Calvin Martinez

ARTISAN DETAILS
HALLMARK
Calvin Martinez
1980 to Present
TRIBE:
Navajo
STYLE:
Detailed stampwork and etching, unique pieces are common
FIRST YEAR MAKING ART:
1980
FAMILY:
Begay, Ernest R., Martinez, Rick, Martinez, Terry
ARTISAN INTERVIEW
When did you first begin making jewelry?
I started in 1970 when I was 14 years old. My family made jewelry so that is where I got my start. In the beginning I did lots of cast work.
Today do you still use those same techniques?
Yes, it is like I make my jewelry from scratch. Instead of buying sheet silver I will buy scrap silver and melt that down and then use my roller to get the desired thickness. My jewelry is all handmade from start to finish.
You do most of your work in the traditional style, is their a reason for this?
That is the style I like. When I go to the shops in town I always look at the pawn jewelry to get ideas. I also get lots of orders from elder Navajo people, and they always want the jewelry heavy and in the traditional style.
When did your work start to get recognized by collectors?
In 1983 I did a show in Kansas City where a woman came to my booth. She was wearing a bracelet that I liked and recognized. I asked her if I could see it, and it was a piece I had made. I told her and she was very happy to meet me. At that time I realized that my style was one people liked and buying.
Who are some of the artist you had an influence on?
I taught my brothers Terry & Rick, and also my brother in-law Ernest Begay. I have also worked with non-indian artist, teaching a person from North Carolina and another from San Antonio, Texas.
You can not find your work at many of the trading post in Gallup, why?
I will only sell my work to people I know. Buyers that appreciate the work and the ones I can talk about jewelry with, many buyers do not know good jewelry and are always trying to beat down your price.
Do you know where some of your best pieces have gone to?
I have a collector who contacts me for piece work. He has over 200 of my pieces, some work I have never duplicated. In the home he has it in a showcase, and some of them have very collectable pieces of turquoise. It would be nice to have some of those back.
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Golden Hills Turquoise, Navajo, 6 3/4
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Golden Hills Turquoise, Navajo, 6 3/4"
$1,515
$1,515
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Gorgeous Diamond pop-out, Inspired Revival, 6 3/4
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Gorgeous Diamond pop-out, Inspired Revival, 6 3/4"
$555
$555
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Heavy Wire, Stamped Silver, Navajo Handmade, 6 3/4
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Heavy Wire, Stamped Silver, Navajo Handmade, 6 3/4"
$370
$370
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Kingman Turquoise, Navajo, 6 1/2
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Kingman Turquoise, Navajo, 6 1/2"
$1,515
$1,515
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Kingman Turquoise, Stamping, Navajo Handmade, 6 1/4
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Kingman Turquoise, Stamping, Navajo Handmade, 6 1/4
$1,190
$1,190
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Mediterranean Coral, Stamping, Navajo, 6 3/4
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Mediterranean Coral, Stamping, Navajo, 6 3/4"
$875
$875
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Original Stamping, Stacker, Navajo, 6 1/2
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Original Stamping, Stacker, Navajo, 6 1/2"
$435
$435
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Persian Turquoise, Navajo Made, 6 3/8
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Persian Turquoise, Navajo Made, 6 3/8"
$1,445
$1,445
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Pilot Mountain Turquoise, Navajo, 6
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Pilot Mountain Turquoise, Navajo, 6"
$840
$840
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 6 1/2
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 6 1/2"
$655
$655
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 6 1/2
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 6 1/2"
$840
$840
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Variscite, Stamped, Silver, Navajo Handmade, 7 1/4
Calvin Martinez, Bracelet, Variscite, Stamped, Silver, Navajo Handmade, 7 1/4"
$1,185
$1,185
Calvin Martinez, Cluster Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo Handmade, 9 1/2
Calvin Martinez, Cluster Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo Handmade, 9 1/2
$490
$490
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Kingman Turquoise, Navajo, 3 1/2
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Kingman Turquoise, Navajo, 3 1/2"
$655
$655
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Pilot Mountain Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Navajo Handmade, 3
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Pilot Mountain Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Navajo Handmade, 3"
$555
$555
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Royston Turquoise, Stamping, Navajo Handmade, 3 1/4
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Royston Turquoise, Stamping, Navajo Handmade, 3 1/4"
$875
$875
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Navajo, 4 1/8
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Navajo, 4 1/8"
$875
$875
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Stamping, Square, Silver, Navajo Handmade, 1 7/8”
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Stamping, Square, Silver, Navajo Handmade, 1 7/8”
$440
$440
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Water Webbed Kingman Turquoise, Navajo, 3 3/4
Calvin Martinez, Pendant, Water Webbed Kingman Turquoise, Navajo, 3 3/4"
$655
$655
Calvin Martinez, Revival Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo Handmade, 9 1/2
Calvin Martinez, Revival Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo Handmade, 9 1/2
$660
$660
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Coral, Sterling Silver, Navajo Handmade, 12 1/2
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Coral, Sterling Silver, Navajo Handmade, 12 1/2
$335
$335
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Cross Design, Original Stamping, Navajo Made, 8 1/4
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Cross Design, Original Stamping, Navajo Made, 8 1/4"
$390
$390
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Double Buttons, Sterling Silver, Navajo Handmade, 9
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Double Buttons, Sterling Silver, Navajo Handmade, 9
$590
$590
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Golden Hill Turquoise, Revival, Navajo Handmade, 8 1/2
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Golden Hill Turquoise, Revival, Navajo Handmade, 8 1/2
$565
$565
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Hollow, Stamping, Sterling Silver, Navajo Handmade, 8 3/4
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Hollow, Stamping, Sterling Silver, Navajo Handmade, 8 3/4
$410
$410
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Kingman Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Navajo, 9
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Kingman Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Navajo, 9
$420
$420
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Mediterranean Coral, Bowtie, Stamping, Navajo Handmade, 8
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Mediterranean Coral, Bowtie, Stamping, Navajo Handmade, 8
$390
$390
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 10
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 10
$675
$675
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 8
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 8
$530
$530
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 8 1/2
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 8 1/2
$490
$490
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 9
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Navajo, 9
$520
$520
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Old Style, Navajo Made, 9 1/4
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Old Style, Navajo Made, 9 1/4
$765
$765
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Navajo, 9
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Navajo, 9
$335
$335
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Navajo, 9
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Sonoran Gold Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Navajo, 9
$620
$620
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Two Stamped Buttons, Old Style, Navajo Handmade, 9
Calvin Martinez, Ring, Two Stamped Buttons, Old Style, Navajo Handmade, 9
$590
$590
✕

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