Darrell Cadman: Silver Ring

Darrell Cadman: The Cadman and Reeves brothers are celebrated for their outstanding silverwork, bringing traditional Navajo styles into the contemporary forefront by way of their excellent craftsmanship and fine detail.  

Darrell creates some of the scarcely-seen forms, such as boxes, a type of Navajo silver artistry which, in recent times, has become more difficult to find, especially executed in such a masterful way.

Darrell was born in 1969.  Silversmithing not only runs in his family, but the highest quality and classic work is found not only in the work Darrell creates, but that of his brothers, Donovan and Andy, as well as his half brothers -- Gary and Daniel "Sunshine" Reeves.  

Each of them learned from Gary and Sunshine’s brother, David Reeves, an artist now deceased, who passed on a tremendous legacy of outstanding Navajo silver and turquoise jewelry artistry.

In the Blogs: The Benefits Of Being A Curious Person

By Leigh Weingus 

Curiosity killed the cat? Not exactly. Evidence continues to emerge about the benefits of being an inquisitive, interested person. Not only does staying wide-eyed about the world make life more fun, it also has a number of surprising benefits.

Here are some reasons why curiosity is great.

It can strengthen your relationships. 

Your curiosity about people and the world around you can make your social life richer. If you demonstrate an interest in what someone has to say and maintain many of your own interests that you can discuss, people probably enjoy spending time with you.

"Curious people are often considered good listeners and conversationalists," Ben Dean, Ph.D. wrote in a newsletter for the University of Pennsylvania. "In the early stages of a relationship, we tend to talk about our interests or hobbies. One reason for this is that people tend to equate 'having many interests' with 'interesting,' and for good reason. Curious people tend to bring fun and novelty into relationships."

It can help protect your brain. 

Ever heard that crossword puzzles may help prevent Alzheimer's disease? Craving new experiences doesn't hurt either.

“Keeping your brain mentally stimulated is a lifelong enterprise,” David Knopman, a professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said, according to Bloomberg. “If one can remain intellectually active and stimulated throughout one’s lifespan, that’s protective against late-life dementia. Staying mentally active is definitely good for your brain.”

It can help you overcome anxiety. 

It's perfectly normal to be nervous before a big date. But your curiosity and excitement about getting to know an attractive new person might push your anxieties into the background.

"Socially anxious people who experience high levels of curiosity, or appraise certain events as having a high possibility to satisfy curiosity, may be more likely to engage in approach behavior amidst conflicting avoidance motivations," according to a study published in 2009 by psychologist Todd Kashdan in the Journal Of Anxiety Disorders.

It correlates with happiness. 

One theory on happiness is that we develop a "happiness set point" at an early age. We're at this baseline happiness level most of the time, and the level goes up or down depending on positive and negative life events. Kashdan, who authored the book Curious?: Discover The Missing Ingredient To A Fulfilling Life, argues that staying curious can kick our set point up a few notches.

"When we experience curiosity, we are willing to leave the familiar and routine and take risks, even if it makes us feel anxious and uncomfortable," Kashdan writes in his book. "Curious explorers are comfortable with the risks of taking on new challenges. Instead of trying desperately to explain and control our world, as a curious explorer we embrace uncertainty, and see our lives as an enjoyable quest to discover, learn and grow."

It can help you learn pretty much anything. 

A new study published in the journal Neuron found that it's much easier to learn not-so-interesting things when our curiosity is piqued. For instance, if what you're trying to learn just isn't sticking, try watching 10 minutes of your favorite TV show between study sessions. It'll give you a nice break, and it will pique your curiosity, stimulating your brain's pleasure center. When you return to studying, your brain might be more willing to let in some of that information you thought was boring.

"Look for ways to connect the uninteresting things you have to learn with something you're curious and excited about," Lifehacker suggests. "Whatever makes you tick can be used, even if it's not actually related. Study in between 10-minute sessions of that show you're addicted to, go over presentation talking points while playing a new video game, or place study index cards throughout that new page-turner."

Just don't let the innocent 10-minute break turn into an all-night binge.

Charles Loloma: Gold and Opal Ring

In the Blogs: The Science Behind Our Urge To Procrastinate

By Alena Hall

Cranking out a final paper hours before the deadline. Putting off that trip to the supermarket until the refrigerator shelves are completely barren. Watching one, two, even three more episodes of "Orange Is The New Black" before finally shutting down Netflix and calling it a night.

