Arland Ben Jason Arsenault

ARLAND BEN

Art makes the world a better place. I can’t imagine Gallup without all of the turquoise jewelry and murals. Those that visit our Land of Enchantment are blown away by the natural beauty of our landscape. Our high desert mountains, mesas, sunsets, sunrises and plants are the inspiration behind the works of Georgia O’Keeffe. New Mexico is just a place that surrounds you with beauty. It only makes sense that we are home to so many incredible artists.

Arland Ben is one of those creative people. His jewelry has won blue ribbons at the most prestigious Native American art shows. However, it is not his jewelry that defines him but instead his life’s work. Instead of just spending his time behind

a workbench hammering silver, Arland has had the privilege to be part of two incredible movies, The Last of the Mohicans and Geronimo: An American Legend. Also, he grew up in a household that always had a camera around. As a child he would take pictures with the family’s Polaroid and 35mm cameras. He took his amateur photo taking and stepped it up a notch in 2008 by purchasing a Nikon D-3. Two years later, it was a venture into digital photography with

a NikonD-10. This transition to a digital camera took him from an enthusiast to a professional. He would spend the next year and a half teaching himself Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop and perfecting his editing skills. The digital camera allowed Arland to see the result right away, different than his earlier film camera where he had to wait until it was developed. Once he had the shot, he wanted to transform that image into a work of art with his ability to add the nuances allowed byhissoftware. Arland put the same energy into his camera that he had invested in his jewelrymaking. It didn’t take long before he was getting asked to do weddings and senior pictures. Arland enjoys people and stories and that makes him a natural fit for gigs like a wedding or senior photos. Yet, this is not where his strengths with a camera lies. Just like with his jewelry, he is a student of the craft. When he makes a piece of silver he draws on the techniques of the early silversmiths and even surrounds himself with the old tools of the trade. You will find stamps and tools over a hundred years old at his workbench. When it comes to photography his favorites are Ansel Adams and EdwardCurtis. These are two very different photographers. Ansel Adams is known by the world for his amazing landscape images. He was dedicated to the process and technique and was concerned with the integrity of the perfect final print. Edward Curtis is very well known in certain circles but never achieved the fame of an Ansel Adams. However, his work could be considered more important. In 1906 Curtis was commissioned by J.P. Morgan to produce a series on Native Americans. It took him five years to collect over 1500 photographs of Native Americans across the United States. This work preserved a way of life that would soon be lost and is many times our only glimpse into this fascinating history. These powerful images by Curtis would inspire Arland to do something new with his jewelry. Arland has taken two photos by Edward Curtis and turned them into works of wearable art, combining two of his passions. One bracelet shows a band of Navajos on horses making their way along the floor of Canyon de Chelly, and the other is Chief Red Hawk watering his horse on the Plains. It is remarkable to see the detail in the silver, one that matches the photographs. Enjoy the collection of photographs on the next few pages that show the talent of this artist, one of New Mexico’s most creative.

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