Spiny Oyster Shell Necklace
Artist: Ray Lovato
Size: 32"
Spondylus are mollusks, often called spiny oyster shell, harvested by divers in the ocean from Southern California to Central America. The orange shades come from shallow seas, while the darker purple pieces are from greater depths. The master heishi-maker from Santo Domingo Pueblo, Ray Lovato, has skillfully blended orange, purple and white shells to produce this memorable necklace.
Ray Lovato
Ray Lovato - Lapidary Artist: Ray Lovato is America’s premier artist creator of hand-ground turquoise beads called heishi. A native Kewa speaker, Ray is from Santo Domingo Pueblo in New Mexico. Descended from a long line of jewelers, he learned the craft from his parents, Ike and Tonita Lovato, beginning his artistic career at age eleven.
