Calvin Desson
Navajo lapidary artist Calvin Desson is from the Lupton area on the Navajo Reservation. Calvin began making jewelry when he started working for the Yellowhorse Trading Post in Lupton, Arizona. He began working on his own in 2004. He is known for his patterns in inlay and micro-inlay. Calvin creates inlay scenes from what he knows: Life on the Navajo Reservation. Only the finest materials are used in his one of a kind jewelry.
“I have lots of drawings. So I will take pieces from my drawings and sketch what I am going to make. The sketch will be the size of the piece so next I will make the silver. After that I get the stones I am going to use and start to cut them down, using a mini-blade. That is the process until I get the shape I want.
“I worked at Yellowhorse Trading for three months, and that is when Alvin Yellowhorse asked me to come work for him. I would do more difficult inlay and after I worked for him I went out on my own, that was about 2004.”
