Ryan Dodson: "Flowing Creation" Blog

Greetings! My name is Ryan Dodson. I am Tachii’nii born for Tł’izíłaní. My area of emphasis is Silversmithing. During the summer of 2020, I made the decision to enroll in Dine College’s Navajo Cultural Arts Certificate Program. Not sure of what I was going to learn I drove to Tsaile, AZ to pick up my supplies. I met Dr. Ami and Crystal Littleben. They were both so welcoming and, in that moment, I was excited to see the shop and the new knowledge I was going to acquire.
There have been many activities that I have completed that have brought me such joy. My favorite activity was meeting Lyndon Tsosie, my Intro to Silversmithing I instructor. The first zoom call was enlightening. He reassured me that my untapped potential in creativity will “flow”. It sure has. Since the start of the class, I have created three pieces of jewelry! 

My buckle and two bracelets have unlocked a new area of thinking that I did not know existed! By learning the traditional techniques, I have also discovered that I only need a hammer and a few stamps to create beautiful pieces of jewelry.
In the second semester, I am excited to challenge myself to learn and create pieces of jewelry that speak to my understanding of Navajo Culture. In the meantime, I will continue to let my creativity “flow”.