We are all familiar with the famous U. S. Marine battalion known as the "Code Talkers" and the reasons that they were so successful in communicating by code during World War II without the Japanese being able to break their code.  They used Navajo words as substitutes for English words.  As an example, the Navajo word for "turtle" was used for the military vehicle word "tank."  Those Navajo young men, of whom Beatien Yazz was one, have been praised for their contribution to shortening the war in the Pacific.  The reason this worked was that the Navajo language was only a spoken language at that time.  Since, it has been given an alphabet and lexicon.

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David Chethlahe Paladin was a student of the Santa Fe Indian School, where he learned the basic fundamentals of painting from Dorothy Dunn.  Dunn encouraged her students to document and celebrate their cultures.  As a young man, Paladin struggled with his identity as the mixed-race son of a Navajo woman and a visiting white missionary.  As he developed as an artist, he began to display a genuine affection for his Navajo culture.  His style evolved considerably over the years, and ultimately drew from a wide variety of influences while always remaining grounded in his Native American roots.  Paladin was trained as a shaman, serving the Huichol and Tarahumara tribes in Mexico as well as his native Navajo people.

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David Chethlahe Paladin's work evolved drastically over the course of his career, moving away from what was common among Native American artists of his time towards more abstract contemporary work.  Though his methods changed over time, his themes remained the same: spirituality, creation, and rebirth.  Paladin depicted the same rituals, ceremonies and symbols as many of his Navajo contemporaries, but did so with a uniquely creative perspective.  He celebrated life, above all else, and this painting is a fine example of his singular style.

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In 1951, an arts silkscreen printing business named Tewa Enterprises was started in Santa Fe by Charles Barrows, a silkscreen printer, and Harrison Begay, the well-known Navajo painter. Tewa's mission was to hand silkscreen reproductions of Navajo and Pueblo paintings and make them available to a wide audience at low prices.  Subsequently, the current owner, Cathie Sullivan purchased Tewa Enterprises and now the business has ceased work.

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Tufa casting, often erroneously referred to as sand casting, is one of the earliest techniques used by the Navajo smiths. Today, it is still accomplished in the same manner as it was 150 years ago. Casting techniques among the Navajo developed about 1875. Volcanic tuff, or tufa, which is widely available on the Navajo Reservation, is used to create molds for casting. The artisan carves the desired design into a block of tufa, and cuts a matching piece of tufa to correspond to the carved one. Molten silver is then poured into the mold, created by putting the two pieces of tufa together, to fill the carved areas. The result is an item of jewelry that could now be refined and worked to make the desired piece. 

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The base of this Navajo ring is a combination of three silver wires soldered together at the mid-point and individually soldered to a curved silver backing.  Mounted on the backing is a beautiful sky blue turquoise cab that is drilled with a hole, which may indicate it was once a tab earring.  The silver backing has the effect of a shield which visually elevates the turquoise stone to more prominence.  The stone is a beautiful blue with an excellent array of copper-colored matrix.

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Elegant, dainty, lace-like could be descriptions of this bracelet.  It is one of the most finely detailed works imaginable.  It appears that channels were cut into the silver base and then strips of silver rope were inserted into the channels. The other option to consider is that it is silver overlay where a thin sheet of silver serves as the backing and then a second layer of silver with cut-out designs is overlaid on the backing.  Regardless of the technique used, it is a beautiful bracelet with a deep blue/green turquoise stone at the center. 

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Recycling in the Native jewelry business is a relatively new procedure.  It consists of taking very high quality turquoise stones from a tab necklace and repurposing them in another item of jewelry, overlooking the drill holes as being detrimental.

Much of the early turquoise jewelry had very high quality desirable turquoise.  The stones used in older nugget necklaces were sometimes drilled off center, as are the two stones on the outer edges of this bracelet.  The center stone was drilled in its center. The combination of the three stones is perfect for this bracelet.

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Mark Tahbo has surprised us again.  He brought us a Hopi seed jar different from any he has shown us before.  Normally, all of his jars are made in that beautiful orange blush that most Hopi potters produce.  This jar, however, is one of the older styles executed in red.  Mark said he got the idea of using a different clay to see if he could produce a jar in tribute to famous Hopi potter Garnet Pavatea.  Garnet seemed to prefer using "yellow clay" that was available just below the mesa top at First Mesa, a source no longer accessible.  It became necessary to construct a wall over the clay source to prevent that area of the mesa from collapsing. 

