Alvin Yellowhorse: Navajo Silversmith - Epi. 282, Host Dr. Mark Sublette

The different voices I get to hear on the podcast keeps it fresh and interesting for me and make me want to continue doing it. This is my seventh year and doing the Art Dealer Diaries and I'm always amazed that there's still something that I haven't heard / some person that I haven't met that fills in the gaps. So today I had Alvin Yellowhorse and he's a silversmith. I like to think of him not only as a silversmith but also as a very creative artist who works in metal. He not only produces great work but also teaches classes to inspire and spread his gift to others.

I've had his work in my gallery but I've never actually met him and I never had the chance to purchase things directly from him. So he called me and set up an appointment and I got some great work as a result. I was thrilled to be able to buy some and I got to hear his story.

He took the time to share his path in life, which is like almost all artists, is filled with twists and turns you can't see coming. Alvin grew up close to Gallup and a little town called Lupton and he still has a store there and his family has owned and operated the Yellowhorse stores there for decades. 

One thing I noticed about his jewelry, even before we met, was that he will use different types of stones that you just wouldn't expect. He uses meteors, for instance, and the highest-grade stones he can find. You can tell his work is all about uniqueness, quality, and most importantly, creativity. 

It clearly shows in this podcast. He's a humble guy, and he's one of the best. So I had an interesting and really fun time getting to know Alvin, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.