Aaron Anderson
Faust Gallery
Aaron Anderson
Navajo (Diné) Silversmith
Aaron Anderson is a Navajo (Diné) silversmith whose bold, sculptural jewelry has earned him a devoted following among collectors of contemporary Native American art. Born in 1970 and based in Gallup, New Mexico — on the edge of the Navajo Reservation — Anderson is a third-generation artist who carries forward a family tradition of fine metalwork.
He learned the craft at the bench, working alongside his step-father, the noted silversmith Will Begay, and his uncle Wilford Henry, before establishing his own distinctive voice. In the years since, his creativity and workmanship have made him a respected leader within the Native American art community, with work sought by collectors and admired by fellow artists alike.
Anderson is best known as a master of tufa casting, one of the oldest and most demanding techniques in Navajo silversmithing. Each design is hand-carved into a block of tufa — a soft, porous volcanic stone — into which molten silver is poured. Because the block can be used only once, every piece is truly one of a kind, bearing the texture and depth that only this ancient process can produce. His designs marry traditional Navajo motifs with the influence of the legendary Hopi jeweler Charles Loloma and the conviction of his own deep Christian faith, often set with fine turquoise and other natural stones. Each work carries his hallmark — stamped “AA” or “AaronA.”
One-of-a-kind tufa-cast silver, hand-carved in the Navajo tradition — bold, sculptural, and built to last for generations.