A Lifetime of Passion
By: Hanna Michels
As I cruised into Wall, SD, a township named for its natural wall formations found in the Badlands, as well as for the promise of free water advertised on its iconic Wall Drug billboards, I noticed the echoing roar of corvettes; no doubt on their way to the Black Hills. Tourists near and far have traveled here to experience this historical site filled with family fun! I pulled up to this quaint, little studio, complete with the Mater truck sitting out front, to visit my friend Jim Tice, second-generation owner and husband to Nettie Tice of Dakota Sky Stone.
Jim, a renowned artist known for his unique one-of-a-kind turquoise pieces, greeted me once I arrived. He had been hard at work in his studio creating his latest masterpiece. I was grateful for the time as he walked me through the creative process of designing the unique pieces that we have all come to love from this family-owned business. I have always been intrigued by design, and turquoise has been a love of mine for many years.
Today, Jim was designing the most fantastic pendant. I was in awe of the number of tools and turquoise pieces, both polished and raw. After the stones are carefully selected and polished, they are then paired with beautiful sterling silver bezels, each stamped with the signature “DSS.”
“Each piece is handmade, custom and one of a kind. All of our artists have their own name or unique stamp on the back identifying who created the piece…no two are alike,” Jim shared proudly as he dove back into the process of creating the beautiful pendant.
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Jim has been in the jewelry business for over 50 years. Starting out, he was intrigued by the beauty of turquoise, so he enrolled in a silversmith class. He was also fascinated by the Native American culture and the artists’ techniques. Soon, Jim became passionate about creating unique pieces, incorporating stones into beautiful jewelry. This family man, husband, father and amazing “papa” had found his niche.
I asked Jim if he could share what his favorite piece was, and he proceeded to carefully pull out a beautiful necklace and earring set with stones from the Dominican mountains. This stone is known as Larimar, one of the most beautiful, rare gems on the planet.
“It’s known for how the blue and green colors seem to ripple and swirl, reminding people of the ocean waves,” Jim explained.
Some say this most sought-after stone has a coolant effect, which can help heal inflammation and lower fevers, as well as calm the mind. Jim then began looking around for his granddaughter Zoe’s favorite stone, Golden Hills turquoise as he is in the process of designing a unique piece for her. Jim looks forward to passing down his knowledge to the fourth generation, his grandchildren Zoe and Reeder.
Having been designing for well over a decade, undoubtedly, Jim’s passion is people; his eyes said it all as he proudly spoke of his family. By putting people first, everything always falls into place.
If you are looking for something more unique and one-of-a-kind, you are sure to find the perfect piece at one of the two Dakota Sky Stone stores located in Wall and Deadwood, SD, as well as online at dakotaskystone.com.
Turquoise Tidbits
Sunnyside Turquoise
- Found in the Sunnyside mine in northern Nevada
- Sunnyside turquoise is extremely hard and contains bright blue ripples against a darker host rock
Kingman Turquoise
- Found in Kingman, Arizona.
- Kingman turquoise can range from pale to dark blue, and sometimes includes shades of green. The color is determined by the copper and iron in the stone, with copper creating a blue tone and iron creating green hue
- Matrices can be white, light brown, or black
Royston Turquoise
- Found in the Royston Mining District, Nevada
- Royston turquoise can be two-toned, with both light and dark green or blue
- Known for heavy matrix dark brown to gold in color
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jim Tice?
The article introduces Jim Tice as a second-generation owner of Dakota Sky Stone, Nettie Tice’s husband, and an artist known for his one-of-a-kind turquoise jewelry.
What was Jim creating during the studio visit?
Jim was designing a pendant. The visit offered a look at his tools, raw and polished turquoise, and the process of pairing selected stones with sterling silver bezels.
How did Jim begin learning silversmithing?
Jim’s interest in the beauty of turquoise led him to enroll in a silversmith class. His fascination with Native American culture and artists’ techniques also helped shape his passion for jewelry making.
How can a piece identify the artist who made it?
Jim explains that artists use their own names or distinctive stamps on the backs of their pieces. The article also describes the “DSS” signature on the work shown during the visit.
What favorite piece did Jim share with the writer?
Jim showed a necklace and earring set featuring Larimar from the Dominican mountains. He described its blue and green colors as rippling and swirling like ocean waves.
Which turquoise is Zoe’s favorite in this article?
The article identifies Golden Hills turquoise as Zoe’s favorite stone and describes Jim looking for it while planning a special piece for her.
Who does Jim hope to pass his knowledge on to?
Jim looks forward to sharing his knowledge with his grandchildren Zoe and Reeder, the family’s fourth generation.
What does the studio visit reveal about Jim’s motivation?
The visit shows how closely Jim’s love of jewelry making is connected to his family and the people around him. The writer describes his pride in his family and his commitment to putting people first.
Family Owned Since 1971
Deadwood & Wall, SD | 605.390.5500
dakotaskystone@gmail.com
