Charles Lovato — Kewa (Santo Domingo) Heishi Artist
No documented hallmark.
Charles Lovato — Heishi Artist
Charles Lovato made shell and stone heishi, the fine disc beads strung into necklaces. Dubin calls him “one of the finest Santo Domingo heishi artists,” and Pardue also identifies him as Santo Domingo. [1][2] Pardue (2007, p. 130) gives his dates as 1937–87. [2] Baxter (2000, p. 156) includes him in a list of Santo Domingo artisans “most active since the 1960s and 1970s.” [3]
Shaded heishi
Dubin (1999, p. 529) records the idea his name is attached to: “Charles Lovato is credited with the concept of finely shaded heishi, accidentally originated by Clara in 1968 while stringing.” Dubin identifies his wife as Clara. [1]
Pardue (2007, p. 130) describes the same quality in her own terms: “His necklaces were known for his incorporation of intricate beads arranged with color gradation.” She writes that better tools in the 1970s let him cut very fine, delicate beads of shell and stone, sometimes from melon shell and mussel, and that he would set single turquoise or gold beads among them. A necklace pictured on p. 131 is captioned “Charles Lovato shaded necklace of white shell, olivella shell, tortoise shell, and 14k gold, 1970-80.” [2]
His last necklace
Dubin writes that he and Clara made a necklace together “during the last years of his life.” Dated 1986, it combines turquoise, lapis lazuli, 14-karat gold, pipestone, obsidian, sugilite and coral, and Joe Tanner called its beads “a fiesta of color.” [1]
From the Library: Dubin, North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment (1999)
1999 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1999, not today.
Dubin (1999) captions a strand of his work from the 1970s:
“Olivella and melon shell heishi by Charles Lovato. 1970s.”
— Dubin (1999), p. 529 [1]
On Santo Domingo's place in the craft, the same caption opens:
“Santo Domingo artisans are the masters of heishi.”
— Dubin (1999), p. 529 [1]
From the Library: Pardue, Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry (2007)
2007 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2007, not today.
According to Pardue (2007, p. 130), better tools in the 1970s let Charles Lovato and Benny Aguilar cut very fine, delicate beads of shell and stone. [2]
From the Library: Baxter, Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry (2000)
2000 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2000, not today.
Baxter (2000, p. 156) includes him in a list of Santo Domingo artisans “most active since the 1960s and 1970s.” [3]
Field Notes by Mateo James
His dates come from one book. Pardue gives 1937–87; Dubin dates the 1986 necklace only to his final years.
The books we hold print no hallmark for him, so none is shown here.
Sources
- Dubin, Lois Sherr. North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment: From Prehistory to the Present. Original photography by Togashi, Paul Jones, and others. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1999. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1999.
- Pardue, Diana F., with the Heard Museum. Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry. Photography by Craig Smith. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith, 2007. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2007.
- Baxter, Paula A., with Allison Bird-Romero. Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry: A Guide to History, People, and Terms. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 2000. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2000.
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.