Though a Hopi, Charles Supplee lived much of his life at the Belmont Navajo Army Depot and on the Navajo Reservation in Ganado. Taught the basics of jewelry making by his father, the teenager strove to improve his artistry throughout high school. After graduation, Supplee came to Scottsdale and worked at the Arizona Turquoise and Silver Company making Hopi overlay. The big break came when the internationally famous French jeweler, the late Pierre Touraine, invited the young artist to join the School for Contemporary Art and Jewelry for Native Americans. “Pierre showed how to create designs in three dimensions,” says Supplee. “He refined my technique.”
The jewelry artist’s “palette” encompasses stones and precious gems from all over the world. While diamonds are a favorite, Supplee is also partial to pink coral from Hawaii, red coral from the Mediterranean, lavulite from Africa, and lapis from Afghanistan. Turquoise from Lone Mountain, Nevada is the only traditional stone that he uses.
Though many artists keep their techniques a secret, this elite member of American Indian jewelry designers had other plans. “I want to teach younger people the design techniques I have learned,” says Supplee. Since his younger brother, Don, has established an enviable reputation as a jeweler, it would seem that Charles Supplee is an outstanding teacher. |