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Here is a video of Mark Tahbo.

Rafael Medina (1929-1998) Teeyacheena of Zia Pueblo was known for painting in the typical traditional flat style. He received his education at the Zia Day School at Zia Pueblo, as well as at the Albuquerque Indian School. He also studied under the stewardship of Velino Shije Herrera, Jose Rey Toledo and Geronima Montoya at the Santa Fe Indian School. 

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   Tonita Vigil Peña (1893-1949) Quah Ah did not have an easy life.  She lost her mother and sister when she was 12 years old and then was sent by her father from San Ildefonso, her native pueblo, to live with an aunt and uncle at Cochiti Pueblo. She essentially lost her father at that time as well.  She had to learn new customs, dances, songs and even a new language, because Keres was spoken at Cochiti rather than Tewa, which was spoken at San Ildefonso. 

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This original painting of hummingbirds and a Yei was among the last paintings made by Nailor, as he died the following year.  At the time of his death, he was living with his family at Picuris Pueblo.  Tragically, he was only 35 years old when he died from injuries received in an attempt to help a woman whose husband was brutally beating her.  Dorothy Dunn's hope for his future would not happen.  She stated "We hope this Navajo boy will keep to the proud Indian beauty, more and more, his eyes on the straight road. It must be hard in a world where garish lights beckon on all sides. He has humor as well as feeling for line."

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Having seen an original painting of Koosa, Avanyu and Rainbows by San Ildefonso Pueblo artist  Awa Tsireh, printers at Tewa asked J. D. Roybal (Awa Tsireh's nephew) to paint something similar from which Tewa could make prints.  Roybal practically copied his uncle's painting in detail, to the amusement of the Tewa staff.  This painting is the original by J. D. Roybal from which Tewa did make silkscreen prints.

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Damacia Cordero was a legend from Cochiti Pueblo. Her storyteller figurines and animal creations were unlike any other potter's work. This storyteller figurine, possibly a male, has the elongated torso, short legs, big ears, protruding nose and flat face of her traditional style.

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Antonita, or Toni, was a daughter of Fred and Helen Cordero.  Her brother was George Cordero.  Toni, George, George's daughter Buffy, and their cousin Tim Cordero all made storyteller figurines because of the influence of Helen Cordero.  She taught all of them the fundamentals and any storyteller made by any of the younger generation is immediately recognizable as a product of a Cordero.  They all resemble in some sense the work of Helen.

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Buffy Cordero Suina (1969- ) was a granddaughter of Fred and Helen Cordero.  Her mom and dad were George and Kathy Cordero.  She credits her interest in pottery to her dad and her grandmother.  It is most likely that Helen had more influence on Buffy as it appears that she quit potting following the death of Helen.  Buffy started making storyteller figurines around 1985 while still a teenager.

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This bracelet was fashioned in a manner that took four individual silver bracelets and combined them into a single bracelet. They were attached at each end with solder. There are 12 silver drops between each row which serve as the anchor points to keep the bracelets separate. There are another 12 silver drops on the outer edge. The bracelet is topped with four rows, each containing 12 small round and domed turquoise cabs, commonly called snake eyes.

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This is an older version of a Corn Katsina, the specific Hopi name may be Qa'ökatsina.  Barton Wright referred to this as a Rugan, which is another group name for Corn Katsinas. Each of the Corn Katsinas has a specific Hopi name. 

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After a casual look at this bracelet, most knowledgeable collectors and dealers would identify it as having been made by a Navajo, as it is typically like the work of members of that tribe.  This one, however, is clearly marked that it was made by Chief Sunny Skies of Acoma Pueblo.  This one does not have a date stamped with the signature but the other two items we have had from this same collection that were signed by Chief Sunny Skies were dated 1938 and 1939, so it is presumed that this bracelet would probably have been made at that time. 

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In 1951, an arts silk-screen printing business called Tewa Enterprises, was started in Santa Fe by Charles Barrows, a silkscreen printer, and Harrison Begay, the well-known Navajo painter. Tewa's mission was to hand silk-screen reproductions of Navajo and Pueblo paintings and make them available to a wide audience at low prices.  Subsequently, the current owner, Cathie Sullivan purchased Tewa Enterprises.

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