'Ron Ho: A Jeweler's Tale' Presented by Bellevue Arts Museum

Film still from Ron Ho: Becoming Chinese, A Jeweler's Tale. Photo courtesy of Northwest Designer Craftsmen.   In 2017, the Pacific Northwest lost beloved master jeweler and storyteller Ron Ho. As a tribute to Ron's legacy, the Bellevue Arts Museum (BAM), in collaboration with the Northwest Designer Craftsmen, present Ron Ho: a Jeweler's Tale, which opens on May 10the at the Bellevue Arts Museum.  

The Exhibition

Nancy Loreem Adams, co-curator of the Ron Ho exhibit, also considered the late jewelry artisan a beloved friend and colleague. She and her co-curator, Benedict Heywood, as well as Ron's life partner Peter Olsen, worked together to create this very special exhibition. Together, they have orchestrated a personal and touching arrangement of a sampling of Ron's jewelry, as well as objects, personal writings and correspondence, paintings, and other personal items which Ron treasured. In addition to displaying his works and personal papers, the team has also assembled a complete replication of Ron's jewelry studio. Visitors can step inside Ron's world as they approach his jeweler's bench, gaze upon his weathered tools, and peruse the books and objets d'art that inspired him. The re-created studio also includes show tunes, which Ron Ho listened to while he worked, as well as found objects he hoped to include in future design projects. The team placed everything exactly as he left it. The exhibition also includes a screening of the film which inspired the exhibit, Ron Ho: Becoming Chinese, A Jeweler's Tale. In the film, Ron Ho relates his personal journey. It also includes commentary from several of his friends and mentors.  

Ron Ho

Ron Ho grew up in Hawaii. His father emigrated there from Hong Kong in 1878, at the age of 20. Shortly thereafter, he asked his parents to arrange a marriage for him. His wife, of Cantonese origins, joined him in Hawaii, and they had three children, including Ron. Ron showed an affinity for the arts in his early teen years. While taking accordion lessons, his teacher also taught him how to make shell and copper earrings. After graduating from college at Pacific Lutheran University, Ron accepted a position as an art teacher in Hoquiam. Two years later, he accepted a new teaching position in Bellevue. He simultaneously enrolled in a masters program at the University of Washington. During his time at the UW, he met a visiting instructor from Central Washington University (Ellensburg). Ramona Solberg inspired him to look more closely at the field of jewelry design. He and Solberg struck up a friendship after she transferred permanently to teach jewelry design classes at Bellevue Community College. One day she offered him a domino made of old bone. He transformed the found object into a jewel and gave birth to his signature jewelry style. He continued teaching during the day and began making jewelry in the evenings. This routine continued, and soon Ron Ho became an international jeweler, educator, mentor, and friend. To learn more about Ron Ho and his contribution to the Pacific Northwest arts scene, I encourage you to pop over to BAM's website and plan your trip. I know  I'm going to! ~Angela Magnotti Andrews