Southwest Native Traditions in Metalsmithing with Steve & Cree LaRance – FEATURING A FULL DAY WITH ROBIN WALL KIMMERER – G26080505
Join award winning artists Steve Wikviya LaRance (Hopi) and Cree LaRance (Hopi – Tewa) for a journey into the history and metal-smithing techniques of Southwestern Jewelry. This class will incorporate the techniques of Tufa Casting as well as stamp work as you create pieces of jewelry with timeless appeal. Items can be created with silver, incorporating semi-precious stones to add color and beauty. We will stress creating handmade findings to give your creation a unique look. Students are free to bring their own stones and metals to class, or silver will be available for purchase in the class at market prices.
As part of this unique workshop, class members will also be able to participate in the special Ghost Ranch event featuring noted author Robin Wall Kimmerer (Potawatomi), author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, on Saturday, Sept 5. Dr. Kimmerer will be giving two talks on Saturday, followed by a book-signing and reception on Saturday evening.
Instructors
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Cree LaRance
Cree LaRance is an award winning Native American Jeweler living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is an enrolled member of Ohkay Owingeh pueblo however his roots also includes Hopi, Navajo, and Assiniboine tribes. He is the son of renown Native American artists Steve “Wikviya” LaRance and Marian “Kaawaadeh” Denipah. Cree’s creations are primarily fashioned in silver and gold into wearable art, which is adorned with Turquoise, Coral, and many other precious gem stones. His inspiration is heavily influenced by his Native American Culture, Religion, Family, and way of life mixed with modern times which creates a legacy that is both historical and evolving.
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Steve LaRanceSteve Wikviya LaRance is an acclaimed artist of Hopi descent. He has studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe NM. He has exhibited his work and won numerous awards at some of the most prestigious Native American Art shows in the nation including The Heard Museum Indian Market (Phoenix, AZ), Eiteljorg Museum Native Arts Market (Indianapolis, IN), National Museum of the American Indian (Washington DC) and the Santa Fe Indian Market. His work is on exhibit at many prestigious institutions — in the Arizona State Museum (Tucson, AZ), Linden Museum (Stuttgart, Germany), Museum of Indian Arts & Culture (Santa Fe, NM), National Museum of Turkmenistan (Ashgabat, Turkmenistan), among others.
Mr. LaRance creates unique one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces utilizing the Tufa Cast technique originating from the metal smiths of the Native Southwest. This casting technique uses the volcanic Tufa stone found in the region. The tufa serves as the mold in which creative designs are carved by hand into the tufa. Molten silver is then poured or cast into the tufa molds to create beautifully textured artistic creations in jewelry. Steve’s work is found in many private and public collections throughout the world. https://denipahlarancefineart.com