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In this month's spotlight of Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC)-owned jewelry businesses I am delighted to introduce Rykelle Kemp, the one-woman show behind Ahlazua - Indigenous Woman Made Fine Arts
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Rykelle is a multi-disciplinary fine artist with an emphasis on metalwork. She draws on the knowledge she's gained from studying her tribes of the Southeastern US and Southwestern US. She incorporates the natural materials and techniques her tribes have traditionally used such as carving shells from her Southeastern tribal heritage, and casting in tufa stone from her Southwestern tribal heritage. She chose to use her given Euchee/Yuchi name, Ahlazua, as part of her business to showcase and celebrate her indigenous heritage.
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Below is a striking example of her shell carvings she incorporated into silver earrings. Mother of pearl is frequently featured in her designs and it has such a luminous quality
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Rykell creates jewelry that really highlights silver's luster. The necklaces below are beautifully crafted with a really lovely matte-shine finish. Note her super detailed, hand-cut silver and turquoise power fist necklaces! These babes sell out every time she makes them.
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You should stop right here and click this link to view the collaborative collection Rykelle made with Canadian artist Catherine Blackburn. They've created an utterly breathtaking assortment of beaded and metal work jewelry. Below is a bolo tie the colors of an Arizona sunset and a pair of earrings that just might be the most original earrings I've ever seen. I stopped in my scrolling tracks the first time I saw them on Rykelle's Instagram.
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As I said above, Rykelle is a multi-disciplinary artist. I’m addition to silversmithing, Rykelle is a printmaker. She has prints and journals available. She also currently has hand-sewn vibrantly colored face masks for sale too. Rykelle believes in using her platform for good and to that end her business donates to an array of organizations that work with indigenous and LGBTQ communities.
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The last thing I’d like to share is that Rykelle’s work has been featured in well known art markets and galleries like the Santa Fe Indian Art Market, the Heard Museum and the Autry Museum. I hope you take a moment to familiarize yourself with Rykelle’s truly unique and work and follow along on her own website and Instagram.
