Melanie Yazzie Grandmother Bracelet
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver, Silver
2010s American Contemporary Cuff Bracelets
Sterling Silver, Silver
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2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Coral, Sterling Silver, Silver
1980s Unknown Belts
2010s American Contemporary Modern Bracelets
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century Danish Art Deco Brooches
Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century American Aesthetic Movement Brooches
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1940s American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Cufflinks
Carnelian, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Ste...
Vintage 1960s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1940s Mexican Modernist Brooches
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s Mexican Modern Cuff Bracelets
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1940s Mexican Modern Bracelets
Cultured Pearl, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s Mexican Modern Link Bracelets
Sterling Silver
Recent Sales
2010s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver, Silver
Melanie Yazzie for sale on 1stDibs
Melanie Yazzie is an American sculptor, painter and printmaker, born in 1966, in Ganado, Arizona. She first studied art at the Westtown School in Pennsylvania. She has received a BA degree in studio art with a minor in Spanish from Arizona State University, in 1990 and an MFA degree in printmaking from the University of Colorado, at Boulder, in 1993.
A Close Look at contemporary Jewelry
Contemporary jewelry is inextricably linked with the moment in which it is created, frequently reflecting current social, cultural and political issues such as environmental consciousness, identity and sustainability. It’s informed by fashion trends, from the chokers of the 1990s to the large chain necklaces of the early 2000s.
Jewelry is one of the oldest forms of adornment. Lockets made of silver or gold have been treasured gifts for hundreds of years, for example, and charm bracelets, which have existed since prehistoric times, didn’t become especially popular until the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria. For many centuries, fine jewelry was used primarily to express wealth or status through lavish materials. Then, in the 1960s, a concept known as the “critique of preciousness” emerged, with jewelers creating pieces that did not get their value from gemstones or precious metals. Instead, it was the jeweler’s artistic vision that was prized and elevated.
This shift still informs Contemporary jewelry being made by artists today. Whether they are using cheap, found materials and working with provocative geometric shapes or seeking out the rarest stones, they are imbuing their work with meaning through their skills, techniques and ideas. Innovative designers such as Elsa Peretti, who popularized sculptural sterling-silver jewelry for Tiffany & Co., and David Yurman, who twisted metal into the simple yet striking Cable bracelet, have also influenced the direction of Contemporary jewelry’s forms and aesthetics.
Meanwhile, technological advancements like metal alloys and laser engraving have led to new possibilities in jewelry design. Now, edgy makers and brands as well as minimalist designers are pushing Contemporary jewelry forward into the 21st century.
Find a collection of Contemporary rings, earrings, necklaces and other jewelry on 1stDibs.