Christina Eustace — Zuni/Cochiti Silversmith
Christina Eustace makes hand-fabricated jewelry of silver and stone, much of it in floral and petroglyph imagery. Paula A. Baxter's Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry lists her as Zuni/Cochiti, born 1954, and records that she began making jewelry at the age of 13 and was working full time by 1982, and says a SWAIA fellowship in 1983 "truly started her career" (Baxter 2000, p. 50).
Diana F. Pardue's Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry records that she grew up in Albuquerque, with time at Zuni among her father's family and at Cochiti among her mother's, and that she began, at thirteen, by emulating a carved leaf design developed by her father, Benjamin Eustace (Pardue 2007, p. 55). The book shows a fabricated silver floral pin of hers with silver drop appliqué, 1983 (Pardue 2007, p. 50).
Baxter describes her sterling and semiprecious-stone work as built on indigenous imagery, such as the dragonfly and petroglyph figures, and on abstract floral forms that grew out of her work as a stained-glass artist in 1977 and 1978 (Baxter 2000, p. 51); she shows a turquoise and silver wall pin of 1994 (Baxter 2000, p. 50). Sheila Tryk's Santa Fe Indian Market shows a belt of hers inlaid with a variety of stones in rain cloud and lightning motifs, crediting her as "Zuni-Cochiti, a SWAIA fellow" (Tryk 1993, p. 75). Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks records her as a multiple award winner (Hougart 2022, p. 117).
Her hallmark
Hougart gives her marks as C A E and C E. Note that Hougart files her entry under the spelling Christine Alice Eustace (Hougart 2022, p. 117).
Own a piece with this mark, or know more about this artist? Contact T.Skies.
References
- Baxter, Paula A., with Allison Bird-Romero. Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry: A Guide to History, People, and Terms. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 2000.
- Pardue, Diana F., with the Heard Museum. Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry. Photography by Craig Smith. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith, 2007.
- Tryk, Sheila. Santa Fe Indian Market: Showcase of Native American Art. Photography by Mark Nohl; introduction by Allan Houser. Santa Fe, NM: Tierra Publications, in cooperation with SWAIA, 1993.
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders. 5th edition. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
- Schaaf, Gregory, with Angie Yan Schaaf. American Indian Jewelry I: 1,200 Artist Biographies, ca. 1800-present. American Indian Art Series, Vol. 5. Santa Fe: CIAC Press, 2003. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2003.
From the Library: Schaaf, American Indian Jewelry I (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
Schaaf (2003) wrote of her work:
“She draws from the cultural traditions of her Cochiti mother and her Zuni father.”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 151 [5]
Schaaf (2003, p. 150) recorded Christina Eustace, also entered as Christine Alice Eustace and stamping CAE and CE, as active from about 1968, associated with the Pueblo V Design Institute, and showing at Indian Market from 1982 and in the 2002 exhibition Jewels of the Southwest. [5]
Schaaf (2003, p. 151) recorded her work in the collection of the British Museum in London. [5]
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.