Lakota
Visions - Mitchell Zephier | |||||||||||
About Native American authenticity.
Overlay includes two feathers.
| Lakota
Visions - Mitchell Zephier NBT729 - $700
plus s/h | ||||||||||
Morning star inlay of lapis lazuli. Medicine wheel inlay of black and red pipestone, yellow sandstone, and alabaster.
Detailed stamping and overlay on a silver dust background.
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THE MORNING STARThe morning star is an important symbol in Lakota ceremonies. It is the planet Venus, which appears as the brightest star in the eastern sky at dawn. It represents the direction from which spirits travel to earth and is a link between the living and the dead, thus symbolizing immortality. It symbolizes hope and guidance and is a sign of courage and purity of spirit. In the Ghost Dance Religion it is symbol of the coming renewal of tradition and resurrection of the heroes of the past. |
ABOUT THE MEDICINE WHEELThe Medicine Wheel is an integral part of American Indian Spirituality. It is based on the four cardinal directions and the four sacred colors. The circle represents life and the four colors, like the seasons, are the changes we make on our journey. At the center of the circle is the eternal fire from which everything originates and everything returns. Read more about Four Colors Medicine Wheel. |
What is Overlay?Native American overlay pieces are made of two layers of sterling silver. The bottom layer is a solid piece while the top layer has a cutout design. The cutout layer is placed over the bottom layer and the two pieces are "sweated" together, heated so that they become one solid piece of sterling silver. The bottom layer, or background, that shows through the cut out portion of the top layer is often darkened for contrast. Hopi silversmiths typically texture the background layer with hash marks while Navajo artists often leave the background smooth. Hopi artists tend to use geometric designs and symbols similar to those used in their pottery and baskets. Navajo silversmiths tend to create scenes depicting everyday life using people, animals, buildings and landscapes to tell a story - this style is called "overlay storyteller jewelry". Read more about overlay here. |
ABOUT GERMAN SILVERNickel silver, also called German silver, is an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel, but contains no silver. Navajos occasionally used it in place of coin silver and sterling silver, usually in earlier work. This alloy is very hard and does not tarnish like sterling silver and costs much less. Nickel silver was sold in flat sheets and the Navajo originally obtained this metal from their neighbors, the Utes, who worked it in the plains style of metalwork. Mostly tribes of the plains, prairies, and Great Lakes areas worked in nickel silver. Read more about stones. |
What is Silverdust?Silver Dust, or Silverdust, is a technique that Navajo silversmiths use to add texture, contrast and sparkle to the background of a piece. Sterling silver shavings or filings are applied to the surface of a sterling silver piece and then heated just enough for the particles to adhere - resulting in a textured background. The silverdust process is more complicated that this quick description and involves other ingredients and great skill with the heat. If stones are going to be added to a piece, they are added after all heating processes, such as silverdusting, are completed. |
Lakota Visions - Mitchell Charles Zephier Mitchell Zephier of Rapid City, South Dakota grew up on the Cheyenne River and Rosebud Indian reservations. In 1981 he founded Lakota Visions Traditional Native American Arts, Crafts and Jewelry. He collaborates with fellow Lakota artists and has mentored over 34 apprentices in the arts of metal-smithing and marketing.
Mitch has other forms of artistic expression. His album Cherish the Children won a National Native Music Award for Best Children's Album. Mitchell Zephier's latest venture is to team up with fellow artists to explore, on film this time, the issues that affect the lives of Native Young People in Cloud Horse Production's Lakota 4 Life, a Zephier inspired look at the issues, decisions, responsibilities and opportunities facing Native Youth today. Michell's wife is Roxanne Apple Rosebud. Other family members and friends that work on the jewelry include his son Wakinyan Luta Zephier, Belle Starboy, Webster Two Hawk Jr., and Roger Dale Herron. |
Mitchell has won numerous awards including first place at Red Earth Show, several
awards at the internationally prestigious Sante Fe Indian Market as well as presented
his work at far off Native American venues like Schimutzun Celebration in Connecticut.
He has also earned the South Dakota Governor's award.