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Santo Domingo Pueblo

Lester Abeyta is a talented lapidary artist from the Santo Domingo Pueblo in New Mexico. The skillful artist is best known for his beaded necklaces, which consist of several materials including melon shell, clam shell, pipestone, turquoise, apple coral, and other colorful stones and shells that complement each other. Lester learned his lapidary skills from his father, Richard, who also learned it from his own father. Lester believes jewelry is a form of communication and a link between humans and the earth around us, and thus it is very important to continue creating traditional jewelry. He expresses that each piece of jewelry has its own distinct spirit and life. This uniqueness to each piece can be clearly seen in Lester’s timeless work.