Gallery: One Of A Kind Works

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Black Diamond Barnacle Ring

Hand sculpted and cast in sterling silver, these barnacle rings are set with approximately .4 carats of black or champagne diamonds. Paired with a little black dress or just jeans and a basic T, this statement making ring is sure to add a dose of seaside glamour to your wardrobe. Available in black rhodium plated silver and black diamond, or Fine Silver plated sterling silver and champagne diamond. Sizes 5-8, please specify size when placing order.

Finn Earrings

Heirloom-worthy repoussé and chased fish tails are adorned with 18k yellow gold veins and delicate dangling gemstones. Artfully hand made and one-of-a-kind they are sure to make a splash whenever they adorn you.
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Coral Disk Necklace

A delicate open-work coral pattern branches outward on both sides of this luxurious sculptural pendant. Fabricated in Sterling Silver, the inside surfaces are plated in high carat gold to create a warm inner glow. The pendant is studded in 20 karats of pale gold and white sapphires. Hand fabricated 18k yellow gold hooks suspend it from three strands of delicate faceted aquamarine beads. The length is adjustable from 19" to 23." Pair this heirloom piece with the Coral Disk Earrings to add a whimsical sparkle to your wardrobe.

Coral Disk Earrings

Worn alone or with the Coral Disk Necklace, the Coral Disk Earrings will dazzle with every turn of your head. Dripping in AAA grade aquamarine briolette drops, and sprinkled with pale gold colored sapphires, these earrings will add glamour to a special occasion or will perfectly compliment that new sun dress for day.

Pelican Bracelet

By employing the traditional technique of repousé, I captured the grace of pelicans surfing cushions of air along steep, unbroken waves. These birds symbolize my home and family in California where I frequently surf with and observe pelicans and other sea life. In this piece I strove to capture the harmony and grace of the natural world.

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Ocean Prayers Ring

Dolphins are charismatic messengers to remind us that we share our environment with many other forms of life. Designed to celebrate the beauty of the ocean and it's many forms of life, this intricately hand carved ring features two stylized dolphins leaping in unison to cradle a stunning AAA grade rainbow moonstone. The tails of the dolphins are edged in sparkling white sapphires and their eyes are blue sapphires. Cast in recycled 14k yellow gold. Ring size: 8.25. Please inquire if you would like to order a different size.

Shimbolish Cuff

Hand forged and pierced from salvaged steel, this cuff evokes the patterns of a butterfly wing.  It is set with a slice of labradorite and given and iridescent patina with a torch.  This piece is one of a kind.

Loksi Talowa Haksibish Taka’li (Turtle song earrings)

Loksi (turtle) is a central aspect of the Stomp Dance. Shells are filled with pebbles and bound together on leather. Women then wear them on their legs as they dance, creating the rhythm of the music. The earrings are composed of individual repoussé and chased turtle shells crafted from Copper, Fine Silver, and Fine Silver with 24K Kumbo fused to the surface. They hang from Mexican Fire Opals, representing the sacred fire, which is central to the Stomp Dance ground. This piece is one of a kind.

Sky Serpent Statement Bib Necklace

Hand-sculpted silver scales in cloud-like formations reference the sky serpent being of the timeless Native American southeastern cultures. Faceted pyrite briolettes are hand wired to dance and shimmer with your every move. This feminine yet bold bib necklace is both ancient and modern. It is hung on three strands of silver chain and is adjustable in length from 17 to 20 inches. Other gemstone and metal options are available. Please inquire about custom orders.

Grandfather's Sky

Reversible Hand Fabricated, Repoussé, Chased pendant with a spinning center on a hand woven chain on pearl. One side depicts the phases of the moon, while the other side symbolizes the four directions, four winds, and movement of celestial bodies. The inner disk is set with a hand forged native copper piece set with orange and yellow sapphires to symbolize the sun and the sky world. The other side is set with labradorite to symbolize the under water world and the moon in the night sky

Stomp Dance Necklace

This is my artistic interpretation of a beaded neckpiece worn by Chickasaw women as a part of traditional regalia. The design originated after the removal era and though influence was drawn from Victorian beadwork, it was a continuation of the practice of creating intricate adornments from luminous materials.

My Stomp Dance Necklace marries the pattern of traditional beadwork with the crescent gorget form. Copper was fabricated and enameled to frame black freshwater pearls, referencing Chickasaw ties to the Mississippi river and it’s life sustaining resources.

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Two Worlds Gorget

In Mississippian cosmology there are three worlds; the upper sky world, the lower underwater world, and the middle world of the earth’s surface. The duality of the upper and lower worlds create a balance without which life is not possible. In my Two Worlds Gorget, I divide the crescent shaped gorget into two parts, which unite to clasp the ropes of black pearls. The right side depicts a winged serpent, a deity of the sky world. The left side depicts an underwater panther, a deity of the underwater world.

Spider Armband

The Armband is an element of traditional southeastern regalia, which is still worn today by modern Chickasaw people. According to our stories, the spider brought fire to humanity but as a consequence, it forever carries a burnt mark on its back. This armband features a carved spider cast in sterling silver set with a red sapphire to symbolize fire. It is surrounded by a motif taken from ancient shell carvings symbolizing feathers.

Steel Spider Gorget

Cut with a plasma arc cutter, hand formed, sanded, patinated and engraved, an industrial material is transformed into a precious object. The strength of steel, combined with the power of an ancient motif creates appropriate regalia for a modern warrior of indigenous rights.

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Are You On the Dawes Rolls?

Complicated perceptions of identity are always common within Native American communities, especially when one does not fit Native American stereotypes. As a Chickasaw metal smith of both European and Chickasaw descent, my work explores how complex issues of Native American identity are rooted in history, and how past strategies of colonization and assimilation of Native American cultures still affect both native and non-native perceptions of who is ‘really’ Native American.

Blood Bling

Blood Bling comments on the play of superficiality and weight that Government Issued Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood Cards carry. An individual in possession of one of these cards is deemed a ‘card carrying Indian.’ The irony of this is that no other ethnic or cultural group must apply for membership to the United States Government. The controversial cards are both a tool of power, yet are deemed necessary for native nations to identify true members.

Inner Fire Pendant

As a Chickasaw metal smith, I seek to bring the power and beauty of our southeastern homelands into my contemporary metal work. The ‘Inner Fire Pendant’ was created to protect and contain the bone pin carved with a spider, a southeastern symbol of deep cultural significance. The spider is adorned with the four directions on it’s back because it was the one animal which succeeded in bringing the gift of fire to humanity.