Joel created this tufa-cast sterling silver hand pendant featuring a round dark green and brown cabochon of Natural Cerrillos Turquoise. It is said that Joel’s great-grand father, Leo, was inspired to create with hands from seeing the hand prints on the back of the horses during the horse races on his pueblo land. This pendant has a hook on the back and measures approximately 2 1/2” x 1” and the stone measures 5/8” round.

Joel Pajarito is part of a well known family of silversmiths and stone inlayers of Kewa Pueblo, New Mexico.  Taught the creative arts by his great-grandfather, Leo Santiago Coriz, his grandmother, Mary Coriz Lovato, and his father, Anthony Lovato of Kewa Pueblo. Using soft tufa stone to cast sterling silver pieces is a classic element in his family's work, and he carries that tradition.  Joel also inherited the link design from his great-grandfather Leo and he continues this beautiful style of jewelry making today.