Richard Chavez (San Felipe Pueblo), bolo tie, Morenci turquoise, coral, lapis lazuli. Richard A. Gates Collection.

“From his standpoint as a collector, Gates has long been involved with and interested in artists making jewelry in Scottsdale, historically and up until the present day,” says Tricia Loscher, chief curator of Western Spirit. “It’s one of the reasons he felt so strongly about the collection being shown at Western spirit.” 

Jewelers like Charles Loloma and Kenneth Begay were some of the first artists to set up shop in Scottsdale after World War II, setting the stage for the town to become the art destination it is today. 

Jesse Monongye (Navajo (Diné)/Hopi), belt buckle, ca. 1980s, silver, ironwood, turquoise, lapis lazuli, coral, gold, fossil ivory, abalone shell, sugilite. Richard A. Gates Collection.

The collection contains a few remarkable pieces by Loloma, including a bronze “prayer stick,” which was the only bronze sculpture known to have been created by the artist. 

There’s also an ironwood cuff bracelet he made for Georgia Loloma, inlaid with silver, gold, turquoise, lapis lazuli, coral and bone. “That piece came from her collection, and it is just outstanding in terms of the ironwood that was used and the variety of material the artist picked,” Loscher says. Charles Loloma referred to this piece as having a “hurt-line,” meaning the curvature was so perfect that it nearly hurt to look at.

Charles Loloma (Hopi), wrist guard/ketoh, ca. 1960, silver and leather. Richard A. Gates Collection.

Also featured is a two-sided cuff by the husband-and-wife team Irene and Carl Clark, exemplifying their micro-inlay technique. It’s a mosaic of hundreds of pieces of turquoise, coral, lapis lazuli, sugilite jet, and more, creating a depiction of the Yei figure from the Diné  culture. For this collaborative piece, Irene did the silverwork while Carl cut and inlaid the mosaic. Charles Loloma (Hopi), Ironwood cuff bracelet, ca. 1975, silver, gold, turquoise, ironwood, lapis lazuli, coral and bone. Richard A. Gates Collection. 

“A lot of these artists are on the cutting edge and creating work that might be considered less traditional,” Loscher says. “A lot of people aren’t familiar with the fact that gold was used by Native artists even as far back as the 1970s. Gates has really set off to collect a lot of gold pieces, and that’s predominately shown in the collection.” 

Jesse Monongya’s piece White Woman Moccasins is an earring-and-necklace set featuring 28 charms of high-heeled shoes, made of gold along with material like diamonds, turquoise, coral and other stones, and it’s accompanied by a poem rich with social commentary. 

As a long-term exhibition, Dazzling Array is currently located in the foyer of the museum, and Loscher is looking toward the future. “This is just the beginning of the exhibit,” she says. “We’d love to move it into its own special gallery where we can tell more dynamic stories and give more information about the stones and techniques used to create this jewelry.” Gates has continued to make additions to the collection, providing plenty of opportunities for growth.

Jesse Monongye (Navajo (Diné)/Hopi), White Woman Moccasins, necklace with gold, diamonds, turquoise, coral, and other precious stones. Richard A. Gates Collection.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to have this work here at the museum, and it adds a whole new dimension to our storytelling,” Loscher says. “It’s a remarkable time to pay tribute to these individuals who have given so much to the world in terms of beauty and storytelling.” 

On View
Dazzling Array: The Richard A. Gates Collection of Native American Jewelry
Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (480) 686-9539, www.scottsdalemuseumwest.org

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