LARRY GOLSH (Pala Mission and Cherokee, b. 1941)

Larry Golsh is considered one of the icons of contemporary Native American jewelry. Born in 1941, he was raised on the Pala Mission reservation near San Diego, California, and many of his designs are inspired by prehistoric rock art found in the hills and canyons of this region. Initially a student of architecture and sculpture, Golsh began making jewelry after meeting the world-renowned Hopi jeweler and artist Charles Loloma in 1969. Loloma became his mentor as he started his career in jewelry.

Golsh is best known for his tufa-cast jewelry and his use of gold in Native American-inspired designs. He embellishes his jewelry with a dazzling array of quality gemstones; diamonds, lapis lazuli, coral, onyx, and Russian charoite are among his favorites.

Golsh was the first Native American to study at the Gemological Institute of America and also with master jeweler Pierre Tourain. His work is in the collections of museums including the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian in Santa Fe, and he has won awards at the prestigious Heard Museum Indian Market.

Visit our Native American Collection page to see jewelry from our inventory of exquisite Native American jewelry and purchase the catalog Material Beauty: Modern Hopi, Navajo, and Pueblo Artist Jewelers, which accompanied our 2018 exhibition here.