Faust Gallery
American Indian Contemporary Jewelry
From Tradition to Visionary Art
American Indian jewelry is one of the most inventive art forms in the world. It grew from generations of silverwork and stonework, and in the mid-20th century it took a new direction: jewelry made as personal, sculptural art. That shift—what we now call contemporary Native jewelry—was led by one artist above all: Charles Loloma.
Charles Loloma
Charles Loloma (1921–1991) was born at Hotevilla on the Hopi Third Mesa. He began as a painter and muralist, then studied pottery at Alfred University’s School for American Craftsmen, and he approached jewelry the same way—as sculpture. He worked in gold as readily as silver, and brought in materials few Native jewelers had used, including lapis, sugilite, pearls, diamonds, and exotic woods. His inlay of stones set at different heights gave his pieces an architectural, almost skyline look, and his “inner gems,” stones set inside a bracelet where only the wearer sees them, became a signature. “People have inner gems,” he said. “This is why I include inner gems in much of my work.”
Loloma showed that Native jewelry could be personal and modern without leaving its roots behind. Nearly every contemporary Native jeweler working today owes something to him.
From Traditional Roots
Traditional jewelry from Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi artists was built on silver, hand-stamping, and turquoise, in forms like the squash blossom necklace, the concha belt, and Zuni cluster work. Contemporary artists keep those foundations and push them further—new forms, new materials, and a personal point of view. The work is still distinctly Native, but it isn’t bound by what came before.
Contemporary Masters
Verma Nequatewa (Sonwai), Hopi — Loloma’s niece, she began working in his studio around 1966 and worked beside him for more than twenty years. Since 1989 she has signed her work Sonwai, the Hopi feminine word for beauty—a counterpart to her uncle’s name. Her gold and inlay work is known for its balance of color and flawless detail.
Jesse Monongya, Navajo/Hopi (1952–2024) — The son of Hopi jeweler Preston Monongye, he became famous for stone-to-stone inlay of night skies, constellations, and bears in gold, lapis, opal, and sugilite. His work won Best of Jewelry at Santa Fe Indian Market in 1995 and is held by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian and the Heard Museum.
Raymond Yazzie, Navajo — Raised near Vanderwagen, New Mexico, Raymond learned lapidary as a boy from his older brother, Lee Yazzie. His precision inlay of turquoise, coral, lapis, and sugilite is among the finest in the field, and in 2015 the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian honored the brothers with the exhibition Glittering World: Navajo Jewelry of the Yazzie Family.
James Little, Navajo — Raised herding sheep on the Navajo Nation, Little studied silversmithing under Kenneth Begay at Navajo Community College. He works in silver and gold with clean lines and precise inlay, often using the corn motif, and signs his work with four parallel lines.
Charles Supplee, Hopi — Of Hopi and French heritage, Supplee refined his skills in a two-year apprenticeship with French jeweler Pierre Touraine. He works in gold and silver with fine stones, in bold, sculptural forms, and is also an accomplished bronze sculptor.
Larry Golsh, Pala Mission/Cherokee — Trained first in architecture, Golsh became a master goldsmith and lapidary. He is known for tufa casting in high-karat gold and for abstract, sculptural forms inspired by the petroglyphs he grew up around in Southern California, set with precisely cut stones.
Ric Charlie, Navajo — A master of tufa casting, Ric Charlie carves his designs into tufa stone and pours molten silver into the mold, a traditional Southwestern casting method. His textured surfaces, layered imagery, and patina finishes make his work instantly recognizable.
Other artists—including Edison Cummings, Don Lucas, and Cippy CrazyHorse—continue to expand what Native jewelry can be, each with a distinct voice.
A Living Art Form
Contemporary American Indian jewelry sits where fine art and cultural tradition meet. Artists draw on generations of knowledge and speak through their own experience, using everything from turquoise and coral to gold, lapis, and sugilite.
At Faust Gallery, we offer the work of the pioneers and the masters working today—from Charles Loloma’s groundbreaking pieces to the work of Raymond Yazzie, Jesse Monongya, Charles Supplee, Larry Golsh, Ric Charlie, and others.
