Native Jewelers Society is a group of jewelers who will interact with one another and educate and share information that will benefit everyone in the group. We encourage our members to conduct workshops within your communities. These workshops can be for children, adults, or for other artists to share techniques. If you are available and interested in sponsoring and hosting a workshop for the NJS communiity, please contact us at info@nativejewelerssociety.com. We are dedicated to improve educational opportunities through Workshops, Demonstrations, and Presentations.
2026 Virtual Workshops by Darryl Dean Begay
Darryl Dean Begay still conducts Virtual Workshops through his social media page.
June 2025 – Museum of Northern Arizona
Jonah Hill, head of Lomayoosi Designs, is a member of the Quechan and Hopi tribes. He is a multi-media artist specializing in wood carving, metal work, and printmaking. At the Heritage Festival, Jonah presented a workshop on making tools from gourds and be featuring his hand-painted gourd earrings.
May 21, 2025- Virtual Art Talk: Creating Continuity with Jeweler Nanibaa Beck through the Heard Museum — Nanibaa Beck, a second-generation Diné (Navajo) jeweler and founder of NotAbove. Beck blends traditional metalwork and stone inlay techniques with a contemporary minimalist style, creating pieces that honor Native languages and cultural expression. In this talk, she shares insights into her creative process, the evolution of her jewelry practice, and the role of Indigenous design in today’s art world.
March 21 – April 11, 2025- Creative Aging at The Heard Museum — Tufa Casting with Jonah Hill: Learning to Silversmith. Silversmith teaching artist Jonah Hill (Hopi/Quechan) lead the Creative Aging Tufa Casting workshop at the Heard Museum!
July 2023- Navajo Silversmithing Summer Workshop at The Navajo Culture Arts Program at Diné College – Under the instruction of the awesome silversmith, Raynard Scott, ten participants meticulously handcrafted their own bracelet! Each day, they focused on perfecting a new technique. Huge thank you to Ray Scott for inspiring and guiding a small group of future artists! The beautiful bracelets are a telling of how successful cultural art knowledge was transferred and absorbed. Thank you to all who applied and for your continued support of our program and mission!
November 18th, 2020– Beads, Buffing, and the Becks: A Conversation with Victor and Nanibaa Beck at Diné College — As part of Diné College’s Conversation Series, Nanibaa Beck, the daughter of world renowned silversmith Victor Beck has certainly made a space for herself within the Fine Arts realm of metalwork. With appreciation for her father’s work and teachings, Nanibaa Beck joins us for a conversation about her definition of success and how language, land, stones, and metal have converged for her as she perpetuates the Navajo art of silversmithing.
November 17th 2018- Special Engagement Show Join Wright’s Gallery in Albuquerque, for a Special Engagement presented by Wright’s Gallery, The Council for Indigenous Arts and Culture (CIAC Inc.), and Native Jewelers Society (NJS). This event featured artists, Wil Paul Arviso, Gene Billie, Jonah Hill, Raynard Scott, and Roy Tenorio. In addition to the artists, learn from CIAC Inc., a non-profit organization, who will present an educational display of fakes vs. authenticity in Native American jewelry.
May 6th 2017- Special Guest Workshop Native Jewelers Society artists will hold a variety of workshops at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, AZ. from 9-5PM. This workshop will feature a Photography workshop by artist Arland Ben. Darryl Dean Begay, will present about Tufa Casting, and Raynard Scott will provide Bench Tip. Our special guest invites will include lapidary expert John Heusler, and Jimmy C. Williams who will demonstrate diamond setting.
January 7th, 2017 The Heard Museum will host a Native Jewelers Society (NJS) Demonstration Workshop and Emerging Jewelers Market on January 7th, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Five NJS artists, including Darryl Dean Begay, Philbert Begay, Gene Billie, Ric Charlie, and Raynard Scott, will demonstrate various techniques and topics such as: overlay technique, stampwork, fakes and frauds, and more. NJS workshops focus on providing a greater appreciation and understanding of all native jeweler’s skills, techniques, and the time needed to create high quality, hand-made work.
December 12, 2015- Artist’s Talk and Workshop at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture with Wanesia Misquadace– Birch Bark Biting and Quill Medallions- Misquadace earned her MFA from UW-Madison – will discuss the nearly-lost art of birch bark biting that she has helped keep alive. Following her talk, she’ll conduct a short workshop in which participants can use quills to embroider their own piece of birch bark.
November 20, 21 and 22nd, 2015– NJS Jewelry Showcase and Workshops
at the Trickster Gallery 190 South Roselle Rd
Schaumburg IL 60193
847-301-2090
Native Jewelers Society will be coming to Chicago! Come to Trickster Gallery to kick off your holiday season!
Friday night Artist Reception and NJS Jewelry Fashion Show featuring clothing designer Leanne Hascon with Mark Cleveland Performance- 7-9PM
Saturday Show 11AM-8PM
Sunday Show 10-3P
Learn traditional techniques of native silversmiths at this unique workshop featuring NJS artists:
Saturday Workshop 1 at 2-3:15pm Workshop Topics Include:
– Understanding the Misrepresentation of Native American Jewelry. – Fakes and Frauds by Gene Billie
– For the Love of Turquoise (Also Bring Your Turquoise To Be Identitfied) by Darryl Dean Begay
Saturday Workshop 2 at 5-6:15pm
– Traditional Navajo Stampwork by Philbert Begay
Sunday Workshop 3 at 12-1:15pm
– Working with Stones and Chain Making by Roy Tenorio
– Overlay & Appliqué by Raynard Scott
April 4, 2015– Metalsmith Workshop at the Navajo Nation Museum
Native Jewelers Society artists Arland Ben, Darryl Dean Begay, Raynard Scott and Ray Tracey presented some very unique information about their experience as Navajo silversmiths. This workshop was held on Saturday, April 4th, 2015 at the Navajo Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, AZ. This FREE event was from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM or closing, with a lunch break. This workshop included LIVE demonstrations! Ray Tracey taught about Diamond Setting. Darryl Dean Begay taught about his knowledge of Tufa Casting, and Arland Ben shared Design and Cutting Overlay Techniques. Come join us at our next workshop!
October 4, 2014– Metalsmith Workshop at the Navajo Nation Museum
Native Jewelers Society artists Arland Ben, Aaron Anderson, Darryl Dean Begay, and Earl Plummer presented some very unique information about their experience as Navajo silversmiths. This workshop was held Saturday, October 4th, 2014 at the Navajo Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, AZ. This FREE event from 10:00 AM until closing. This workshop included LIVE demonstrations!
Tufa Casting Workshop – at the Navajo Nation Museum Lead by Darryl Dean Begay
This youth workshop was held at the Navajo Nation Museum it was to inspire the youth by demonstrating and teaching how to tufa cast. It was a one day workshop.