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(1941- 2018) The late, great artist, Buddy Lee was a self-taught jeweler with a wonderful imagination and unique sense of design.  His one-of-a-kind pieces of “wearable art”  told stories rich in culture with a deep appreciation for the natural world. He carved his own stones and his work is most recognized by the forms cut from 20,000 year old mastodon ivory.

He made each piece sculptural and versatile often finding inspiration in African, American Indian and Eskimo traditions. Buddy Lee had visions of pieces before he made them and felt that the work developed organically on it’s own. Buddy Lee once shared, “I feel like I am just the instrument and the piece becomes what it wants to become.”

Buddy Lee’s jewelry is treasured by collectors from around the world. He loved surprising his followers and always challenged himself to come up with new ideas that made people smile. Buddy Lee’s talent was as big as his heart, and his whimsy left a lasting impression on the art world.