Contemporary

American Indian Contemporary Jewelry: From Tradition to Visionary Art


Honoring the Legacy of Charles Loloma and the Masters Who Followed

 

At Faust Gallery, we honor the evolution of American Indian jewelry as one of the most dynamic and expressive art forms in the world. From ancestral adornment to avant-garde design, Native jewelry continues to evolve—rooted in tradition yet fearless in innovation. This transformation into what we now call contemporary Native jewelry was ignited by one visionary: Charles Loloma.

Charles Loloma: The Father of Contemporary Native Jewelry

A groundbreaking Hopi artist, Charles Loloma (1921–1991) redefined Native jewelry in the mid-20th century. Trained in painting and ceramics, Loloma approached jewelry as sculpture—a medium to express inner spirituality and modern Native identity. He introduced gold, wood, lapis, and exotic stones like sugilite, using raised inlay and architectural forms that broke away from conventional expectations.

His bold vision opened doors for Native jewelers to create work that was not just beautiful, but conceptual, personal, and fine art-worthy. Loloma’s legacy set the standard for contemporary Native jewelry as a genre of its own.

From Traditional Roots to Contemporary Expression

Traditional American Indian jewelry—shaped by Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi artists—relied on silverwork, hand-stamping, turquoise, and forms like squash blossom necklaces, concho belts, and cluster work. These early designs reflected spirituality, cultural symbolism, and ties to the land.

Contemporary artists honor those foundations while expanding on them. They experiment with form, material, and meaning, embracing personal identity and storytelling. The result is jewelry that is still distinctly Native—but unbound by expectations.

Contemporary Masters: Innovators Defining the Field

Raymond Yazzie (Navajo): Known for his stone-to-stone inlay, Yazzie creates vibrant, mosaic-like compositions using coral, turquoise, lapis, and sugilite. His pieces are among the most technically advanced and visually stunning in contemporary Native art.

Jesse Monongya (Navajo): Fusing the celestial with the spiritual, Monongya uses sugilite, opal, lapis, and fossilized ivory to craft intricate inlay designs that reflect Native cosmology and personal vision.

James Little (Navajo): With elegant restraint and precise silversmithing, Little creates modernist forms rooted in traditional technique. His minimalist style reflects balance, clarity, and craftsmanship.

Charles Supplee (Hopi): Supplee is known for his refined overlay work, dynamic shapes, and combination of gold, silver, and high-grade stones. His pieces carry cultural significance while maintaining a sleek, contemporary look.

Larry Golsh (Pala Mission): A master of lapidary and goldsmithing, Golsh’s clean, architectural designs often feature precision-cut stones and minimal forms. His work reflects both Native values and modernist influences.

Verma Nequatewa (Sonwai) (Hopi): As the niece and artistic heir of Charles Loloma, Sonwai continues his legacy through extraordinary gold and inlay work. Her jewelry radiates elegance and harmony, crafted with the highest level of detail and color balance.

Ric Charlie (Navajo): Widely regarded as a master of tufa cast jewelry, Ric Charlie transforms molten silver into finely textured, deeply sculptural works. His use of tufa stone molds, intricate surface design, and patina finishes makes his work unmistakable. Ric’s pieces are not only technical marvels—they carry a strong cultural and visual narrative, merging ancient casting traditions with contemporary aesthetics.

Other contemporary trailblazers—such as Edison Cummings, Don Lucas, Cippy CrazyHorse, and many more—continue to expand the boundaries of Native jewelry, each offering their own distinct voice and vision.

Contemporary Jewelry Today: A Living, Breathing Art Form

Today, American Indian contemporary jewelry exists at the cutting edge of fine art and cultural storytelling. Artists draw from tradition but speak through personal experience, innovative form, and material mastery—using everything from turquoise and coral to gold, sugilite, and fossilized ivory.

These pieces are more than adornment—they are sculptures for the body, cultural affirmations, and reflections of living heritage.

At Faust Gallery, we are proud to represent both the pioneers and the present-day masters of American Indian contemporary jewelry. From the revolutionary vision of Charles Loloma to the refined brilliance of artists like Raymond Yazzie, Jesse Monongya, Charles Supplee, Larry Golsh, and Ric Charlie, our collection tells a story of resilience, innovation, and timeless beauty.