ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Coming from a rich generational line of esteemed jewelers, Anthony Lovato (b. 1958) is the proud grandson of the renowned tufa artisan Santiago Coriz (b. 1913) and the son of the legendary mosaic artisan Mary Coriz Lovato (b. 1936-2024). It is Anthony’s grandfather, Santiago, however, who has significantly inspired him, as Anthony has proudly embraced and carried on the tradition of the “Art of Tufa Casting” into the present day.

Growing up in an environment rich with creativity and inspired by a family of skilled artisans, Anthony discovered his passion for working with metal over 50 years ago. However, it wasn't until 1984 that he decided to take his love for making jewelry a bit more seriously. He enrolled at Santa Fe’s renowned Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), where he dedicated himself to focusing his studies on both metal work and museum studies. Always striving for personal growth and skill enhancement, he later pursued his education in the art of jewelry making at Northern Arizona University, as well as the University of Colorado, deepening his expertise and expanding his artistic vision.

His continual thirst to advance and grow has greatly paid off in significant and meaningful ways, as he now proudly holds numerous prestigious awards from our country’s most esteemed juried events, where the finest Native American art is honored and showcased. While the list of awards is quite extensive and too long to mention in its entirety, a few notable mentions include Santa Fe’s yearly Indian Market, (which has a rich history spanning over 100 years), the Red Earth Nation Show, the Eight Northern Pueblos Show, and the Heard Guild Indian Market, among many others! Additionally, Anthony has also been widely featured in various prominent magazines throughout the country, further solidifying his reputation in the art world.

A 5th generational artist, Anthony’s main influences are of course his grandfather, but other notable artists include “Allen Houser” & “Charles Loloma”..He now has passed this historical art onto his children “Joel Pajarito” & “Cordell Lovato” who continue in the art of not only Tufa Casting, but traditional Kewa Pueblo jewelry (Watch for their listings!!)

THE NECKLACE:

This beautifully designed necklace is made to be exceptionally versatile, allowing you to wear it on either side, depending on your mood or outfit that day!

Essential to Puebloan culture and life is the sacred corn plant; however, this vital plant cannot thrive without the essential elements of wind, rain, and moisture that it requires to grow healthily. Meticulously drawn into the one-time use of tufa stone is an elegant maiden on one side, where the vibrant Coral represents “Red Corn.” The flourishing line on the left side of her figure (right side in the accompanying photos) beautifully depicts the swirling wind, while the slanted and diagonal lines symbolize the much-needed rain. This maiden is depicted with grace, carefully balancing a pot on her head that holds precious rainwater. On the reverse side, you’ll find a ‘faceless’ figure, which features captivating “Boulder Opal” at the top and a substantial cut of “Fossilized Ivory” at the bottom. These exquisite cuts are thoughtfully bezel set atop the textured surface of the Tufa, creating a striking, artistic balance between nature and artistry.

THE HAND MADE LINK NECKLINE:

The links are impressively made, showcasing Anthony's meticulous workmanship, where he took a 1/4” wide sheet of high-quality sterling silver that he expertly stamped twice using the same distinctive stamp. This careful technique allows for an elegant and symmetrically pleasing design that shows on both sides of the doubled sterling. The wonderful advantage of employing this method is that, regardless of which side of the pendant you choose to display, the exquisite design remains consistent and attractive on both sides! {See photos 1 and 4 for a closer look} There are a total of 9 links per side, and each individual link features a unique stamp, beautifully connected together by round wire that functions as jump rings. To enhance the artistic appeal, he also added the vibrant “Red Corn” cut of coral at the very first link extending out from the pendant. The entire piece is completed with a robust, heavy gauge, handmade hook and eye closure, ensuring both style and durability!

SPECIFICS:

ARTIST: Anthony Lovato

TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Kewa Pueblo Village (Santo Domingo Pueblo)

METAL: Sterling Silver

METAL FINISH: Oxidized

NECKLINE WEARABLE LENGTH: 25.5” {Measured laying horizontally-excluding pendant)

PENDANT MEASUREMENT: 4" X 1.25" (At longest-widest points)

TOTAL LENGTH: About 30”

WEIGHT: 4.25 OUNCES- 120.5 Grams

MATERIAL: Italian Red Coral (One Side) Boulder Opal/Fossilized Ivory (On opposite side) -Sterling

CORAL SIZE: 4.5 mm Round

FOSSILIZED IVORY SIZE: 47.4 mm x 18.5 mm {1-7/8” x 3/4”}

BOULDER OPAL SIZE: 25 mm x 13 mm {1” x 1/2”}

AMOUNT OF HAND MADE LINKS: 18 Total {9 per side}

LINKS SIZE: 7/8” Long x 1/4” Wide

CONNECTOR: Heavy Gauge Hand Made Hook & Eye

HALLMARK: Conjoined “AL” (For Anthony Lovato) 25 (For Year) -with “Kiva Step” design-”Zia” Cross Sun symbol(The hallmark is at the closure on the Maiden side)

Comes Gift Boxed.

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SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT:
Anything with this kind of price tag, will have a mandatory signature confirmation requirement (reflected in shipping price).. If you're not home in the day & need it shipped where it can be signed for,please change that in your "Ship To" section before I create the shipping label***I'm sorry if this may be an inconvenience, but I do not ship expensive pieces without one. This is for your safety & mine.

PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASING:
*****I do not consider myself a 'professional photographer" but I do try to give you photos that are 'realistic" in color, so you're not shocked, nor disappointed when you get the item. Remember, every monitor is different ,so while some can show something to be more vivid ,other monitors can make it look duller.