Navajo Portrait Pendant 5

Silver Design by Calvin Begay, Inlay Art by Norman Duboise, circa 2012.

Navajo Portrait Pendant 4

This impressive portrait profile pendant depicts the head of a Navajo man dressed in ceremonial coyote costume, a practice still widely observed among the modern Navajo.  The pelt riggings complete with coyote tails are often pawned when not needed then retrieved periodically for ceremonial use.   The piece shown above is stamped "Calvin Begay" and "J Duboise" for John Duboise, the brother of the very accomplished micro-inlayer Norman Duboise who actually designed and placed the natural stone and tiny silver cuttings to create this unique work.    The pendants from this portrait series represent some of the best pieces of Indian Jewelry I have ever seen.

Navajo Portrait Pendant 3

Reversible pendant by in-layer Norman Duboise with silver design by Calvin Begay, circa 2012.

Navajo Portrait Pendant 2

Reversible pendant by in-layer Norman Duboise with silver design by Calvin Begay, circa 2012.

Monument Valley Inspired Jewelry

Last month Sunrise Indian Jewelry of Gallup, New Mexico asked me to design a promotional postcard for them featuring these freshly minted micro-inlay bracelets inspired by the scenic views of the Monument Valley on the Utah-Arizona border.    This spectacular real estate is part of the Navajo Reservations land and undoubtedly one of the world's most inspiring landscapes.