Sharon Cooley
Sharon is a Navajo (Diné) silversmith whose work centers on one of the Southwest's most recognizable jewelry traditions: handcrafted sterling silver bead jewelry. While many artists are celebrated for elaborate stone settings or intricate overlay work, Cooley has developed a distinctive style through beautifully crafted silver beads that showcase the artistry found in every detail. Read more: https://www.santafesunhandmade.com/post/artist-spotlight-sharon-cooley-carrying-the-tradition-of-handmade-navajo-pearl-jewelry-into-the-f
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Sheryl Martinez
Sheryl creates wonderful Southwest Jewelry, some with American Turquoise and some without. Sheryl Martinez makes some wonderful Native American Silver Rings.​
Sunshine Reeves
Daniel “Sunshine” Reeves was born into a family of New Mexico silversmiths. His brothers Gray Reeves and David Reeves taught him the craft, with which he has gone on to become one of the most distinguished silversmiths in the country. Reeves is well recognized as a master in his field. His work has been displayed at the Peabody Museum, Harvard University and the Heard Museum. Read more: https://www.santafesunhandmade.com/post/sunshine-reeves-master-silversmith-of-the-navajo-tradition
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Tawny Willie
Tawney Willie is a contemporary Navajo silversmith from the well-known Willie family of artists, who was inspired and taught by her father, Lonnie Willie. She began her career later in life, drawing on both her Navajo heritage and her mother's Sioux ancestry to create jewelry with a unique style. Her work is known for its traditional Navajo craftsmanship, including bold designs, intricate stamp work, and the use of heavy-gauge sterling silver.
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Timmy Yazzie
Timmy Yazzie is a Navajo/San Felipe/Santo Domingo silversmith. He was taught by his maternal grandfather the traditional ways of life, their history, and religion. His maternal grandmother was a pueblo potter, and his paternal grandfather was a rug maker and silversmith. Timmy studied jewelry making with well-known native artists to include Chalmers Day and Jimmy Harrison. Timmy Yazzie combines his fine inlay and stone work with the pottery designs in his silver overlay work, making his pieces one of a kind.
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Tom Yazzie
Tom Yazzie is Navajo, born and raised on the Navajo Reservation. He is of the Bitter Water clan born for the Water Edge, his maternal grandparents are Towering House and his paternal grandparents are Red House. Tom’s designs come from interpretation of the world around him.He continues to challenge his abilities with metal by discovering new ways to create pieces that are uncomplicated yet multifaceted. This approach allows him to maintain the traditional styles of his Navajo heritage along with a more contemporary twist to his finished wearable work.
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​Tonya June Rafael
Tonya June Rafael is a celebrated Navajo (Diné) silversmith whose bold, intricate jewelry reflects both deep cultural roots and a striking contemporary voice. She is originally from the Blackwater/Prewitt area near Gallup, New Mexico, where she continues to live and work, drawing inspiration from the landscapes and traditions of the Southwest. Rafael’s journey into silversmithing began at a young age, shaped by family tradition. Raised by her maternal grandparents—both skilled silversmiths—she was immersed in the craft from childhood. By around eight years old, curiosity led her to begin experimenting at the workbench, learning foundational techniques like soldering while observing and assisting her grandparents. This hands-on, generational learning is deeply rooted in Navajo culture, where silversmithing has been passed down through families since the 19th century. Rafael carries that lineage forward, blending inherited knowledge with her own artistic evolution. She began creating jewelry professionally in the early 2000s and has since built a respected name in the Native art world, exhibiting at major juried shows and institutions across the country. Read more: https://www.santafesunhandmade.com/post/big-bold-unmistakable-tonya-june-rafael-navajo-queen-of-clusters
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Tyler Brown
Tyler Brown is a Navajo (Diné) silversmith is only 32 years old & his art if frequently asked for by name by collectors. He is son of the late Navajo artist Dean Brown, who taught Tyler the art of making traditional Navajo jewelry from a young teenager. Tyler comes from a large family lineage of Navajo artists: uncles include Hemerson Brown, Anthony Skeets & Lee Charley, a cousin is Matthew Charley and a second uncle was the late silversmith Kirk Smith. Tyler’s work is recognized for cluster-style designs: many stones set closely together in patterns around a focal stone, often with vibrant color choices (turquoise, spiny oyster shells, lapis, coral). He uses traditional Navajo silversmithing techniques (sterling silver, bezels, twisted-wire or rope borders, oxidized or satin-finished silver backgrounds) combined with bold, contemporary aesthetics (large stones, statement rings/cuffs). He is noted for working with high-grade materials. Geographically, his work shows influence of the Gallup, New Mexico region.
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Vernon and Clarissa Hale
Vernon Hale and Clarissa Hale are Navajo silversmiths whose work reflects a deep, multi-generational tradition of jewelry-making. Clarissa is part of the renowned Lister family, learning from her parents, David K. Lister and Alice Lister, and growing up alongside a network of working artists including Dee Nez, while Vernon learned his craft from his parents, Vernon Hale Sr. and Sadie Hale. Together, they create handcrafted sterling silver and natural turquoise jewelry that honors both their individual family lineages and the enduring artistry of Navajo craftsmanship, with each piece highly collectible for its authenticity, limited production, and direct connection to generational Native artistry. Read more: https://www.santafesunhandmade.com/post/spotlight-the-silversmith-legacy-of-vernon-hale-clarissa-hale
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Vincent Platero
Vincent J. Platero, Sr. is a Navajo (Diné) artist from the Edgewater and Black Streak clans. Learning silversmithing from his mother, Helen Chavez, Platero has been actively making jewelry since the 1970s.
Born in 1957, Platero is from To’hajiilee, New Mexico, and is known for his beautiful and intricate stampwork, utilizing his extremely large collection of handmade silver stamps. The detail and craftsmanship of Platero’s work has earned him awards from the New Mexico State Fair and the Denver Art Market. He stamps his work with one of two hallmarks, “VJP,” or an arrow with “Vincent” above it. The name “Platero” actually translates to “silversmith” in Spanish.