We had the good fortune of connecting with Jaymus Perry and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaymus, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I grew up on the Navajo Indian Reservation within the state of Arizona, USA. I am a member of the Navajo Indian tribe & i have been surrounded by a variety of art- both manmade & organic from the earth itself. Earliest form of art that I participated in was the hand gathering of gemstones on my family-land within the boundaries of the Navajo “Rez”. We would crawl on our hands and knees and gather tiny pieces of both Anthill garnets & Peridot. Wash them & offer them for sale to the local trading post that dotted the area. This was our way of supplementing our summer income in an area with a 40% unemployment rate. Now, I make my own product that I call the “ArtBonnet”; it’s a motorcycle accessory that is custom made and design by the client; on paper, then i consult with them via Zoom. Afterwards, I do all of the inlay style work via Navajo SIlversmithing technique. This is my way regarding the identity of the American Indian to stay on the forefront of society; with each piece, it’s my opportunity to teach, share, and plant a positive seed of cultural information regarding the American Indian Headdress, commercially known as a “Warbonnet”. The meaning behind it, the reason for it & the respect that goes with it… My personal end goal- to educate and to share…

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My personal identity as an Artist is creating ideas that people will remember & cherish as a time capsule from memories past. I make custom motorcycle accessories for Indian Motorcycle owners at large. I do alot of inlay work; just like the Zuni People do in creating jewelry; i will never complain about how they price their pieces that are offered for sale. Its ALOT of work to shape a stone that is the finished size of a mustard seed. You wear down your index fingernails and work your way down towards your pinky in holding your stones. I’m self taught in Navajo Silversmithing & inlay work- its directly related to my line of custom ArtBonnets for the client at large. It’s a direct interaction between the buyer & myself- they “design” the idea of how their headdress would look in precious materials/stones & i do all of the cutting, assembly & finished product for them to enjoy. Each ArtBonnet is custom designed & none of the material that i use is ever the same. Each finished piece has its own style and is a statement maker… I’ve invested a lot of my time & utilize my saving to get to this stage; my wife has been very supportive & understanding; then again, we all have bills to pay and obligations to address. I’ve got to keep going forward and just get my artwork out there.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them around Navajoland in the southwestern part of the United States. Just about everyone wants to go to Monument Valley & the Grand Canyon… Well, not many people get to travel off of the beaten path; dirt roads, no cell service, quietness of the landscape, visual survival of the local vegetation & wildlife. I would explain the Cultural of the Navajo people, the taboos & a snapshot of the meaning of why Navajos wish to remain upon the land of their ancestors, where employment is above 40% on a USA national scale, how do they even endure such hardships… to better understand why & how the overall outlook of life exist for the average American Indian in this century of ours.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First- to ChangeLabs/NativeStartup in Tuba City Arizona. They are a non-profit based that is offering a variety of options of assistance for rural businesses located in a high unemployment region of the southwestern part of the United States. Second- Terry Regan of San Francisco CA. My first outside mentor regarding custom inhouse created pieces of art. He took me under his wing & taught me the art of gilding with precious gold & silver leaf. His company was manufacturing one of a kind furniture for the Asian market & he trusted me to follow his standards of near perfection. Try laying 24K Gold leaf on a Four by Four table after all finished work has been completed- you are the last step and you have a long straight line to respect…
Third- My home environment. I suffer from childhood PTSD & I’ve carried that with me for decades, I need an environment with nature at my doorstep. Not a city environment nor a busy little town, but an area where I can feel comfortable enough to leave my door unlocked & I can do my artwork uninterrupted.

Website: www.artbonnet.com

Instagram: navajojaymus

Facebook: jaymus.perry

Youtube: jaymus perry

Image Credits
All photos are of my artwork, my own images & my own design(s) Jaymus Perry

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