Preston Monongye

Preston Monongye (1927-1987) had an unconventional and late blossoming path to jewelry making. He served in two wars, worked in law enforcement, and was an employee for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. It was later in life that he decided to dedicate himself full time to jewelry making, which was received numerous awards. He had always experimented with jewelry and craftsmanship, but did not receive acclaim until fully committing to his art. Preston primarily did the metalwork and design for his pieces, letting his friend and acclaimed lapidary artist Lee Yazzie do the inlay, and later allowing his son Jesse Monongye to do his lapidary work. His pieces are exhibited nationwide.