Collection: Pat Pruitt

Pat Pruitt, of Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico, learned the basics of jewelry making at 15 from local silversmith Greg Lewis. A few years later, through meeting Charlie Bird, a jeweler in Paguate, New Mexico, he also learned the fundamentals of jewelry design. He then studied mechanical engineering at college, gaining knowledge of and skills in operating industrial machinery. After graduating he honed his skills making stainless steel body piercings at a shop dealing in custom steel body jewelry.

A few years later, Pat went independent as an artist, and now creates original jewelry and artwork using materials such as stainless steel (316LVM, 316L), titanium and zirconium, together with cutting-edge industrial machinery. Pat's work, far from the usual definition of Indian jewelry, drew mixed reactions in the American Indian arts and crafts world. But at the 2018 Santa Fe Indian Market it was named that year's “Best of Show,” opening a new door for American Indian art. Pat Pruitt's jewelry is called “Cutting Edge Craft Jewelry.”