All That Glitters
A showcase of New Mexico Sterling Silver Artists. All that Glitters provides examples of traditional silversmithing techniques and new fabrication methods of a precious metal linked to the land and cultures of the region.
Dr. Suzanne Lopez was a Fine Arts major, before she became a licensed therapist with offices in California and New Mexico, a life style/relationship media expert for national TV, and a nationally acclaimed published author. Moving to New Mexico re-inspired the artist within Dr. Lopez and she bang creating again.
Donna Martinez, contemporary metalsmith jeweler, is from the Pueblos of Acoma and Taos. She was born in 1964 in Albuquerque and raised in Santa Fe, NM. At an early age, she created things with her hands and had a natural penchant for artwork. Family also had an influence with her artistry. Her grandparents from Taos produced micaceous clay pottery, figurines, and hand carved wooden curios to sell in their pueblo shop. Her Aunt Dorothy, from Acoma, was a self-taught jeweler who intrigued Donna with her creativity and processes with metals and stones. In 1987, she apprenticed for Richard Lindsey Designs, a metalsmith jewelry designer. There, she discovered her passion for producing silver body adornment from its raw stage to a satisfying finished piece. Donna earned a BFA in Studio Arts in 2017 at IAIA and continues on her journey of producing one of a kind and desirable metal jewelry. Future endeavors are to show at the MOCNA Museum, Indian Market, Heard Museum, and in local galleries/exhibitions.
Adrian Standing Elk Pinnecoose (Navajo/Southern Ute). I am a graduate from the University of New Mexico’s School of Architecture and Planning. I have a bachelor of Arts in Architecture and a Master of Science in Architecture: Computational Ecologies. I am a highly motivated individual who maintains a positive lifestyle. Throughout my years of growing up here in New Mexico, I was privileged to witness the approach of creating art in a diverse atmosphere. As a child, I watched many significant Indigenous Artists fabricate their conception of design. I watched painters, jewelers, weavers, potters, sculptures and glass blowers develop their point of view. This was an awe - inspiring stimulation to my way of artistry as I developed into an adult.
Maria Samora (b. 1975) is a jeweler based in Taos, New Mexico. She apprenticed with goldsmith Phil Poirier for ten years before launching her namesake brand. She was first selected to show at the Santa Fe Indian Market in 2005 and has received many awards in subsequent years, including being chosen as the poster artist in 2019. In 2018 the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture honored her with a Living Treasure award and the exhibition Maria Samora: Master of Elegance. Samora’s designs can be found in museums and galleries across the country and at Maria Samora Studio in Taos.
