Ironwood Inlay Sterling Silver Ring

The ring was fabricated from sterling silver sheet and half round wire, hand mill-rolled and pulled from ingot.  The silver geometric decoration on the face is actually an overlay shaped with a chisel and file.  Four (4) rectangular openings were cut into the silver, producing added depth between the five "pillowed" and beveled bars.  

After sculpting completion, this ornament was solvered to the pre-stamped diamond shaped back plate.  A space was left for the inlay and a square wire border was soldered to the base edge opposite the carved decoration.

A shank made of low domed half round ingot "wire" was soldered to the back plate allowing all stamped marks to remain visible.  Ironwood of bi-hued dark grain was cut and inlaid leaving each end of the strip open and cut flush with its silver surroundings--becoming a part of its own border and the form entire.

The great and lasting beauty of Kenneth Begay's work lies in its seeming simplicity and his incredible communication with his chosen materials.  One can see more than imagination in Kenneth's creations.  One can see the love.

(1913-1977) Silversmith, jeweler and teacher, Kenneth Begay has been called the “father of modern Navajo jewelry”. In the early years his bold, modern designs were considered so radical that he was excluded from a 1949 exhibition of Native American art. Today his clean, elegant creations are seen in numerous museum collections including The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and the American Museum of Natural History, as well as the Heard Museum.

Begay spent his most productive years (1948-1962) as a smith at the White Hogan in Scottsdale.  His son, Harvey Begay became another highly regarded jeweler and silversmith.