“A Friendly Navajo
Creating His Own Thing”
"As a young boy, I remember helping
my father set up a table of jewelry along the roadside of old Route 66
located near the Arizona and New Mexico borders in Lupton, Arizona. In our
background were three spotted donkeys and a very unusual covered wagon that
my dad made from an old 1927 Model-T Ford frame.
With stunning sand stone
cliffs and a covered wagon in the background of two Navajos along the
roadside, motorists couldn’t pass without satisfying their curiosity. The
result was a lot of picture taking and great conversation.
It was in these earlier
days of my life that I was inspired by my father to undertake the art of
silversmithing.
It was this inspiration
that caused my curiosity to look at every piece of jewelry around me. I
would examine every detail closely, and then I’d resolve in my mind all the
facets of workmanship and technique it took to develop the end result. This
fascination grew even more intense when a friend of mine had shown me a
piece of his work. His use of different colored stones inlaid into silver
marveled my every thought. Thus, provoking the beginning of my pursuit of
design and craft, using the techniques of channel inlay.
Today my designs are
inspired by drawings found on nearby cliffs, which were left by my
ancestors, “the Anasazi.” There, designs are transformed through much
thought into pieces of contemporary inlaid jewelry. These designs are
created with the use of sterling silver and or 14K gold, along with
carefully selected stones from around the world.
Through my experience
with success, I have learned that it doesn’t come with skill alone, but
through encouragement from others, dedication and persistence.
It’s through these
experiences that these creations are made possible, and I wish you many
years of enjoyment.”
Born in 1968, Alvin
is the older brother of Bryon Yellowhorse, and the cousin of the late Lynol
Yellowhorse. He is married and has 3 daughters. He has won numerous awards
for his work, and was even featured with his brother in an article on
turquoise in the August 1999 edition of “Smithsonian Magazine.”
Smithsonian Magazine, August 1999 "The Enduring Allure of Turquoise"
