Rebecca Begay: A Great Navajo Jewelry Artist

Even at an early age, Rebecca Begay aspired to become an artist. She brought that dream to reality as she learned and worked with her husband, Darryl Dean Begay Today, she is known for her tufa cast jewelry, each piece of which is beautifully and intricately crafted with distinctive feminine touches that define her style. Rebecca has earned a spot among the best Navajo jewelry artists. A look at her life reveals the forces and influences that drive her craft and her designs.

Like Darryl Dean, Rebecca was raised the traditional Navajo way. She was born on the Navajo reservation where ceremonial sand painting and weaving were a normal aspect of daily life. One of her influences is her husband, who learned from a Native American Church medicine man, Bobby Begay, who was his uncle. Darryl shared his love of tufa cast and intricate inlay with Rebecca and her artistic talents flourished.

Rebecca has a degree in Secondary Art education and she writes and illustrates children’s books, too. Tufa casting is her preferred method in crafting jewelry. By working with tufa, she is able to create abstract and pictorial designs with her drawings because the material is amenable to carving and casting. However, although tufa is soft, it can be difficult to get multiple casts out of every carving, so she has to carve new and unique tufa molds for almost every cast. This way, she is able to create one-of-a-kind and impressive jewelry like pendants and bracelets.

Colors stand out on Rebecca Begay’s creations. She uses only the finest rare gem grade stones like turquoise, often combined with gold to create eye-catching and stunning jewelry. Floral motifs are often used in her designs, making her pieces feminine and ideal for collectors who prefer softer and elegant finishes on their pieces. To assure the authenticity of the piece, Rebecca Begay jewelry comes with a certificate that guarantees her name and tribal affiliation, the piece’s retail value, and the materials she used on it.

About the Company:

Turquoise Direct is one of the most prominent dealers of authentic handmade turquoise jewelry, designed by award winning Native American artists, including Julian Lovato, Harry H. Begay, Arland Ben, Aaron Anderson, Al Joe, Thomas Jim, Tommy Jackson, Calvin Martinez and many others who place only the finest natural American turquoise in beautiful contemporary and traditional silver and gold jewelry. With an amazing selection of collectible Native American jewelry from bracelets to earrings, necklaces, and rings to buckles and bolos by some of the most collectible and highly esteemed Native American artists in the Southwest, Turquoise Direct is the place to go for the finest online experience on the web.

Turquoise Direct is one of the most prominent sellers of authentic handmade turquoise jewelry, designed by award winning Native American artists, including Julian Lovato, Harry H.