BEYOND JEWELRY to
ART
how to build barbed wire, cutting firewood and traditional ceremonies. Those experiences imprinted on Benally a sense of his Navajo culture. “It was very simple but profound for me to grow up around,” he says. As for how he came into jewelry-making, Benally was introduced to the business by his Uncle Ernest Benally. “After graduating from high school, my goal was to become the pet department manager at the newly constructed Super Walmart in Gallup, NM. I was looking forward to getting discounts on hamsters, goldfish and dog food,” he quips. “While waiting for my application to get approved, my Uncle Ernest asked me to help him get his jewelry ready to sell around Gallup and Zuni in order to see who was buying that day. This simple gesture began my journey into the world of American Indian jewelry art.” For three years, Benally apprenticed under his family, where he began by buffing jewelry, cutting cabs, stamping, and soldering silver. His talent became more than apparent to fellow jewelers and business owners alike. His Uncle Chester Benally and Aunt Rita Benally-Ybarra further developed his skill in inlay and silver-smithing. “My life is filled with bonus experiences above and beyond my life goals,” Benally reflects.
Photos Kerry Gallagher
N
ew Mexico’s rich jewelry tradition draws heavily on the culture and talent of local Native jewelers, so when picking a unique piece for your finger, wrist, neck or ear, it makes sense to seek out a jeweler with a heritage in the craft. Fernando Benally, artist at Authentic Traditions, is a third generation Navajo jeweler and has been lending to his designs his unique sensitivity and cultural sensibility for over 20 years. “It’s always been natural; I love the creation process. I love being able to take a picture in my mind and bring it to life in metal,” he says. Benally’s signature is symbolism. A common technique
he uses throughout his collection is shadowbox, incorporating gemstones and Navajo stamping. He commonly uses silver and gold, lending to a clean and classical look. “I like to create things that are simple, that people can easily relate to, and yet that capture the complexity of my experiences with my grandparents,” he describes. “I create my jewelry with an intention that my clients can connect with it too.” Benally’s childhood memories with his grandparents are pivotal to his art. He remembers animals on the ranch, farming, being taught
Authentic Traditions is currently displaying what Benally calls his Mountain Rings. He both designs and builds all his jewelry, and takes custom orders as well. “If someone has a vision and they want me to be the artist and bring it to life, I can do that,” he says. Benally’s jewelry is both elegant yet strong, modern yet infused with heritage, contemporary yet culturally Navajo. And it is these juxtapositions that make Benally’s work transcend the term “jewelry” to become, in a word, art. Authentic Traditions 66 E. San Francisco St., Ste. 2 505.983.6689 www.FernandoBenally.com