Native American jewelry

Joe Cajero Divinity Series Sterling Silver Cross Joe Cajero, Jr. is a highly accomplished sculptor. Winner of many awards, in 2014, Joe and his wife Althea were named Living Treasures at the Native Treasures show, sponsored by the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture in Santa Fe. Read more...

Natural Divinity: Artist's Statement

"The piece was inspired by the union and marriage of two friends. I wanted to incorporate all the things a couple would want to create and experience in the union of their lives as husband and wife. This piece reflects the achievement of a harmonious balance among the natural elements, as well as the importance of family and prayer. The stars at the top of the cross represent the vastness of the Heavens, as well as the notion that we ascend to a higher level of knowing. They represent the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. They also represent the union of mind, body, and spirit. The dragonflies on the right arm represent the masculine essence of life. On the left arm, the butterflies acknowledge all that is feminine. Together, they reflect the metamorphosis of life and the emerging of conscious awareness, the union between man and woman through marriage, as well as the metamorphosis that occurs within the individual who learns to integrate both masculine and feminine aspects of the inner self. Within the bottom panel of the cross, there are two altar steps: one large and one small. These altars represent a place of prayer and meditation. Its creation is where I became conscious of the often unnoticed intimate beauty of nature. This came to me as a result of quiet internal exploration while communing with nature. Over time, I believe this internal searching led me to the awareness of God's presence in all things. The second panel up holds four circles of various sizes. These circles represent human souls in their unique stages of spiritual evolution. The circular shape embodies the cyclic nature of life itself. The various sizes indicate individual paths of creation in which the soul chooses to engage. The third panel up contains a wave pattern, which represents water's life-giving properties, fluidity, and an openness for prosperity and wisdom to flow into one's life. In the center of the cross is a star. This represents the Creator's divine energy, which exists in all living things. A fully blossomed miniature flower represents the very soul of God. This serves as a gentle reminder that the Creator's presence can be found in the simplest display of nature, and that divinity is all around us." Joe Cajero Jr. Pendant is 3" high x 1 3/4 inches wide; it is 1/8" thick. The symbols are in bas relief against an oxidized background. The dark background is more uniform than the images show; the camera picks up reflections that are generally not visible to the human eye.