Southwest and East Man's Cuff - Differences Unite Us

Materials: Sterling silver, mokume gane metal (copper and brass)
Dimensions: 5.5" x 1.5"

This man’s cuff bracelet combines traditional elements of Native American silver (Hopi style, using pierced/onlay sun, wave, and raincloud motifs) with contemporary Japanese mokume gane layered metals in the golden sun motif.

Photo credit: Denny Turner

Denny Turner
Denny’s Designs
San Diego, CA. USA

I came to metal work late in life after I retired as a land use planner. After college classes and a bunch of seminars with lots of folks, I’ve spent the last six years working on my own pieces and teaching both beginning and advanced silver smithing at San Diego Mineral and Gem Society in San Diego’s Balboa Park. I have a love of both Soutwestern and oriental design and have attempted to combine a bit of each in the piece I’ve submitted in keeping with the “unite” theme.


Ganoksin hosts the jewelry list Orchid, with over 13,000 list members from all over the world, speaking from a wide range of technical and aesthetic experiences. The exhibition theme grew out of a desire to celebrate the creativity encompassed in this wide variety.

Artists were free to interpret the theme in any way they chose. Each artist could submit up to six pieces. Interpretations include uniting different materials into one cohesive form; intellectual and emotional “unitings”, where the meaning of the piece unites multiple concepts; the uniting of time - past, present and future; and a number that focus on the harmony created when uniting multiple materials and/or concepts.

The work submitted involved a wide range of jewelry techniques, from very traditional to very cutting edge, as well as using materials from traditional precious metals and gemstones to “re-purposed” and “up-cycled” materials.

The exhibition showcases 330 images chosen from entries from over 111 artists representing 26 countries.

Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Serbia, Spain, Trinidad, Turkey, UK, USA, Venezuela, and the Virgin Islands

Many of the participants began their interest in jewelry at a young age. Some are relative newcomers to the field, and some have over 35 years of experience as professional jewelers and goldsmiths. While some grew up in families that were goldsmiths, and followed in those footsteps, others only began creating jewelry as adults.