Dean Adams (Burns) is a Native American (Burns Paiute; Jemez Pueblo) silversmith and basket maker. Adams learned to polish stones and make ring shanks from his father. Along with silver work, Adams is known for his juniper bark “knee” baskets, traditionally used for storage.
Bio
Creating works of beauty is a time-honored tradition among the Burns Paiute people, a practice that some say extends back 10,000 years. When Dean Adams was growing up, his father, a master silversmith, traveled extensively, marketing his jewelry throughout the West. Ben Knighthorse Campbell, the renowned silversmith from Colorado, was his mentor. Much later in his career, Adams's father started a silversmithing school on the Burns Paiute reservation. Today, the growth of the silversmithing tradition in Oregon can be attributed in part to the instruction that took place on the Burns Paiute reservation. Passed from father to son, Adams's style of jewelry making today remains much like his father's. To set his work apart from those Native jewelers “down south” who opt for lighter weight materials to reduce costs, Adams uses the heaviest silver and highest grade stones available. “I like to interact other stones," he points out. The stone(s) he selects for use (green turquoise and blue lapis, are examples) greatly affect how the piece will turn out. Adams’s designs are his own; he doesn't imitate other makers. Along with his silverwork, Adams is known for his juniper bark “knee” baskets, used traditionally for storage or as travel containers. Once peeled off of the tree, Adams works the bark with exacting care into a rounded shape on his knee. The sides are then brought together and secured with a binding stitch. Today, Adams's juniper bark baskets, some dotted with woodpecker holes, are popular for use as berry baskets.
