Kee Yazzie (Dine) lives near Ganado, Arizona near Canyon de Chelly. These famous canyons are full of cliff dwellings and petroglyphs. Kee has used these ancient petroglyphs as the designs in his jewelry and sliver vessels. The symbols etched on rock faces deep in canyons on Navajoland have held meaning for centuries. He has transformed rock art into contemporary art.
He uses hundreds of small, precise cuts of a jewelry saw to give his miniature reproductions of the petroglyphs give the illusion of a mosaic in metal. Kee’s background in architectural design has undoubtedly enhanced his natural gift for balance. He also mentions the creative influence of artists Ray Scott, Gibson Nez, and Norbert Peshlakai.