Naveek — Navajo/Greek Silversmith
Naveek works in channel inlay set into silver and gold, and makes all of it by hand. Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists him as Navajo/Greek, active since the 1970s in channel inlay and set stones in silver and gold, and names him the 1993 IACA Artist of the Year (Hougart 2022, p. 321). Paula A. Baxter's Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry counts him among the Navajo jewelers active from the 1970s to the 1990s (Baxter 2000, p. 118).
Lois Essary Jacka's Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone gives his method in his own words: "I don't do any castwork," and "I feel comfortable saying that I made it all by hand" (as quoted in Jacka 1995, p. 60). She shows his 14-karat gold bracelets channel-inlaid with black jade, sugilite, Australian opal, coral and lapis lazuli, the triangular designs in the gold textured with a diamond-tipped pave graver, and credits his Navajo and Greek heritages as influences on his designs (Jacka 1995, p. 62). Of what he aims for, he told her: "I want my work to have a strong sense of harmony and hold a balance between contemporary and traditional" (as quoted in Jacka 1995, p. 102).
His hallmark
Hougart gives his marks as a symbol and NAVEEK (Hougart 2022, p. 321).
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References
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders. 5th edition. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
- Baxter, Paula A., with Allison Bird-Romero. Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry: A Guide to History, People, and Terms. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 2000.
- Jacka, Lois Essary. Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone. Photographs by Jerry Jacka. Flagstaff: Northland Publishing, 1995.
- 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) entered him as
“Naveek (George Tsouhlarakis)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 243 [4]
Schaaf (2003, p. 243) recorded Naveek as Navajo/Greek, active from about the 1980s in channel inlay jewelry, living in Taos as of 2003, a grandson of Tom A. Lewis, showing at Indian Market from 1989, and the Indian Arts and Crafts Association's Artist of the Year in 1993. [4]
Schaaf (2003) wrote:
“The quality of the stones and the smooth channel inlay work distinguish this artist.”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 243 [4]
Field Notes by Mateo James
I notice the books start his work at different times. Hougart and Baxter place him from the 1970s, while Schaaf's 2003 entry lists him as active from about the 1980s. I show both as printed.
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