It can be placed on a leather thong and worn around the neck or displayed on a ceramic stand. He created it in 2016 for BAM’s “Metalmorphosis” exhibit. It’s the only piece he made for himself and depicts a dragon chasing a monkey. In 2016, Ho created “Yu,” which is the ancient Chinese term for jade. “He loved the idea of men being able to wear adornment. “When he got dressed up to go out, just every day or for special occasion, he was always wearing some piece of jewelry,” said Adams. Ho himself enjoyed wearing jewelry as much as making it. Felted hair from Bear is inside a silver box on the necklace. Ho created it in remembrance of Dow’s Siberian husky named Bear who passed away. Before his death in 2017 from prostate cancer, Ho made a piece titled “Bear’s Reliquary.” It was for Jim Dow, the only man who conmissioned a piece for personal use. Aesthetically, they made a statement and also included a narrative. He used found objects and metal to create bold, eye-catching necklaces. Oftentimes, a piece was already sold before it was even complete. Ho’s intricate necklaces were internationally beloved. He loved traveling and enjoyed going to markets for unique finds. Each indicates a trip to Asia over the course of several decades. The two collaborated to bring in his jewelry and personal items, such as 25 custom silk shirts.

Adams was a friend of Ho’s and vice president of the nonprofit organization Northwest Designer Craftsman. “I really wanted people to get an insight into what his whole life was about and how that then came into his jewelry making.”Īdams co-curated the exhibition along with Bellevue Arts Museum ( BAM) Chief Curator Benedict Heywood. “His spirit was so beautiful,” said Nancy Loorem Adams. Each work represents everything from a distant destination to a close relationship. Ho didn’t just make fine art he was an avid collector. A dragon festival robe is one of three textiles hanging nearby. In front of the image sits a Chinese gilded statue of an infant Buddha, an iron candlestick and temple toys from India. The mural-sized photo of his living room gives viewers a window into his creative life. 'Ron Ho: A Jeweler’s Tale” gives museum visitors a chance to marvel at Ho’s skills and to understand who the late jeweler was as a person.

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