Sonoran Gold Turquoise Pendant
Sterling Silver and Sonoran Turquoise Pendant By Artist Leonard Nez. This pendant features a sterling silver bezel set Sonoran Gold cabochon surrounded by a ketoh shadow box design. This pendant measures 1 3/8 inches x 1 5/8 inches.
Native American Artist: Leonard Nez
Born in Keams Canon, Arizona, Nez met his wife Marian through his sister. It was Marian, a silversmith in her own right, who first taught Nez jewelry-making. In 1977, he made his first pieces and by 1993 he began showing his work. An avid horseman and highly skilled team roper, he divides his time between his silver work and the rodeo circuit. Fine chisel, stamp work and deeply grooved silver overlay are the hallmarks of Navajo Leonard Nez’s silver jewelry whose work is featured in the Smithsonian Institute. By combining the elements of the traditional with the contemporary in detailed scrollwork and classic feather styling, Nez’s work is distinct and recognizable. He attributes his inspiration to God and says that sometimes design ideas come to him while he is in church.
I want each piece to be better than the last. I do my own designs, the ones that speak to me. — Nez