Ben Yazzie – Colorado Native American Silver & Turquoise Artisan

About Ben Yazzie

Ben Yazzie is a Colorado-based Native American jewelry artisan who has been crafting handmade silver jewelry since the early 1970s, giving him one of the longest continuous careers among artists working in the region today. Over more than five decades in the trade, Ben has built an especially notable client list: he has made fine silver and turquoise jewelry for a number of well-known country music performers, including Charlie Daniels, Dwight Yoakam, the McEntire sisters, and Mark Wills.

Ben and his wife, Katie Yazzie, work together on Turquoise and silver jewelry, though their creative partnership extends well beyond the workbench. Katie runs a Native American modeling agency that helps young Native girls become professional models and connects them with opportunities in Hollywood, making the Yazzie household a hub for more than one branch of Native American creative industry. Ben also works as the head groundskeeper at his local Colorado high school, balancing his jewelry career with steady community employment — a reminder that even artists with celebrity clientele often maintain everyday working lives alongside their craft.

Identifying Ben Yazzie's Work

Look for the hallmark Ben Yazzie spelled out, or a stylized mark showing a B with a horizontal arrow through it.

Style & Specialties

While Ben and Katie create a wide range of turquoise and silver pieces together, Ben has a particular fondness for making 3D horny toad figures — a distinctive, sculptural specialty that sets his work apart from more conventional stamped or inlay jewelry styles.

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