We all procrastinate in one way or another, choosing easy pleasures over more necessary or fulfilling tasks, telling ourselves “there’s always tomorrow” -- and the day after that, and the day after that…

But there’s far more science behind procrastination than you might expect. In recent years, psychologists and researchers around the world have been asking: what is it about the human mind that drives us to put off the things that can actually matter a great deal to us? 

Here are five things science tells us about procrastination that may help you see your priorities more clearly.

Procrastination afflicts some more than others.

Some people are genetically predisposed to put things off until later.

Researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder have found that some people are more predisposed than others to take the bait when a new temptation or distraction enters the picture. Likewise, some people are more likely to display impulsive tendencies. 

Those who act impulsively are easily distracted by things they believe they will enjoy more in the short term, ultimately leading them to put off their long-term goals for later. 

While it is not guaranteed that a procrastinator will also be an impulsive person, the researchers found a correlation between the two traits.

Procrastination feels good -- until it doesn't.

While we all know that the end result of procrastination -- that feeling of panic, anxiety and utter exhaustion -- is anything but desirable, the short-term boost it supplies keeps us coming back for more time and time again.

That boost is a small dose of dopamine coursing through the brain, a feel-good chemical reward inspired by that hilarious cat video or irrelevant-to-your-life-but-oh-so-entertaining personality quiz.

“Every time something enjoyable happens, you get a dose of dopamine, which modifies the neurons in your brain, making you more likely to repeat this behavior,” according to AsapSCIENCE’s video on procrastination. “Often times procrastination is a symptom, not a cause.” We know the end result will likely have detrimental effects, but that addictive, short-term fix wins us over more times than not.

The brain's decision-making process is a constant tug-of-war.

The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain responsible for taking in information and making decisions. “This is the part of the brain that really separates humans from animals, who are just controlled by stimulus,” Timothy A. Pychyl, a psychology professor at Carleton University, told Real Simple.

But this decision-making process is voluntary. If we are not conscious of the moment or focused on the task at hand, our limbic system -- one of the dominant parts of the brain in charge of what Pychyl calls “immediate mood repair” -- begins to take over. The result: We give in to what feels better, which is usually that kick of dopamine that comes along with procrastination.

Procrastination is the breakdown of self-control.

A lack of self-control causes procrastinators to have problems when it comes to finishing tasks -- even some of the most simple and basic ones. “A perfect storm of procrastination occurs when an unpleasant task meets a person who’s high in impulsivity and low in self-discipline,” Eric Jaffe reported in Psychological Science. "All told, these qualities have led researchers to call procrastination the 'quintessential' breakdown of self-control."

A lack of self-control links with specific types of procrastination as well. Research from scientists at Utrecht University in the Netherlands recently coined the term “bedtime procrastination,” finding that “people who generally have trouble resisting temptations and adhering to their intentions are also more likely to delay going to bed.”

It's entirely within your power to beat back the forces of procrastination.

Procrastination often stems from our mixed or negative feelings about a certain task -- we may be experiencing intimidation, fear of failure, or a lack of passion. As a result, we may view tasks as things to be overcome rather than experienced or achieved.

“Increasingly, psychologists and time-management consultants are focusing on a new strategy: helping procrastinators see how attempts at mood repair are sabotaging their efforts and learn to regulate their emotions in more productive ways,” wrote Sue Shellenbarger in the Wall Street Journal earlier this year. 

"(Dr. Pychyl) advises procrastinators to practice 'time travel'-- projecting themselves into the future to imagine the good feelings they will have after finishing a task, or the bad ones they will have if they don't,” relieving the anxiety and worry they subconsciously feel about the future.

Katsuyo Aoki: Ornate Ceramic Skull Sculptures

Artist Katsuyo Aoki primarily uses ceramics to create her sculptural work.  

However, the ceramic is more than simply a material she uses to build the work.  The clean white color resembles old sun bleached bones, perfect for the pieces’ skull like shapes. 

Aoki also relies on the the historical language and connotations of the material.  The extremely ornate ceramic is reminiscent of keepsakes, knick-knacks, and home furnishings of a well decorated home.  

These light weight associations are juxtaposed against the existential heaviness of the object’s shape: a human skull. 

