DAVID & ALICE LISTER

The Listers, with Alice and David at the helm, are one of the most highly regarded families of Navajo jewelry makers working today; their renowned pieces in turquoise and sterling silver represent meticulous traditional methods and both traditional and contemporary designs.

Living on the vast Navajo Reservation in northeastern Arizona, David and Alice, both silversmiths, have practiced their artistry together for thirty-five years, passing their craft on to four of their daughters, including Dee Nez, who lives across the street and works alongside her parents in the same workshop, and Clarissa Hale and husband Vernon who live further away but travel an hour and a half every weekend to work alongside the other Listers. It is land where David’s grandmother once lived and which now houses several homes, workshops, sheds and horses - and from which exquisite jewelry makes its way to eager and discerning collectors.

Each Lister creates their own pieces from start to finish, the only collaboration being some pieces which Alice and David create together, and each individual has their own distinctive style: Alice puts a modern twist on traditional ideas and prefers to work with blue-green turquoise while David also likes working with coral and tends to include stamp work; Dee Nez likes lots of color with the oranges of spiny oyster turning up alongside turquoise, blue lapis, green gaspeite or purple sugilite; pieces from Clarissa and Vernon tend to use a lot of silver and stamp work along with their stones.

All of their silver is hand-cast; all of their stones are of the highest quality, all natural and untreated. From necklaces, cuffs, earrings, buckles and bolo ties, the Listers set a high standard in the world of high-end Navajo jewelry.