Erick Begay Native American Jewelry

Taught at his mother's bench

Erick Begay learned silversmithing from his mother, Frances Begay, while she sold jewelry in Santa Fe. He was making pieces on his own at 11 and working as a full-time jeweler by 16. The Boulder City Review, which profiled him in 2013, describes him as Navajo and says he learned from his Navajo mother. In 1993 he and his mother moved to Southern Nevada and opened a store, and by the time of that article he had spent 20 years in Boulder City, on the main road through town.

He works as both a silversmith and a goldsmith, using sterling silver, 14-karat gold and natural stones. His methods include tufa stone casting, lost wax and sand casting, inlay, diamond setting and engraving. The 2013 article also described him melting down old coins for coin silver, a practice he traced to Native jewelers of the late 1800s, and taking commissions as unusual as a turquoise and silver gearshift knob and belt buckles set with elk teeth.

Shows and recognition

By 2013 Begay had shown work at the Heard Museum in Phoenix and the Autry in Los Angeles, and that December he was headed to the Native Art Market at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington. His website lists awards from Santa Fe Indian Market and the Eiteljorg Museum show.

In the store

The Boulder City shop carries his own jewelry beside the work of other Native American artists. Everything is described as handmade by Native artists, and the mix includes:

• Rings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants and earrings by Erick Begay, plus made-to-order pieces
• Vintage and old pawn jewelry, squash blossom necklaces, bolo ties, concho belts and watches
• Pottery, kachina dolls, Zuni fetish carvings, sandpaintings and Navajo rugs

The same collection is sold online at N8tiveArts. The website asks visitors to call for current hours before coming in.

Visit or contact Erick Begay Native American Jewelry

1311 Boulder City Parkway (formerly Nevada Highway), Boulder City, NV 89005
702-293-4822
n8tivearts.com

Researched September 26, 2026. Source 1; Source 2; Source 3; Source 4; Source 5; Source 6. This is an independent directory listing, not a claim that the owner has joined or installed a badge. For a correction or removal, contact Cody. Listings are free and badges are optional.