 In her artist's statement Aoki relates the contrasting feelings she intends her work to inspire: 

“Their existence in the present age makes us feel many things; adoration, some sort of romantic emotions, a sense of unfruitfulness and languor from their excessiveness and vulgarity.  And on the other hand, they make us feel tranquility and awe that can almost be described as religious, as well as an image as an object of worship.” 

In her own words:

“Currently, I use ceramics as my material in my method of expression, incorporating various decorative styles, patterns, and symbolic forms as my principal axis in creating my works.  

The decorative styles and forms I allude to and incorporate in my works each contain a story based on historical backgrounds and ideas, myths, and allegories. Their existence in the present age makes us feel many things --  adoration, some sort of romantic emotions, a sense of unfruitfulness and languor from their excessiveness and vulgarity. And on the other hand, they make us feel tranquility and awe that can almost be described as religious, as well as an image as an object of worship. By citing such images, I feel I am able to express an atmosphere that is a part of the complex world in this age. 

In fact, the several decorative styles and forms I cite simultaneously hold divine and vulgar meaning in the present age, having an irrational quality that contradict each other, which I feel express an important aspect in the contemporary age in which we live.  

Also, the technique of ceramics has a tradition that has been a part of the history of decoration over a long time, and I feel the delicateness and fragile tension of the substantial material well express my concept.”

Infographic: Turquoise of the Southwest

In the Blogs: Five Quick and Easy Meditations That Anyone Can Do

By Dougall Fraser 

Don't have time to sit in the lotus position for 45 minutes? Don't throw your spiritual journey out the window just because you can't keep up with the Dalai Lama's dedication to mental stillness.

Our brains multitask all day. During meditation, we switch our intention by focusing on one particular act or ritual, in order to achieve a state of mental stillness. Here are five easy meditations to keep you connected in the midst of any chaotic schedule.

1. Walk away your worries:

If you struggle with the idea of sitting still, you may enjoy a walking meditation. Zen Buddhists' version of this is known as Kinhin, which involves taking a full breath in between every step. While that might seem like an incredibly long walk, the overall idea here is to use your body to become fully present in the moment.

To perform your walking meditation, go at a comfortable pace (preferably outside), and focus on the feeling of each foot as you take steps. Notice your heel touching the ground first, followed by the sole and finally your toes. As you walk, you might notice yourself getting distracted by outside thoughts. Simply bring your mind's attention back to your steps, and this will help center your meditation.

The beauty of this meditation is that it can be done anywhere, and is especially effective for a relaxing 15 minute work break.

2. Chant Yourself Calm:

Various religions and spiritual practices include chanting, which is the repetitive singing or humming of a melody. Gregorian monks use chanting to achieve a state of divine piousness, while Hindus reach enlightenment by chanting the word "Om" repeatedly.

You may not have access to a Gregorian church or Ashram, but this meditation can easily be performed wherever you are. The traditional way is to pick a calming word or sound, and repeat it over and over slowly ("peace" is a popular word to use).

A less traditional method is to pick any song that makes you feel really good, and then hum the melody or sing the words to yourself for a few minutes. Ideally this should be a slower, more relaxing song. While this may seem unusual, I have seen it work just as well as traditional chanting. You are simply focusing on the melody as a way to quiet your mind.

3. Drive yourself to Nirvana

You can meditate with your eyes open. If you are the kind of person who enjoys the feeling of being on the road, driving meditation can be a perfect environment to find stillness. Turn off your phone and radio, and allow your center to be the actual art of driving. Make it your intention to be completely focused on this relaxing joyride. As your mind is assigned the task of getting you from one place to another, the rest of your consciousness is granted a few moments of stillness.

4. Let coffee be your mantra:

You can easily incorporate your morning ritual with a sense of meditative spirituality. Our minds require something to focus on in order to become still. As you make yourself a cup of tea, coffee or even your morning smoothie, infuse this ritual with spirituality. Focus on the steps that you are taking to prepare your beverage, and keep mindful of the intention that this is "me" time you are enjoying. After it is prepared, select a comfortable space to sit and enjoy it. The length and duration of your meditation is reflected in finishing your cup.

5. Wash your aura

Bathing allows you to cleanse your physical body, and is a great time to bring your attention to your spiritual body. As the water splashes down on you, imagine that it is washing away all heaviness and dross from your spiritual body. Watch the soap and water disappear down the drain along with your cares and worries.