Silversmiths We Work With
The named artisans whose work appears in Wildflower jewelry. Each piece they make for us is signed, provenanced, and traceable to a specific person.
One of the things that distinguishes Wildflower from a typical online turquoise retailer is that we credit the people who actually make the pieces. Not just "Native American silversmith" or "handmade in the Southwest." Specific named artisans whose work we know personally and whose pieces we list under their names.
This page is the running roster. Each silversmith below has work in our current inventory or has had pieces in our shop recently. The traditions represented (Navajo, Zuni, contemporary American) reflect the diversity of Southwestern silversmithing as a living craft.
For broader context on these traditions, see our deep dive on Zuni channel inlay or our About Our Mines hub for the lapidary side of the supply chain.
Navajo silversmiths
P Yazzie
Navajo tradition
One of the silversmiths we work with most consistently. P Yazzie's pieces in our shop range from White Buffalo statement rings (Raven & Snow) and substantial cuffs (Ghost Mesa Shield) to Nacozari turquoise statement rings (Sonoran Sky) and White Buffalo bolo ties (Range Crest). The work is characterized by substantial silver weight, hand-stamped textures, and careful single-stone bezel setting.
Leslie Yazzie
Navajo tradition
Pendant and necklace work. The Winter Star White Buffalo pendant in our shop is an example of Leslie's hand-fabricated sterling work, set on adjustable sterling chain. Clean lines, traditional bezel work, signature substantial silver feel.
Larry Moses Yazzie (L.M. Yazzie)
Navajo tradition
Channel-inlay turquoise specialist in our shop. Pieces like the Canyon Triangle drop earrings show his approach: clean geometric silver forms with precisely cut channel-inlaid turquoise. Statement pieces that move and catch light.
Rick Tolino
Navajo tradition
Pendant and multi-stone work. The High Desert Mosaic turquoise inlay pendant in our shop is a representative piece. Multi-stone arrangements, channel inlay, and bolder silver forms. Pieces that read as contemporary while staying rooted in Navajo silversmithing fundamentals.
Harold Smith
Navajo tradition
Collar and neckwire work. The Horizon Line turquoise inlay collar in our shop demonstrates the kind of sterling silver collar work Harold is known for, with an unbroken line of channel-inlaid turquoise across the front of the piece.
Mary Ellen
Navajo tradition
Collector-grade pendant work. The Crimson Vein Kingman Red Web pendant in our shop, set in Navajo sterling silver, is the kind of piece Mary Ellen makes. Hand-fabricated settings, careful stone selection from premium material.
Randy Billy
Navajo tradition
Pendant work featuring rare turquoise. The Skycrest Halo Golden Hills lavender pendant in our shop is a representative piece. Halo settings, sterling silver, collector-grade stones.
SE (signed initials)
Navajo tradition
Cuff work in the Navajo tradition. The Snowfield White Buffalo cuff bracelet in our shop is signed SE. Substantial split-shank silverwork, single-stone bezel setting, the kind of heavy cuff that wears for decades.
Zuni silversmiths
Johnny Coonsis
Zuni Pueblo tradition
Channel inlay specialist. Johnny's Strata Ribbon turquoise channel-inlay cuff bracelet in our shop is a representative piece of his work and the Zuni channel inlay tradition more broadly. Multiple turquoise pieces shaped to fit precise silver channels, set flush, polished to a mosaic finish. Read the full origin story.
Kenny Lonjose
Zuni Pueblo tradition
Bypass ring and channel inlay work. The Twin Drop turquoise bypass ring in our shop is signed by Kenny. Two matched teardrop turquoise stones set in a bypass design where the band wraps around the finger. Signature Zuni precision in the stone work.
Contemporary American silversmiths
Grace Chin
Contemporary American
Sterling silver design work without stones. The Interleaf series in our shop (dangle earrings, pendant, set) shows Grace's contemporary approach to sterling silver fabrication. Botanical references, clean construction, the kind of pieces that pair with anything.
Lee S
Contemporary American
Turquoise drop earrings. The Sagewind Glow Golden Hills lavender turquoise earrings in our shop are a representative piece. Contemporary American silver work with rare turquoise.
How we work with named silversmiths
We do not represent these artisans exclusively. Most of them work with multiple galleries, brands, and direct buyers. What we offer is a curated selection of their work paired with the broader Wildflower provenance documentation (mine of origin for stones, treatment disclosure, sterling silver verification).
When you buy a piece by a named silversmith from us, you are buying their actual work, not a piece by an unnamed artisan with a marketing label. The signature on the piece is the artist's. The work is theirs. Wildflower is the seller and the provenance documenter, not the maker.
For pieces made in-house by us (King's Manassa or White Buffalo material from our own claims, cut by Greg, set by us or by one of the silversmiths above), the listing names Wildflower as the maker and describes the production details.
Why named-artisan provenance matters
Most online turquoise jewelry is sold without naming the silversmith. "Native American style." "Southwestern silver." "Handmade Navajo cuff." These labels say nothing verifiable about who actually made the piece. The work could be by a master silversmith. It could be by a beginner. It could be imported and finished elsewhere.
Named-artisan provenance changes the math. When you can see who made the piece, you can research their other work, verify their reputation, and understand what you are buying. The piece has a known maker in the same way a fine art piece has a known artist.
The collector market for Southwestern jewelry has always operated this way for the top tier. The contemporary market often does not. We chose to operate this way because it is the right way and because it protects buyers who care about what they are wearing.
If you want to commission a piece
Some of the silversmiths above accept custom commissions. The process is slower (months, not weeks), the pricing varies by artist, and the result is a piece made specifically for you. If you are interested, reach out and we will see what we can arrange.
