JSW970 Naja Pendant
Sterling silver tufa cast Naja pendant by Navajo silversmith Darryl Dean Begay. The 1 1/2” x 1 3/4” pendant has a shepherds hook.
Hallmark: DDB
Tufa casting is a technique of pouring molten silver into a tufa stone mold and letting it harden into a given form. The mold is only used once; therefore each item is an original piece.
About the artist
Darryl Dean Begay
Darryl Dean Begay is a Navajo silversmith renowned for tufa casting. Darryl has been an award winning silversmith for 16 years.
Darryl and his wife Rebecca were both born on the reservation and were raised in the traditional Navajo way. Weaving and ceremonial sand painting were part of everyday life.
They have a strong connection to their Navajo roots and culture. Darryl learned the art of silversmithing and tufa casting from his uncle Bobby Begay, who was a medicine man in the Native American Church. Darryl uses traditional Navajo and Christian motifs in his tufa cast designs.
Darryl taught his wife, Rebecca the art as their three sons grew older and she had more time to help him in the studio. In 2009, Darryl and Rebecca jointly won the coveted “Best in Show” at the 88th annual Santa Fe Indian Market.
Begay has been taught tufa casting and lapidary by some of the best - Bobby Begay, Raymond Yazzie who mentored him in inlay, and style from Timothy Begay who learned the art of silver smithing from Kenneth Begay.
His brother, Lee Begay, and his cousin, Philander Begay, are also exceptionally talented artists.
Darryl and Rebecca currently reside in Gallup, NM.
