A unique and totally exquisite necklace designed and hand made by renowned Kewa Pueblo artist Charlene Reano. This stunning reversible necklace can truly be described as wearable American Indian art, combining a breath-taking palette of colours with traditional shapes and textures. The necklace consists of 117 beautifully worked natural turquoise torus shaped beads. On one side the string is accented with a single orange spiny oyster torus bead. The opposite side is accented with a signature cuboid mosaic inlay of natural turquoise, orange spiny oyster, black-lip oyster and melon shells. The bead strings are completed by the inclusion of 6 tiny cylindrical olive shell heishi beads on either side of the pendants. The 5 shimmering mosaic inlay pendants are set on a bed of oyster shell. One side is inlayed with exotic black-lip oyster, white clam and orange spiny oyster shells. The other side is inlayed with natural turquoise, orange spiny oyster, black-lip oyster and white clam shells. The clasp is sterling silver. A remarkable piece of jewellery from a stellar artist.
Made by: Charlene A Sanchez-Reano (b. 1960)
Signed: Unsigned
Family: Wife of Frank Reano
Tribe: Born San Felipe Pueblo; Married into Ke-Wa (Santo Domingo)
Made in: New Mexico, USA
Made of: Sterling Silver, Turquoise, Oyster shell, Olive shell, White Clam shell
Size: 45cm long (excluding clasp); Pendant Group 4.5cm wide (narrowing to 3cm) x 4.5cm long; Beads 0.5cm diameter
