Orville Tsinnie (Navajo)

While decidedly contemporary, Orville's jewelry is strongly rooted in traditional Navajo design. Large bold lines characterize much of his work, which is often embellished with a variety of stamped designs. A smooth, sleek, highly polished dome of silver with an outline of a few stamps is as typical as a heavy silver bracelet covered with deep stamp work for this artist who bridges the divide between traditional and modern themes. The creation of subtly textured handmade beads and the use of unusual and uncommon stones for the settings update a classic squash blossom necklace. One of Orville's favorite materials is fossilized dinosaur bone, which, much like petrified wood, reveals a surprising pattern of colors when polished. He also utilizes a variety of turquoise, jaspers, obsidian, lapis, and sugilite to highlight his silver work.