Resources for making native american jewelry
Resources for making native american jewelry
Native American art has become a billion a year dollar industry and a large portion of that trade is in Native American jewelry. People from around the globe find the art and artifacts of Native Americans genuinely intriguing. From serious collectors to people just wanting a piece to enjoy, there is certainly no shortage of antique dealers, shops and boutiques, online stores and contemporary artists selling their goods. However, one of the major draws for people to the Native American art and artifacts is the story and spiritualism each piece contains. Native American jewelry in particular is extremely symbolic and representative of an individual’s beliefs, culture, wealth, status, and even life story. Native American’s incorporate colors, stones, and patterns to illustrate a variety of ideas. Colors symbolize elements like blue is the sky and green is the grass and brown is the earth. The use of different gems represent different situations such as turquoise promotes good luck and healing qualities, malachite clarifies emotions, and amethyst directs positive energy. A few simple examples of patterns include a handprint symbolizing human life, a mountain signifying plenteousness, and a wave pattern illustrating renewal and life cycles. It is no wonder with the thoughtfulness and creativity that is and has always been given to each piece of Native American jewelry that people - even non-Native Americans - are interested in learning about and finding resources for making Native American Jewelry. There are several ways to go about learning to make Native American jewelry. Searching the Internet for resources for making Native American Jewelry should provide you with a number of Web sites such as the following The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Upon viewing this site you will find a number of classes and workshops available to teach students to make jewelry like earrings and necklaces. However, it’s quite possible you do not live near a location offering such classes. Try Web sites such as eHow. One article quickly found on eHow gave step-by-step instructions on how to make a necklace using turquoise. There are also Web site specifically geared toward children’s resources for making Native American Jewelry like the Native American Dance Armband and the Arrowhead Necklace featured on MakingFriends.com. Before setting out to make your Native American jewelry, it is important to learn about the customs and cultures of the various Native American tribes. Without a true understanding of the purpose behind the designs and materials used to make their jewelry, you will lose the elements that make Native American jewelry so special. While you may not be a Native American, if you take the time to learn about their culture and beliefs, the Native American inspired jewelry you make will become part of the legacy of the Native Americans.
