“I’m praying for everybody—not for myself, but for the whole universe. I talk to my jewelry when I make it. After it’s done, I say, whoever it may go to, may they have strength, may they have a good, happy life.”

— Mary Coriz Lovato

Tufa-casting is an ancient technique that uses large blocks of sandstone, which have been mined from the Hopi reservation in Arizona. The blocks are cut into chunks and smoothed with a brick into two matching pieces. Designs are carved into the stone with a variety of tools. The carved pieces are paired, blackened with a torch and sealed, allowing for an opening at the top through which molten silver or gold is poured. Once the metal is cool, the stone is taken apart, revealing the newly formed piece. The tufa stone leaves an organic earthen texture to the final pieces. Often, stamp work techniques with natural inlay materials and a variety of stones and shell are applied. This technique allows only one unique piece per mold.

Six generations of jewelers started with Valentino Coriz (b. 1890?), who would walk for miles to trade his work and return months later on horseback with a herd of sheep.

Santiago Leo Coriz (b. 1913), son of Valentino Coriz, learned casting from Hopi silversmith Jimmie Kootswatewa. Leo helped preserve the tufa-casting tradition.

Leo’s daughter, Mary Coriz Lovato (b. 1936), revived stone-in-shell mosaic jewelry inlaid with silver. Her husband, Sedelio Lovato did casting and fabrication.

Mary’s son, Anthony Lovato (b. 1958), continues his grandfather’s tradition of tufa-cast silver as well as fabrication.

Anthony’s sons, Joel Pajarito (b. 1984) and Cordell Pajarito (b. 1988), also work in tufa cast, silver, stones and shell.

Joel’s son, Aiden Lucas (b. 2007), is the next generation of Kewa Pueblo artisans.

Anthony Lovato
Heard Museum Show | Phoenix, AZ
Red Earth | Oklahoma City, OK
Eight Northern San Juan Pueblo | New Mexico
Southwest Museum Show | Los Angeles, CA

Joel Pajarito
Goodmen Fellowship Award | 2009

Cordell Pajarito
Tsepe’ Award for Youth | 2007
Eight Northern San Juan Pueblo | New Mexico

“It is important to me to hold on to the traditional stories. Through my designs in the large hollow-ware pieces, I am able to relate these stories in metalwork.”

— Anthony Lovato