Meet the 8 Native American Jewelry Artists You Need To Know

There are so many amazing Native American artists out there, but if you’re new to Native American jewelry, you may not know many of their names yet. Let us share some of the wonderful artists we work with at John Henry Co. and what they specialize in. It becomes much easier to search for pieces you want to wear when you know the names of specific artists, what they create, and whether their style speaks to you. A little background goes a long way when you’re choosing jewelry with real craftsmanship behind it.

Evangeline Garcia And Helen Piaso

Evangeline Garcia and Helen Piaso are sisters born in the Navajo Nation to their mother, Hannah Garcia, who taught them how to make dolls at a young age. They spent years refining this craft, both as a way to preserve family traditions and make money for themselves and their families.

Using the sewing skills they learned from their mother, they eventually branched out into jewelry-making. Their works are heavily inspired by Navajo heritage, cultural storytelling, and the natural beauty around them. They’re best known for their intricate designs and the vibrant natural stones they use to shape each piece, including lapis lazuli, which is widely associated with wisdom and truth, and turquoise, which is closely tied to protection, healing, and connection to the earth.

Preston Duywenie

Preston Duywenie is a Hopi artist known for work that brings traditional technique into a sharper, more modern direction. He was born on the Hopi reservation, was raised in Scottsdale, and later studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, where he developed skills in painting, sculpture, and jewelry-making.

His jewelry reflects that broad artistic background, with a strong focus on silverwork and a style that feels both grounded in Hopi heritage and distinctly his own. He’s also widely respected for his ceramics, and that crossover shows in the way his pieces carry form, texture, and strong design presence. His career includes major recognition from the Heard Museum Show and the Santa Fe Indian Market, where his work earned top honors.

Nuvadi Dawahoya

Nuvadi Dawahoya is one of the younger Hopi artists whose work we carry. He was born in Shungopavi, a village in Hopi 2nd Mesa, and his works take inspiration from the traditions of his heritage. His career began at a young age when he began crafting Warrior Mouse and Sunface Katsinas, which are carved figures tied to Hopi cultural and spiritual tradition, using a knife and a single piece of cottonwood root. This method takes real time and dedication, which shows in the fine detail of each carving.

He’s won many awards over the years for his work, including 1st place at the Indian Arts and Crafts Association show, 2nd place at the Santa Fe Indian Market, and the Southwestern Indian Art Fair’s Award of Excellence.

Larry Loretto

Larry Loretto is a talented Zuni jeweler. He learned his craft from his brother-in-law, Johnny Coonsis, another respected Zuni jeweler. He’s known predominantly for his silver inlay bracelets. These bracelets feature carefully shaped silver that curves, angles, and frames each section of the design, with stones like turquoise, coral, and jet fitted into the center.

Loretto blends more modern design elements, like zigzag patterns, with classic Zuni inlay work and strong geometric structure, creating pieces that feel both fresh and rooted. In a way, his work reflects his own path as an artist. He learned the craft from family, built his own voice within it, and is now teaching his son, Shane, so the work can keep moving forward through another generation.

Gerri Daubs

Gerri Daubs is a Navajo jeweler whose work stands out for its bold, sculptural feel. She grew up around jewelry-making and developed her style through years of hands-on experience, building on traditional Navajo silversmithing techniques.

Her pieces focus heavily on shaping silver into strong, fluid forms that feel substantial without losing detail. You’ll often see thick silver work paired with carefully selected stones, creating contrast between smooth metal and natural texture. She’s known for letting the silver do just as much of the talking as the stones themselves. Over time, she’s built a reputation for pieces that feel grounded, confident, and clearly made by someone with a strong point of view.

Anthony David

Anthony David is a respected kachina maker in his community. He creates these spiritual symbols out of meticulously hand-carved wood, using just basic tools and materials like a pocket knife, cottonwood root, and acrylic paint. He especially enjoys carving Eagle Kachinas for the challenge of rendering each feather from the same piece of wood.

Born and raised in Winslow, AZ, as half Hopi and half Navajo, he takes inspiration from both backgrounds in his work. On the Hopi side, he draws from kachina carving traditions and the spiritual meaning tied to those figures, while his Navajo background shapes the way he approaches form, detail, and the natural materials used in the work.

Sunshine Reeves

Sunshine Reeves is a Navajo silversmith known for some of the most recognizable stamp work in Native American jewelry. Born in 1966 in Twin Lakes, New Mexico, he began silversmithing in 1986 after growing up around the work of his brothers, Gary and David Reeves, who are also respected artists.

His pieces are known for detailed silver stamping, where layers of hand-struck patterns create depth, texture, and movement across the surface. He also pulls in Navajo motifs drawn from nature, animals, and spiritual symbols, which gives his work a strong traditional foundation. Over the years, he’s earned major recognition, including Best of Show at the Santa Fe Indian Market, and his jewelry remains especially sought after by collectors who appreciate bold silverwork with a lot of detail.

The Makers to Keep on Your Radar

These are just some of the many incredibly talented artists whose works are featured at John Henry Co. We love working with Native American artists and helping spread appreciation for their craftsmanship, heritage, and artistry.

Shop turquoise bracelets from artists like Larry Loretto, or explore work from makers like Preston Duywenie, Evangeline Garcia and Helen Piaso, Nuvadi Dawahoya, Anthony David, Sunshine Reeves, Calvin Martinez, Tom Hawk, and LaRose Ganadonegro. Once you know the names of a few Native American jewelry artists and what they’re known for, it gets much easier to find pieces in a style you truly love.