Passionate to the spirit of the Southwest
Back in 1986, our first Roundtrip throughout the Southwest of the United States of America was almost done, when we bought our first Navajo buckle in a small gallery at Santa Barbara.
Like many tourists, we were fascinated by all the roadside-stands of the Navajo Indians between the Grand Canyon National Park and Monument Valley. How disappointed we were, when a Utah National Park Ranger told us, that we had passed the best opportunity to buy some turquoise jewelry. Since then, we spent each year at least 4 weeks in the Southwest around the Four-Corners-Region, where the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet and many Indian tribes reside.
Within the years, our visits at the National Parks turned out shorter and we took more time for the vast Homelands of the Navajo, Hopi and Pueblo Indians. We learned, that most unforgettable meetings and experiences happened, if we would take lots of time, patience and respect, expecting nothing. Therefore, we got to a point, where we had the rare opportunity to stay as guests, even friends of the native Americans we met, to learn about their culture and traditions. Because of our early interest in true native American silverwork, we ran into artists, who today belong to the most famous native American silversmiths of the US.
One crisp November day, a young Navajo guy, who resided with his family in a mobile-home in tiny Lukachukai/Arizona, took us with his mother's old Pickup-Truck up the buffalo-pass over the Chuska-mountains, to show us the spectacular view of the Four-Corners-Region.
By the way, he presented us the newest inventory of his jewelry creations of silver, gold, turquoise and corral on the load of the truck. Never before had we seen jewelry of such a quality, precision and artful innovation. Not enough cash in our pockets, we instantly bought some pieces and sent him the rest of the money when we were back in Germany. The name of the Navajo artist was Vernon Haskie, who turned out in the following years as one of the top silver- and goldsmiths of his time. He received many awards, first prices and blue ribbons at the big shows like Gallup`s Intertribal, the Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Museum Guilt in Phoenix. He still lives with his family in tiny Lukachukai at the foothills of the Chuska-Mountains but now in a spacious, comfortable House, shaped like a traditional Hogan with two Cobra racing cars beside the pickup.
In many years, travelling in and around Indian Country, we were lucky to meet wonderful people and outstanding artists like Tsosie and Mary Taylor, Cippy and his son Waddy Crazy Horse, Orville Tsinnie and his family, Allison Snowhawk Lee, Aaron Anderson the man with the big smile, Rueben Richards, Laurence Saufkie and many more. They were so kind and patient to show us the creation of their art, from the first idea, to the different techniques working the silver and the cutting the stones till the polishing of the new pieces. Some of this meetings went into longtime friendships highly appreciated. We have a huge respect for the creativity, the artistic skills and patience, which turned out of a deep spiritual resource.
After years on the road, meeting very different people and learning a lot about native American culture and art, we like to share with you what we learned. Sacred-Stone Gallery is the result of more than 30 years of travelling the Southwest, meeting people, trade and collect. All pieces in our gallery are unique, one-of–a-kind, bought directly from the artists.
In a time, where mass-production and 24 hour shopping is business as usual, rare natural turquoise from small Southwest mines, some of them already closed, put in one-of-a-kind Native American artistic creations, turns out to a seldom seen rarity with everlasting value.