Art Tafoya

Biography by Mateo James

Documented sterling silver hallmark of Art Tafoya, Yaqui silversmith - Native American maker's mark

Hallmark documented in: Hougart, art-amerindien.com. Rendered from the documented mark, not a photograph.

Yaqui · documented in the T.Skies hallmark reference library

Art Tafoya (born 1954) is a Yaqui silversmith active since approximately 1960. He works in a traditional style with detailed stamp work using hand-fabricated stamps, set stones, leaf applique, some channel and stone-to-stone inlay, and carved figural insets — in jewelry, boxes, and sculpture. He worked and studied with Carlos White Eagle. He has collaborated with Brian Yatsattie.

Heritage note: Hougart documents Art Tafoya as Yaqui. Tafoya is also a well-known Santa Clara Pueblo family name (a coincidence of surnames); no relation to the Santa Clara Tafoya potters or silversmiths is implied by this entry.

Stamp work uses hand-cut steel dies hammered into silver to create repeating patterns. Stone-to-stone inlay places cut stones edge-to-edge without visible silver between them.

The Mark

"Tafoya (script; early mark late 1970s–1980s); AT (conjoined; 1974–75); Made by Art Tafoya (etched script); Art Tafoya (etched script); AT hallmark adopted in 2019" — Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. (2022).

References

  • Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. Schiffer Publishing, 2022.

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This profile is maintained in support of Native American silversmiths and compiled from published references. See something inaccurate, or want to add to it? Contact us.