The first award presented at the 2024 Santa Fe Indian Market was to Sarah Aragon in the jewelry classification. Stepping up to the microphone, she began speaking in the Diné language to the several hundred people in the room but was almost immediately overcome with emotion as tears welled up in her eyes. After taking a brief moment to compose her thoughts, Aragon went on to speak about her life, her family, her break from the art world. Just five minutes into what would be a long awards ceremony, and there was Aragon providing one of the most riveting and inspirational speeches of the day.
Sarah Aragon and her son Lance near their home in Northern Arizona.
Sarah Aragon (Navajo (Diné)), Back in the Saddle, horse headstall with silver female ring bit: handcrafted sterling silver from Tufa-cast ingots, shaped by chiseling, chasing and filing, secured on a leather headstall, stone inlay work of Mediterranean coral, Castle Dome turquoise, Morenci turquoise, Kingman turquoise, Persian turquoise and Carico Lake turquoise, 33 x 9 x 6”. Awarded Best of Classification, Jewelry at the 2024 SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market.
She had won the top jewelry award for an elaborate horse headstall titled Back in the Saddle, due to her long absence from Santa Fe Indian Market. She had last attended in 2019 after a long break from her studio.
“My inspiration to make this is our horse. We’ve had him ever since he was a baby. And for my family and for the Navajo people, and I’m sure there’s other tribes too, we have had horses in our family ever since I can remember when I was a little girl,” she told the audience. “My late grandpa, he used to…love horses. So we’ve had horses in our family from the past to the present and will be to the future.”
Sarah Aragon (Navajo (Diné)), Honoring the Horse People, horse headstall with lapis, pristine Mediterranean coral, aquaprase, Kingman turquoise, sterling silver. Awarded Best of Classification, Jewelry at the 2019 SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market.
Lance Aragon, 9, and Sarah Aragon in the studio they share together in Arizona.
Months later, Aragon admits standing in front of people (and even speaking to writers) is not something she goes out of her way to do. She’s a private person. She’s quiet and reserved. She would rather be with her family or working in her studio. “I was very surprised [when I won in Santa Fe]. When I entered the headstall for judging I was scared and intimidated because I was up against some very talented and well-known artists,” she says from her home in Indian Wells, Arizona. “When I was accepted into the market I knew I had to produce my best work. My son Lance was also accepted so this was going to be his debut—Lance won best of division for youth, and placed first and second. I wanted to make something that could possibly win an award. Even if it did not win, it had to have a ‘wow’ factor that would at least cause some people to pause at our booth. I felt the need to make the headstall in this style to show Lance how beautiful a simple line can be.”
The work did have that “wow” factor, which was reflected in the judging. She notes that the piece used almost every method of jewelry making she knows: tufa casting, chiseling, chasing, filing, milling. “There’s a lot of heat involved. Hot heat.” She self-identifies as both a traditional and contemporary artist, and can freely maneuver to either side as she sees fit.
Sarah Aragon (Navajo (Diné)), Beautiful Flower, double-sided pendant in sterling silver, Lone Mountain turquoise, Morenci turquoise and Sleeping Beauty turquoise“At my first market in 2014, all of my work had a contemporary look. I was trying to be unique from everyone else. Recently, I have been going back to a more traditional look and design. Yet, I still have not found my own style. I believe my style is a blend of both contemporary and traditional: clean lines, simple designs, use of space, contrasting colors, bold designs, heavy designs, fabrication and heavy ingots,” she says, adding that she brings those two halves, traditional and contemporary, together in work inspired by Navajo ceremonies and the beauty of nature. “I grew up around ceremonies. When I would go to these ceremonies, I observed men and women dressed in beautiful traditional clothes and beautiful jewelry. I danced in pow wows. There are many beautiful colors and designs in the regalia. Where I reside, I am surrounded by buttes and hills. Going for walks by the buttes and hills, there is something new and beautiful to see. Driving to the mountains to enjoy the lake and forest, there is beauty there. The everyday beauty that surrounds me is my inspiration and motivation to being an artist.”
Sarah Aragon (Navajo (Diné)), turquoise pendant
She wants to be known for her Navajo horse headstalls, and also “as a strong woman who makes jewelry that conveys strength and resilience to the wearer.”
Some of her new work are smaller pieces like pendants, but then also larger necklaces and more horse headstalls, which she is happy to see being made by other artists. “…I am still learning and developing. I have produced some good work and my best work is still yet to come. I have been making headstalls since 2014. I am happy to see that a few more have been made since I started making them. Headstalls have been around ever since the 1800s. Although they have become rare, a few have been made recently and entered this year for the SWAIA [market]. I am happy to be a part of the revival of this part of my culture and to honor the horse’s past, present and future,” Aragon says. “I am working on a new project and it will be special. Every artist can attest to that when a piece of art has been given it’s final touch, there is a very special feeling that one feels. I always get emotional. The time spent with the art, the emotions that go into the art makes it special. My next work I am working on is blending a very old design with a contemporary flare.”
Sarah Aragon (Navajo (Diné)), Riding Red to Earth, horse headstall in sterling silver and Kingman turquoise
Lance Aragon (Navajo (Diné)), bracelet in sterling silver with repoussé, stampwork and chasingAragon spends a great deal of time working with her son, 9-year-old Lance, who’s been pursuing jewelry making with her. “My son Lance has been going to art markets with me ever since he was a baby,” Aragon says. “When he started picking up tools I allowed him to play with the tools. He has been observing me and started mimicking me. I never discouraged Lance from being in the shop or handling/playing with the tools. Lance is currently doing stamp work which involves chiseling, chasing and repoussé. He is learning lapidary using a lapidary machine given to him by his Chei (grandpa), Darryl Dean Begay.”
Sarah Aragon (Navajo (Diné)), Dragonfly, necklace with sterling silver, Kingman turquoise, maw sit sit, sugalite, aquaprase, Mediterranean coral and rhodochrosite
Back in August during her Indian Market speech, she told the audience she hoped her son could stand on that same stage one day and present an award-winning headstall to the audience. “I’m trying not to get emotional, but it hits me right in the feelers,” she told the crowd. For Aragon, jewelry isn’t stones, metals and tools. It’s family all the way through.
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