Navajo artist to demonstrate jewelry making at Artesian Arts Fest

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A live jewelry demonstration by well-known Navajo jeweler Jimmie Harrison will take place 1 to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 27, at the Artesian Arts Festival, located at the Artesian Plaza adjacent to the Artesian Hotel and Spa, 1001 W. First Street, Sulphur, Oklahoma.

Harrison will be one of many artists participating in artist demonstrations and lectures during the festival from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

His demonstration will feature the Navajo deity “yei-bi-chei” and Hopi spiritual beings known as “kachinas,” or “katsinas” used in his distinctly original pieces of jewelry.

Taught by renowned jewelers Preston and Jesse Monongye, father-and-son, Harrison has dedicated 36 years to crafting standout pieces of jewelry with multicolored stones like lapis, sugilite, turquoise, coral and other vivid stones and shells.

“Mother Earth, Father Sky and Mother Nature” make many appearances in his inlaid jewelry as well as spiritual elements and animals.

Additional artists scheduled for artist demonstrations and lectures include a live painting demonstration from Chickasaw painter Mike Larsen, a presentation on materials used and methods of forging knives by Chickasaw bladesmith Daniel Worcester and the talk “Textiles: Transcending Tradition” by Chickasaw weaver Tyra Shackleford.

Cheyenne painter Merlin Little Thunder will present a talk on tradition redefined in artistic terms, Comanche painter J. Nicole Hatfield will demonstrate a live painting session and Cherokee Buddy Parchcorn will share his knowledge of beadwork, including its historic origins and modern techniques.

Onondaga carver Josy Thomas will demonstrate soap stone carving, Diné-Hopi visual artist Venaya Yazzie will talk about art as it pertains to indigenous southwest tribal adornment and Osage clothing designer Kimberly (Wendy) Ponca will host a presentation about Osage clothing design and how it relates to the oral history of the Osage tribe.

A full schedule of artist demonstrations and lectures is listed below.

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Mike Larsen / Chickasaw

Live Painting Demonstration

11:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. Kimberly (Wendy) Ponca / Osage

Osage clothing design that tells the oral history of the Osage tribe

12:20 – 12:50 p.m. Merlin Little Thunder / Cheyenne

Tradition redefined in artistic terms

1 – 1:30 p.m. Jimmie Harrison / Navajo-Diné

Jewelry demonstration of Navajo Yei-Bi-Chei and Hopi Kachinas

1:40 – 2:10 p.m. Venaya Yazzie / Diné-Hopi

Art as it pertains to indigenous southwest tribal adornment

2:20 – 2:50 p.m. Daniel Worcester / Chickasaw

Materials used and methods of forging knives

3 – 3:30 p.m. Buddy Parchcorn / Cherokee

Beadwork: Historic origins to modern techniques

3:40 – 4:10 p.m. J. Nicole Hatfield / Comanche

Live Painting Demonstration

4:20 – 4:50 p.m. Tyra Shackleford / Chickasaw

Textiles: Transcending Tradition

5 – 5:30 p.m. Josy Thomas / Onondaga

Perspectives: A demonstration of soap stone carving

For more information about the Artesian Arts Festival, contact the Chickasaw Nation Division of Arts & Humanities at (580) 272-5520, or by email at artistinfo@chickasaw.net.