J1126 Natasha Peshlakai
Hand stamped butterfly bracelet by Navajo silversmith Natasha Peshlakai. The butterfly is part of a Navajo legend in which Butterfly Boy was cured of his vanity by being struck by lightning. When he opened his hand butterflies flew out. The ½” sterling silver bracelet with a satin finish is 5 1/2” inside with a 3/4” gap.
Award winning Navajo artist Natasha Peshlakai (born 1981) comes from a family of artists. Her father Norbert Peshlakai is known for his small silver seed pots and jewelry. Norbert has passed his techniques in working with silver on to daughter. Natasha's pieces display the high standards and craftsmanship for which her family is known.
About the artist
Natasha Peshlakai
1980-2019
Award-winning artist Natasha Peshlakai is famous for glyph and icon stamp work in her contemporary jewelry. Natasha is one of youngest female silversmiths working today. She learned her craft from her well known father, Norbert Peshlakai. She is related to artists, Ben Haley (husband), Luke Haley (son), Linda Peshlakai (mother), and Aaron Peshlakai (brother).
She began working with jewelry at the age of 12 and her first piece, a pair of bunny earrings, earned a second-place ribbon at the Santa Fe Indian Market in 1993. Natasha continues to receive recognition for her work in Native American jewelry.
Her father has been her mentor, teaching her the basics of craft and continuing to collaborate with her on projects. He taught her the basics such as simple stamp work, how to use a torch for soldering, and how to ‘keep the ideas flowing’. Under her Dad’s tutelage she has learned how to make her own stamps, and how to strive for more accuracy. That influence has helped her produce jewelry that exhibits the high standards and exacting craftsmanship for which her family is noted. Her own innovative designs and techniques build on that foundation. She uses most of his father’s techniques and creates her own feminine designs.
EDUCATION:
…University of New Mexico
PUBLICATIONS:
American Jewelry 2100 Artist biographies, Gregory Schaaf
