THE NECKLACE:
I don't have any doubt that who ever is lucky enough to buy this necklace, that they won't be blown away like I was when it was brought to me!! It is an absolutely gorgeous necklace & one that deserves to be treasured!

I want to 1st mention that when I buy, I look for certain things that will either give me an immediate "YES" or quick "NO". This was one of those pieces that was of course an immediate yes & for a few different reasons.. 1st, I LOVE the hearty-bulky look it has that comes from being made of 25 strands & I am talking LONG strands! 2nd, it's the sparkle & color which comes from having a GENEROUS amount of little 4 mm cube cuts of 'Faceted Lepidolite"! And 3rd, it’s the way it lays, which has a lot to do with how it was strung! The latter I feel, is an art in itself,since it's not always about stringing a necklace, but the way it lays when finished! This is done PERFECTLY!

Traditionally made, while having a modern day contemporary Puebloan feel, the necklace is designed with cubes of deep lavender colored Lepidolite that are then alternated with 2 Pen shell heishi beads. When the sun hits or you turn in the light,the little gems just twinkle!! Sporadically placed in the necklace are little turquoise nuggets for an added dash of color.
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THE 'SQUAW WRAP':
Perfectly done, the squaw wrap is a traditional technique, that's made with very fine string that has been tightly wrapped over & over again...Not only is it a traditional way of wearing these multi strand necklaces, but personally, I think they make the necklace much more comfortable. I do believe Jolene used a very light wax to prevent fraying. It's long enough to where you'll slip it over the head to put it on without messing up your hair!

This isn't your "Average" Pueblo necklace that you see flooded all over the internet, but rather would be considered a "Fine"-"Top Notch" Kewa Puebloan necklace that which cannot be replaced, since you can't get these Lepidolite cuts anymore! So this is it!

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ABOUT JOLENE BIRD:

There's a reason why that with every Native American juried/judged event that Jolene attends, she will usually win either in "Best of Show, the big Grand Prize or comes in 1st place & when you see the unique type of work she puts out, you'll understand why! She has gone on to win awards for her amazing mosaic pots/vases & I have been honored at carrying many, which have all sold out.

Incorporating what has been passed down through oral history & from generation after generation & then putting her own unique twists on things, Jolene pours her heart & soul into everything she puts her hands on & the judges for these Native American events are always left in disbelief because the items she brings to the table, are something you'll never see among other Puebloan artists when it comes to the "Art of Mosaic or for Puebloan Jewelry".

I believe with Jolene, it's not about just being another Puebloan mosaic artist, but it's the way & WHAT she mosaics! I have to laugh sometimes when I say, "There's nothing that Jolene won't turn it into a mosaic piece! She has even gone on to making a mosaic chess set, mosaic sunglasses, mosaic chairs and even went as far as fully mosaic inlaying a Gibson guitar!! You name it, Jolene will mosaic it!

The young Jolene learned this art from her grandparents (who were also mosaic artists) but it was her Grandmother Anita, who told her to "seek a new direction" & that is when she went from 'traditional' & took a more "contemporary' approach by starting to design these very high end quality pieces, while gaining the respect of many Native American scholars. Moving forward, she has surpassed 100's of artists from the pueblo.

Jolene lives on the Kewa Pueblo with her immediate family, who she is now passing on everything she knows about this Ancestral Puebloan art form & works very closely with her artisan son Charles Bird, who happens to a real personal favorite of mine who also makes some INCREDIBLY designed jewelry!

Jolene's work is highly collectible & gives us a historical ancestral Puebloan past,but with a contemporary edginess !