Vernon Haskie
Vernon holds the distinction as the most award winning Native American jeweler of the past 20 years. The Santa Fe Indian Market and Heard (Museum) Show have bestowed award after award upon his pieces, beginning in the late 90’s. While working with mostly traditional Southwest materials—silver, gold, and turquoise, along with Mediterranean coral—a number of his works reflect an elegant ‘European Royalty’ look or even more exotic themes, such as prayer wheels. Vernon’s range of design concepts is truly astounding.
Vernon has chosen to live on the lands of his people, being near both the mountains and red canyon walls of the Central Navajo Nation. He engages in conversations with a thoughtfulness and calmness that seems serene and forthright all at once. As with a number of accomplished artists, while their work consumes a great many hours of their life, it also takes a backseat to the family. Vernon is, very much, a family man first and foremost.
At the top of his craft, Vernon’s place in the overall pantheon of Native American jewelers has yet to be determined. Even if he produced nothing more, which does not appear to be the case, he would have exceptionally few peers, from this era or any other. We look forward to amazing things to come from this master jeweler.