Today's Artists
Jon Bonnell deeply cherished and safeguarded Native American arts during his lifetime. In honoring his legacy, we are proud to feature the work of today’s Native American artists on our website.
Daniel John
Navajo Silversmith
The curators of the White Hogan estate commissioned Daniel to create a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry crafted entirely from original White Hogan materials, all sourced from the shop prior to its closure in 2006. The turquoise stones were carefully hand-selected by Jon Bonnell. The silver, drawn from the White Hogan inventory, predated Daniel himself. To form the beads, Daniel repeatedly heated and rolled the silver into flat plates, then hand-punched each one individually. The naja design was made using his family’s sand-cast mold, passed down through generations—from his grandfather to his father, and ultimately to him. A meeting with Daniel in his hometown of Gallup, New Mexico, and the story of the path that brought him here made it clear—he was meant to create this beautiful piece of art. Below, Daniel John shares his story. We hope it brings you the same encouragement it brought us.
I am Daniel John, a Diné/Navajo Silversmith from Gallup, NM. I am Tódích’íi’nii born for
Kiiyaa’áanii, Áshįįhí dashichei dóó Tsénahabiłnii dashinálí. I have been a full-time
silversmith for twelve years. I am a third-generation silversmith. My techniques include
traditional sandcasting, contemporary stamping, and silver beads. I use my grandparents’
sandcast moldings that were passed down to my father, Roger John. My dad was my first
mentor in teaching me sandcasting and buffing.
My earliest memories are helping my dad pack sand and buff his jewelry at 8 years old. At
this age, I also would help him sell his pieces at Earl’s, a local restaurant, and realize the
difficulty of selling them. The realization deterred me from pursuing silversmithing full-time.
After high school, I held odd jobs and became a father. My only goal was to provide for my
son, Jordan. During this time, I began drinking regularly and I distanced myself from family
and concentrated on the pursuit of money with the jobs I held. I came to another realization
that I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I asked myself, “what do I really want to
do?” and “how do I want to make a living?” I spoke with my father and he said, “you have my
tools, so why don’t you try silver again.”
In February 2014, I committed a year to see where silversmithing and sobriety would take
me. I began developing my own techniques in sandcasting. Six months later in August, I
met my new mentor, Lyndon Tsosie, during Gallup Ceremonial. He encouraged me with my
business and sobriety. Therefore, I mark my sobriety every year in August. As of August
2025, I am eleven years sober.
Silversmithing has played a significant role in my sobriety. I have been selected to show my
work at Santa Fe Indian Market, The Heard Museum Indian Market, and American Indian
Arts Marketplace at the Autry. I have been awarded ribbons at the Autry, Santa Fe Indian
Market, and Gallup Ceremonial.
I am happy being a sober silversmith. I cherish the teachings from my father and the
designs passed down through generations. I am thankful for my family’s encouragement
and my mentor’s knowledge and wisdom. I look forward to expanding my friendships and
art with the world.
To see more of Daniel John's work please visit him at: www.instagram.com/djstoy_86