Charles Loloma

Who was Charles Loloma?

Charles Loloma was an American artist of Hopi ancestry. He was born in Hopi Third Mesa to Rex and Rachael Loloma. He served in the military in 1941 to 1945, where he was stationed in the Aleutian Islands. Thanks to the GI Bill, Loloma was able to go the Alfred University in New York. In 1954 he opened a pottery shop in Scottsdale, Arizona. He called his line of pottery Lolomaware.

Although he was an excellent potter and painter, he found his true passion in jewelry making. Some of Loloma’s designs were of outside influences. This brought harsh judgment on his art. Comments made about his art included, “It’s nice but it’s not Indian.” Loloma’s work was rejected from the Gallup Intertribal Art Show three times.

Most Native jewelers use traditional materials such as turquoise, silver and occasionally accented with some coral. Loloma used unconventional materials like sugilite, lapis, ivory, gold, pearls, diamonds and even wood. He used turquoise as an accent to his pieces. He got much of his inspirations from other cultures. Loloma created Hopi interpretations of Egyptian figures.

Loloma had many accomplishments across the globe. He won first prize in the Scottsdale National Indian Art Exhibition seven years in a row. He had two shows in Paris. He was featured in NET and PBS in 1972. In Japan he was the artist in residence in 1974. He was also commissioned to make a piece for the queen of Denmark. He visited many countries; France, Egypt and Colombia to name a few. His achievements inspired other Native jewelers such Jesse Monongye.