One of the unfortunate things about being an artist is that often, renown and recognition comes after you are gone. That is just as true in the American Indian jewelry world, where people recognized as "masters" are typically no longer with us, while people who are still working are considered "contemporary". That is not to say that contemporary artists are not true masters of their art, but the marketplace traditionally waits to place them in the "master" category. They may have achieved worldwide acclaim during their lifetimes, but their reputations (and the value of their creations) frequently goes up after their life is over. The great giants of Southwestern Indian Silverwork are generally considered to be people like Loloma, Kenneth Begay, Preston Monongye, Julian Lovato and Joe H. Quintana, but there is another group of artists who only recently passed on who are now coming to be recognized as true masters. Today, we'd like to look at three of those artists: Myron Panteah, Ron Bedonie and Thomas Curtis.
MYRON PANTEAH (Zuni, 1966-2016)
Of the three, Panteah is probably the least known, though his work is incredibly detailed and creative. He departed from the usual Zuni inlay technique and created his own style, using textured silver and gold, semiprecious stones and amazing cutout designs.
This bracelet, made from oxidized and textured silver with silver and gold applique, shows the tightly grouped cutout figures for which he became quite well known. It is a testament to his skill and precision that no other artist has tried to imitate his style with any success.
RON BEDONIE (Navajo, 1967-2024)
If stampwork and filed designs are your thing, Bedonie had no betters and very few equals. He was not an innovator like Panteah, but rather a perfector--just look at the detail and symmetry in the silver bracelet below:
Many artists have tried to emulate Bedonie's obsessively detailed work, but none has managed to equal it.
THOMAS CURTIS (Navajo, 1945-2013)
Of the three artists mentioned here, Curtis had the longest career and gained the most fame during his lifetime, when he was rightly considered to be one of the greatest living Navajo silversmiths. He was a master of stampwork and repousse, and always worked in very heavy silver.
Note the evenly spaced repousses, all surrounded by intricate stampwork. His symmetry and precision calls to mind the great pieces of the 19th Century, while his forms and techniques were unmistakably modern. His tradition is being carried into the future by his daughter Jennifer, who uses his stamps and techniques with great skill.
We are often asked which artists we think will be considered "masters" in the future, and here are three of our answers. For examples of their work for sale, please check the ARTISTS section of the TMT website.
