HOPI SILVERSMITHS

 

Overlay jewelry is made of sterling silver and gold. There are many types of jewelry made today, for both male and females. For men, from rings to bolo ties, watch tips, tie tacks, money clips, key rings, box rings to belt buckles, etc. For ladies from small post earrings to large dangle earrings, pedants, pins, shank rings, wedding rings, watch tips, bracelets, hair broaches and many other products.

The Hopi Indians have been making overlay jewelry over sixty five years. Overlay means there are two layers of silver, a design usually a symbol of rain clouds, lighting, kachinas, flute players, bear paws, water waves, plants, animals, insects, etc. The designs are cut out with a fine blade and soldered onto a second layer, which makes it double and thus is referred to as Overlay Jewelry.

Today, more of the young aspiring artist are working with inlay stones, these stones are cut to size and mounted. Pure gold and various types of stone are used today to enhance their work and style.

Jewelry can be made in quantities at a time, although each product is handmade. Each design is created by the artist and usually the only person that may duplicate the design. The personal hall marks are then stamped on the back for markings which represent the clan symbol or name of the artist, which also indicates it is authentic.

Following are Hopi silversmiths who produce jewelery and are members of our marketing, for ordering please specify type, for male or female, type, artist and design, and quantity. For orders of more than 10 items a 10% discount will be applied.  

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1. Joe Josytewa, Shongopavi Village, Snow Clan. Full Hopi. Works with silver and gold. Work with turquoise settings. Has won awards at several art shows. Has been working as a silversmith for 15 years and self taught. Some of my work is featured in the book (Beauty of Hopi Jewelry).
2. Ruben Monroe Saufkie, Shongopavi Village, Water Clan. Full Hopi. I like to work with a variety of jewelry. My specialty is making pendants, broaches, buckles, bolos, rings and chokers. Started silversmithing at the Hopi Guild in 1988. I am optimistic that this marketing will be successful. Not just for myself, but everybody that is willing to take a chance on this new strategy.
3. Nathan Fred Jr. Bacavi Village, Greasewood Clan. Full Hopi. I started training as a silversmith at HAC around 1964. Hopi Arts & Crafts was owned and operated by the late Wayne Sekaquaptewa. I trained under the direction of the late Glenn Lucus and Eldon James. I have been a silversmith for about 30 years.
4. Alvin Taylor, Shongopavi Village, Sun Clan. Full Hopi. I do assortment of products, such as earrings, pendants, rings, and buckles. I have been doing Hopi Overlay jewelry for at least 10 years. I am basically self taught, learning by trial and error. I have been doing art shows in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and California. I have also been a previous member of the HACCG. What I hope to get out of this marketing is to get more outside clientele and maybe do more travel with this type of work.
5. Clifton Mowa, Shongopavi Village, Sun Clan. Full Hopi. Well I started doing silversmithing a year after high school. I started from the HACCG about 17 years ago. Has gone to few art shows in Phoenix, AZ. I am pleased at working from my home and working at my own pace, so my jewelry is neat and clean. I like working with silver and gold.
6. Charles T. Wadsworth, Shongopavi Village, Water and Corn Clan. Prefer to make box style rings and bracelets, some rings, earrings and pendants.
7. LeWayne Quanimptewa, Shongopavi Village, Sun Clan. Full Hopi. I make a number of things, band rings, shank rings, box rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets, key holders, reversible pendants, etc. My prices are reasonable and my pieces are made of sterling silver.
8. Ramon A. Dalangyawma, Hotevilla Village, Tobacco. I learned silversmithing at HAC. Been doing silver work for at least 20 years, got introduced to silversmithing at Santa Fe Indian Arts Institute. I have traveled a lot to big Arts & Crafts shows and has won numerous awards. I am interested in traveling to other countries doing demonstrations.
9. Gary F. Masawytewa, Mishongnovi Village, Bear Clan. Full Hopi. I received my silversmith training through the Hopi Guild and have been making jewelry for 10 years. I have entered several art shows throughout the southwest. I would like to increase my customers throughout the world.
10. Harry Nutumya, Oraibi Village, Rabbit and Tobacco. Full Hopi. I learned the art of silversmithing by trial and error. I started off by working on the side of Loren Phillips. He showed me a few tips, but overall I have developed my skill on my own. I like to make all sorts of jewelry, but I tend to make more of the band rings. I hope we get more exposure from Hopi and get the message across that we are the only artisans that really know the true meaning in Hopi overlay. Jewelry making is not easy, it takes a lot of persistence to do quality work.
11. Marcus Lomayestewa, Shongopavi Village, Bear Clan. Full Hopi. I learned to make jewelry by watching and working with my father Macbride Lomayestewa. I started at the age of 12 years old. I have been a life time member of Hopi Guild, it use to be good working up there, but now it is dying out. I would really like to see this new marketing succeed because it is hard to market your products locally, especially in the winter time. I specialize in full kachina pendant/pins and kachina head pendants. I would not mind doing demonstration work and would like to increase my work by more orders.
12. Mitchell Sockyma, Mishongnovi Village, Corn Clan. I was introduced into silversmithing at the age of 19 years of age. I started off by practicing on copper and then actually working with silver. I started at Hopi Crafts and my main teacher was Glenn Lucas. I work 9 years for the Hopi Crafts and after the owner died, I then went to work for Hopi Guild 2 years. My work has been to a number of shows. Some of my work has won awards from Northern Arizona Museum, Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonies and New Mexico State Fair. My work is now marketed throughout the east coast. Some work is done with stone inlay and some with gold. Most is done with traditional designs. My work is sought by collectors. I have done some demonstration work. A book is being published soon on the process of making Hopi Overlay jewelry, I have provided techniques and illustrations for this book. I would like to get recognition for my work in the world wide web, and I like the idea of direct marketing. We have always been ripped off our profits.

13. J. Maurice Fred, Shongopavi Village, Fog/Water Clan.  Full Hopi.  Born and raised in the village of Shongopavi, on the Hopi Reservation on the northern Arizona.  I have been working with silver about 6 years.  Most of my art designs come from the heart and soul, which are one of a kind.

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Last modified: March 17, 2006