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Alvin
Yellowhorse -Jeweler
Just a few miles west of Gallup, NM., nestled amongst the canyons & hills
of the small town of Lupton, AZ., lies the unassuming workshop
of the young Navajo artist, ALVIN YELLOWHORSE. Alvin learned the
silversmithing trade at an early age from his father, Frank Yellowhorse,
and later mastered the techniques of cutting the small turquoise & other
colorful stones into precise little pieces in which he assembles
into intricate designs inspired by his Anasazi ancestors. This
technique is called "Channel Inlay". A style of inlay
where all the stones are cut & assembled together first & then
ground flush before being highly polished. Alvin is credited for
originating another style of inlay called "Corn Row Wave Inlay" in
which the stones are individually cut & rounded over before
setting them into a silver or gold bracelet, pendant, ring, or
link bracelet. Corn Row Wave Inlay is much more time consuming
as he has to completely finish each stone one at a time before
placing them into the gold or silver setting. Alvin creates each
piece one at a time . There are no mass production techniques or
assembly lines. His designs, although very contemporary, are enriched
by the Zuni, Hopi, & Anasazi influences along with his own
Navajo heritage. Alvin also receives inspiration from the ancient
petroglyphs found along the canyon walls near his workshop. Alvin
is forever amazing the jewelry & art galleries with new designs & techniques.
Aside from being featured in several high-end galleries, Alvin
was recognized by the Smithsonian Magazine in their August 1999
issue, along with Art Book Arizona Magazine doing a profile on
his life. Each year Alvin enters his jewelry into the Santa Fe
Indian Market competition & has won several Blue Ribbons. His
work can also be found at the annual Heard Museum competition in
Phoenix, AZ.
(This biography was taken from Alvin Yellowhorse’s website:
aycustoms.com) |
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