About Will Denetdale

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Will Denetdale grew up in Fort Defiance, Arizona, within the Navajo Nation. As a teenager he began learning silversmithing in high school in Gallup, New Mexico, a town long tied to Native art and trade. Those early classes introduced him to the rhythm of silver and stone, and he kept at it until the work became second nature.<br><br> His style developed into something recognizable: precise silverwork paired with stones that aren’t seen every day. He chooses them carefully, not just for how they look but for what they can carry in meaning. Over time he shaped a technique of stone setting and etching that feels both rooted in tradition and distinctly his own. Collectors and galleries began to notice, not just because the pieces were beautiful, but because they carried a sense of continuity, a link between old and new.<br><br> Denetdale’s jewelry always circles back to his heritage, but it doesn’t stay there. He’s comfortable blending traditional Navajo motifs with lines and forms that lean contemporary. That mix gives his bracelets, necklaces, and rings their voice, familiar yet surprising.<br><br> Today, from his home studio in Arizona, he continues to refine and experiment. Every finished piece is more than decoration. It’s a small vessel of silver and stone that reflects both his skill and the cultural ground he stands on.