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Jewelry Biography

Source (google.com.pk)

Technically astounding, aesthetically beautiful and culturally important. These are just some of the ways in which Denise Wallace’s jewelry can be described. Inspired by the stories of her Chugach Aleut ancestors, her unique creations have made her the best-known Alaska Native jeweler of our time.

Wallace began her artistic journey as a student at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the late 70s. After graduating, she and her husband Samuel remained in Santa Fe creating and selling work from their studio and gallery for 20 years. In 1999, the Wallaces moved from the high desert to the tropics of Hawaii where they continued to collaborate on pieces. In 2010, Denise’s beloved Samuel passed away, but his influence on the couple’s work will forever be felt.

Beyond the indelible imprint that could only be made by the decades long partnership with Samuel, Wallace credits Native American artists such as Allan Houser, John Hoover, Charles Loloma, Roxanne Swentzell and many more as being influential to her work, as well. However, the content of her pieces remain firmly planted in the rich stories and customs of the Native people of arctic Alaska, stories that deal with themes of healing, growth, nature and transformation. “The transformation aspect is what inspired the doors and hinges on my work, Wallace says.

In addition to complex mechanical components like the tiny, working lockets that open to reveal hidden subject matter, Wallace utilizes materials like silver, gold, semiprecious stones and scrimshawed, fossilized ivory to join old traditions and stories with her newly envisioned interpretations. Figures and faces dance and come alive in dazzling belts, earrings, pendants and more.

Her work has been featured in the major traveling exhibition, Arctic Transformations: The Jewelry of Denise and Samuel Wallace organized by the Anchorage Museum of History and Art in Anchorage, Alaska; Craft in America 3, a PBS series, nationally touring exhibition and publication; Gifts of the Spirit: Works by Nineteenth Century and Contemporary Native American Artists, organized by the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts and more. Wallace’s work is also housed in the permanent collections of the Anchorage Museum of History and Art in Anchorage, Alaska; the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico; the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, New York and the Mingei International Museum in San Diego, California.

Wallace says, “I hope to create pieces that speak to people… pieces that have a life of their own and become part of the world. I have always wanted the pieces to tell a story about our land, our people and some small song or story about the world we live in.”


With an international following and resume bursting with international exhibits and exchanges, Wallace continues to both honor and celebrate the people and places of her homelands by sharing their stories, through jewelry, around the world

Jewels were always part of human culture. Even from the times when humans first started using clothes and tools some 100.000 years ago, jewels were produced from any kind of materials that were available - stones, animal skins, feathers, plants, bones, shells, wood, and natural made semi-precious materials such as obsidian. As the time went on, advancing technology enabled artisans to start taming metals and precious gems into works of art that influenced entire cultures and many modern jewelry styles. However, even with all advancements of metallurgy and gem processing, the purpose of wearing jewelry always remained the same - they enabled wearer to express himself non-verbally, showcase wealth, rank, political and religious affiliation or affections toward someone. This enabled jewelry to become timeless and a target for constant development and refinement.

Development of early jewelry can be roughly divided across three ancient civilizations - Egypt, India and China. Egypt and Mesopotamia set standards in metallurgy, gem collecting, and glass manufacture. Their several thousand year long tradition of jewelry production laid a solid foundation for all European civilizations that came after them, and their unique style affected fashion trends even four thousand years later.

India however managed to develop such a connection to jewelry that it became integral part of their daily life and religion. Since they were the first who managed to conquer the art of gold gathering and processing, they develop art of jewel making much earlier than anyone in their environment. This made them one of the most sought destinations for trade, which eventually became driving force for the incredible expansion of European civilization during the Age of Discovery. On the far side of the world, China managed to become driving force in developing of arts and their influence slowly spread their unique style across entire Asia. Chinese style that is focused on scenes of nature, animals and dragons is today still in high popularity, and continues to be developed with each passing year.

After the fall of Ancient Egypt and Roman Empire, Europe became driving force of jewelry innovation. However, it took a long time until they managed to claim that position. After almost thousand years of isolation, famine, plagues and wars, Western Europe finally came into contact with distant civilizations during Crusades which enabled flow of new knowledge an ideas that enabled birth of Renaissance. As transfer of wealth from nobility, royalty and church continued to flow to middle classes during Renaissance, Age of Discovery and Industrial Revolution, jewelry designs and fashion trends changed dramatically. During those times world saw the appearance and disappearance of many styles, some new and original and some based on older designs found in the ruins of long gone civilizations (mostly Egyptian, which became one of the inspirations of Romanticism and Art Deco).


After more than 100.000 years of use of decorative items, and more than 6 thousand years of metallurgy and gem processing, we can surely say that jewels will forever remain integral part of humanity and our entire civilization

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Jewelry Indian Jewelry Sets Bangles Rings Box Designs Band Designs Lates Gold Earnings Designs Ads Photos Images Pics