James Little — Navajo Silversmith
James Little likes wax for what it lets him build. "I like wax because I can make different shapes and designs that I couldn't make any other way," he told Lois Essary Jacka for Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone (Jacka 1995, p. 53). Jacka shows a Monument Valley scene he made in 18-karat gold, with a moon symbol against a lapis lazuli sky (Jacka 1995, p. 2), and a textured gold bracelet in which 3.96 carats of diamonds "represent a rainbow" (Jacka 1995, p. 116).
Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists him as Navajo, born in 1947, active since the 1970s, and working in a "Contemporary, modern style; lost wax casting; silver, gold." Hougart records that he learned the basics of silver work at the Many Farms School, worked at the Ranger Station at Canyon de Chelly, the Navajo Community College Workshop and Greenlaw Jewelers in Flagstaff before striking out on his own, and that "One of his teachers at the Navajo Community College was Kenneth Begay" (Hougart 2022, p. 188).
Philip Chambless and Mike Ryan II name him among "the next leaders in Native jewelry," alongside Jesse Monongya, Verma Nequatewa and Harvey Begay (Chambless and Ryan 2021, p. 180).
His hallmark
Hougart gives his marks as four parallel bars; "J L (inside a triangular shape with scalloped inside liner; earliest mark on silver)"; and "J L (inside a fluted arrowhead, often applied on the outer surface of jewelry)" (Hougart 2022, p. 188).
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References
- Jacka, Lois Essary. Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone. Photographs by Jerry Jacka. Flagstaff: Northland Publishing, 1995.
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders. 5th edition. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
- Chambless, Philip, and Mike Ryan II. Turquoise in America, Part One: The Great American Turquoise Rush, 1890–1910. Revised first edition. Callais Press, 2021.
- 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.
- 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.
From the Library: Schaaf, American Indian Jewelry I (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
Schaaf (2003, p. 217) recorded James Little as Navajo, of Flagstaff, active from about the 1970s in gold and silver contemporary, fabricated, lost wax and set stone jewelry, with pearls, diamonds and aquamarine among his materials, taught by Kenneth Begay, and winning his first Indian Market prize in 1978. [4]
Schaaf (2003) wrote:
“He was inspired by rock art designs.”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 217 [4]
Schaaf's 2003 hallmark index gives JL to seven makers:
“JL (Julalita Lamy, Jinny Lary, James Little, Jake Livingston, Jamie Lomay, Jimmy Long, Janta Lonjose)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 209 [4]
From the Library: Dubin, North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment (1999)
1999 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1999, not today.
Writing in 1999, Dubin recorded:
“Little was by 1979 one of the first Native jewelers to work in gold.”
— Dubin (1999), p. 544 [5]
According to Dubin (1999, p. 544), in 1979 he won first place at both the Heard Museum and Museum of Northern Arizona Indian art shows and joined the newly established Lovena Ohl Gallery. [5]
Speaking to Dubin for her 1999 book, James Little said of his work:
“Quietly, by myself, I work life into the pieces. I want to create life.”
— Dubin (1999), p. 544 [5]
According to Dubin (1999, p. 544), he herded sheep on the reservation until he was twenty; in 1968, encouraged by his brother Woody, he took silversmithing and leathercraft classes and went on to study with Kenneth Begay. [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.