Growing up in a traditional family in Santo Domingo Pueblo, the last thing on my mind was that, my art would allow me to travel to a great part of the United States, much less have my jewelry designs in demand at galleries and art shows!
I have employed skills acquired helping my parents stringing, designing traditional Santo Domingo jewelry. Remember the old style Thunderbird necklaces inlaid on battery casings or records, being sold along highways or on the plaza in Santa Fe? Those are the inspiration for my art.
My jewelry has evolved from traditional Santo Domingo turquoise "heishi" and "Depression Era" work to a modern, contemporary, mosaic, multi-colored inlay jewelry, that is versatile for formal and casual wear. Using natural stones, shells, and turquoise, my designs are free form inlay where no two pieces are alike as each stone, shell or turquoise is cut to fit a design right out of my memory. I try to find different types and colors of stones, unusual shapes of shell, cutting them at different angles to get the desired look. Using different colors of turquoise from different areas of the country or world is not out of the question and can give a necklace or pendant an unusual look. Lately, I have used silver filings to create a "glitter" effect to many pieces. Sometimes I do not know what a piece will look like until it is finished.
My pieces have fooled many of my customers and even seasoned art collectors by asking, "How did you paint these designs?" Until told that these are the natural colors of my material and how they are intricately inlaid, are they amazed in the detail of my work.
I currently live on the Santo Domingo Pueblo with my husband, Lorenzo (also a jeweler/metalsmith) and four children. Our studio, workshop is behind the house and we have had many of our customers tour the facility and we show them the materials, tools, and equipment we use in our work. We love showing people our studio as it gives them the perspective of the work and a deeper appreciation of it.
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