who collecthisjewelry.Henotes,“Thesekindsofpiecesare to thecloseandwarmrelationshipsMonongyehaswiththose Chalker, KariwithLoisS.DubinandPeterM.Whiteley. SUGGESTED READING Cirillo, Dexter.SouthwesternIndianJewelry:CraftingNewTraditions.York: Dubin, LoisSherr. Pardue, Diana. — “Jesse Monongya:CraftingtheJewels,”Ornament, Vol.26,No.1(Autumn “My piecesareverycontemporaryandatthesametime New York:HarryN.Abrams,Inc.,2004. Rizzoli InternationalPublications,Inc.,2008. 2002): 48-53. Hills Press,2002. Smith, Publisher,2007. through June 26, 2011. through June26,2011. at theHeardMuseumDecember4,2010andruns Monongye’s technicallyflawlesslapidarywork. contemporary goldandsilverpiecesthatshowcase of traditionalelementsfromhisNavajo/Hopiheritagein as currentjewelryandillustratesMonongye’sutilization Avenue, Phoenix,Arizona85004.www.heard.org. opened Jesse Monongye:OpalBearsandLapisSkiesopened displays past work as well Opal BearsandLapisSkiesdisplayspastworkaswell The Heard Museum is located at 2301 N. Central The HeardMuseumislocatedat2301N.Central Contemporary SouthwesternJewelry.SaltLakeCity,Utah:Gibbs Jesse Monongya:OpalBearsandLapisSkies. NewYork:Hudson
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