Lewis Lomay

Lewis Lomay was born in 1913 on the Hopi Reservation and began his fine arts career during the 30's in Albuquerque, NM. He studied painting at the Indian School under Florence Prentiss. His skill and love of painting brought him to Santa Fe where he began to innovate the traditional "flat" style. These innovations did not suit his teachers, so from there he moved on to making jewelry.

From this point on in his career, Lomay became one of the best jewelers of his time. He worked and studied with Frank Patania in Santa Fe. He worked in both silver and gold, letting his influences range from traditional to European. His work became known for its innovation, and he is noted for being a designer ahead of his time.