Navajo artist Lester James didn’t wait long to start his jewelry making career. He graduated from high school and went to work for Anasazi Traders, a jewelry manufacturer in Gallup, doing simple repairs.
Daisy Cowboy (DC) – When did you go to work for Anasazi Traders?
Lester James (LJ) – I graduated in 1992 and immediately went to work for them. I started with repairs and in about two weeks I started to do some simple inlay work.
DC – How long did you work for them?
LJ – I still do some work for them. They will give me a piece of work that I take home and I have one that I am working on right now. I started in 1992, and I think left there around 1997 to work at Nugget Gallery.
If you are familiar with Lester James’ work you know that he can make some incredibly intricate pieces of inlay jewelry. When he combines the culture of the Navajo (Dine) with his Yei’be’Chai carvings and inlay you get a fascinating work of art. However, to get to the level of skill to create those works you are spending lots of time at the workbench and have had some instruction.
DC – So you go to work for Nugget Gallery in 1997. Are you doing inlay for them?
LJ – Yes, when I go to work there, I meet Ervin Tsosie and Wilbert Manning. They teach me lots of stuff I don’t know, and my inlay really improves.
DC – What kind of inlay are you doing?
LJ – If you know what Ervin Tsosie’s night inlay style looks like, it was a lot of that.
If you are lucky enough to commission a piece from Lester, you are most likely going to get a hand carved tufa cast creation. The rustic and natural style of the tufa cast matches perfectly with that Navajo culture inspiration. Lester also is very capable of contemporary inlay and that looks just as incredible as the Yei’be’Chai work.
DC – I think of your work as tufa cast. Did you always do tufa casting?
LJ – I did cement casting at Nugget Gallery, but it wasn’t until I met Aaron Anderson around 2007 that I would start to do tufa casting. He taught me how to carve tufa and was influential to my style.
DC – Are you still working at Nugget Gallery when you meet Aaron?
LJ – Yes, but after I learned how to do the tufa casting I went out on my own. Aaron had a shop in downtown Gallup and I would work there with him. I would still do piece work and repairs if someone requested that work.
DC – Today, what are the main galleries you sell to?
LJ – I still do work for Nugget Gallery and Anasazi Trading. I also sell to Perry Null Trading.
