Arts of Native America
Shane Hendren
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Shane Hendren, among other things, is a bull rider, roper and horse trainer.  He also is the Indian Arts and Crafts Association's Artist of the Year for 2007-2008.  His hometown is Tohatchi on the Navajo Nation.

Shane holds a degree in Museum Management from the Institute of American Indian Arts, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Studio Arts from the University of New Mexico.

Along the way to winning major show awards at the Eiteljorg Museum, the Heard Museum and the Santa Fe Indian Market, Shane developed his expertise in metal smithing techniques such as marriage of metals, mokume, and many forms of casting.

Shane Hendren pushes his art to the limits to show the world what is possible.  He is a true example of art imitating life.

The Yei Collection

The Yei Collection is inspired by Hendren's Navajo background of the Holy Ones called the Yei'be'Cha', meaning healer.

Shane Hendren incorporates various symbolism in each piece that is representative of native iconographies.  The lightning symbol on the face represents cleansing, the horizontal line across the face represents the line on which we exist.  There are three parts which represent the upper world, the lower world and the line in which we live.

The marriage of metal around the face represents a rainbow which is the rain and water that sustains our lives.  The lines that go horizontally and vertically represent the four seasons, four directions and the four sacred mountains.

Shane calls the design "Native Minimalism"...paring down the most basic elements and symbols into a single piece of jewelry.

#4078
Yei Bracelet
6"c x 1"g
$1000

#4085
Yei Pendant
1.25" x 1.75"
$300

#4090
Yei Post Earrings
5/8" x 5/8"
$225

#4096
Yei French Hook Earrings
5/8" x 5/8"
$225

#4102
Turquoise Necklace With Marriage of Metals Beads
19"
$800

Mokue-Gane Signature Collection

Mokume gane translated from Japanese means "wood eye metal".  This rare metal lamination process was developed and used by Japanese craftsmen in the 17th century for adornment of samurai swords.
Using this technique, Shane Hendren creates random swirling patterns out of fused layers of mostly silver and copper, or gold.  He heats, hammers, grinds, mills and fabricates the metal into sheets.

"Using the Japanese technique in my jewelry is not only symbolic of the way I walk in two worlds, but also a physical representation of that.  These techniques are virtually unused by other Indigenous jewelers do to the high level of skill required to perform them.  As an artist, I continually strive to physically manifest my core values with art: balance and harmony."

Learn more about Mokue-Gane

#4105
Mokume-gane
Pendant
1" x 1.5"
$300

#4108
Mokume-gane
Three Tier Pendant
1" x 2.75""
$375

#4111
Mokume-gane
French Hook Earrings
1" x 2.75""
$150

#4114
Mokume-gane
Three Tier French Hook Earrings
.5" x 2"
$200

#4117
Mokume-gane
Four Tier French Hook Earrings
.5" x 2"
$300

Cuttlefish Castings
 

Cuttlefish casting is an art that dates back 5,000 years or more.  Shane finds a cuttlefish bone, and carves a design into the bone.  He then pours molten silver into the carved out design.  The cuttlefish bone will burn, but it will hold together just long enough for the metal to become solid.  The result is a casting that exactly fits the space carved out of the bone.

#2691f
Cuttlefish Cast Pendant
16 Inch Chain
1.75" x .75"
$175

#2690s
Cuttlefish Cast Pendant
"Circle of Life"
1.75" x 7/8"
$175

#2687f
Cuttlefish Cast Pendant
2 1/8" x 1 1/4"
$275