
Jewelry that reflects Native American culture of the Columbia River Gorge.
I love making jewelry, especially jewelry that reflects Native American culture.
My goal when I create jewelry is to create something that represents my Columbia River Native American heritage. At the same time, I’m very conscious of making pieces that appeal to contemporary people. It’s the same for all of the various types of art I create.
Like me, my ancestors loved to wear jewelry. But often, their jewelry was incorporated right into their clothing. They used materials such as beads, shells, bones and other materials. For them, jewelry, and other forms of wearable art were signs of distinction, just like it is today. And, the more of it that someone wore, the more distinguished the person was. Jewelry served a very important social function, so in some ways, it was utilitarian.
Here are some of the jewelry items I’ve created over the years…
—Lillian Pitt
GALLERY
One-of-a-Kind Jewelry that Reflects Native American Culture
Other Jewelry … some pieces still available
Learn More about Native American culture in the Columbia River Gorge
Lillian Pitt creates jewelry that reflects Native American culture of the Columbia River Gorge. Learn more about that culture …