The Resource March 2014 Volume 1 Issue 003 | Page 6

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ince 1941, Navajo Arts &
Crafts Enterprise (NACE)
has been a part of the history of the Navajo Nation. Created in Fort Wingate, New Mexico,
Navajo Arts & Crafts Guild was
an outlet for Navajo handmade
products. Through establishment
and reorganization from the Guild
to the creation of Navajo Arts &
Crafts Enterprise in 1972, NACE
has always been the location for
high quality, hand-made jewelry.
Their main store based out of the
Capital of the Navajo Nation in
Window Rock, Arizona, highlights
the success and history of the
Navajo Nation’s only owned and
operated business specializing
in Navajo Fine Jewelry & Collectibles. Each showcase offers customers traditional to contemporary
hand-made jewelry from bracelets,
rings, squash blossoms to concho
belts, buckles, and the list goes
on in their selection. Each wall is
adorned with the best in hand-woven Navajo made rugs from Chief
Blankets to Storm Pattern Rugs.

The Enterprise values their
artisans and silversmiths with
the gift of bringing quality handmade jewelry to the market of Indian Jewelry. Aside from quality
hand-made jewelry, NACE offers
in-house repair and restoration of
jewelry, customization of jewelry,
graphics by Horned Moon Graphics, embroidery services, wide
selections of Pendleton products,
and retail of the latest western
clothing in their Horned Moon Apparel clothing section. NACE is not
only a place for the sale of quality

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march 2014 issue 003

hand-made products, but is also
home to raw materials for artisans
to purchase silver, stones, or wool
to create these wonderful selections of jewelry and woven rugs.

Based out of Window
Rock, Arizona, NACE also has

when it comes to hand-made
Navajo arts and crafts.
We asked JT Willie, Director of
Sales & Marketing for NACE a
few questions about the future, the
goals and the vision of NACE.

a guild to promote the Navajo Silversmith. It was until 1962, under
the leadership of Chairman Peter
McDonald that the Navajo Arts &
Crafts Enterprise was established
in Window Rock, Arizona. It has
pretty much been in the making
since then to current NACE today.
THE RESOURCE - What is the
mission & vision of NACE?
The statement is to “Showcase
and promote Native American arts
and crafts”.
THE RESOURCE - What are the
overall services that NACE
provides?
NACE provides the main resource
of selling handmade quality jewelry for retail and wholesale, raw
materials, repair/restoration, clothing in Horned Moon Apparel, embroidery services, graphic design,
sponsorships, and community assistance
THE RESOURCE - How many
Navajo Artist work with NACE?
NACE currently employs over 10
Navajo Silversmith

four other locations in Arizona –
Cameron, Chinle, Kayenta, and
Navajo National Monument with
two other locations in New Mexico – Alamo, and Shiprock. NACE
offers customer convenience to
shop each of their store locations
on the Navajo Reservation and
welcomes online orders at www.
gonavajo.com. NACE is the location to purchase with confidence

THE RESOURCE - Can you give
us the history on how NACE got
started? When?
The enterprise started as a guild
in 1941. The original location of
the guild was in Fort Wingate, NM.
It was established to counteract
against the high volume of imported fake Navajo jewelry being floated in from out of country. The Navajo Nation wanted to established

THE RESOURCE -. What are the
requirements for an artist to be
able to show case their work
within NACE? What is this process?
NACE stands to the mission of
providing quality handmade jewelry. We purchase from various type
or artist from traditional to contemporary designs. Not to mention we
pay for quality and offer the best
price for the work. When artist ap-

“I am for those means which give the greatest good to the greatest number.” -Abraham Lincoln