Hopi Silversmithing and the Story of Kópavi
A Hopi Legacy, Now at Garland's
We are honored to share that the world-renowned Kópavi Collection of Hopi jewelry is joining Garland's. Read on to learn about the history of Hopi silversmithing, as well as the origins and enduring legacy of Kópavi.
A History of Hopi Silversmithing
The Hopi People live in northeastern Arizona on three flat-topped mesas. The Spanish referred to them as Pueblo people because of their communal villages and agricultural way of life. The Hopi mesas are home to 12 villages, including Old Oraibi, believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited Indigenous settlement in North America.
The word Hopi means “The Peaceful Ones,” and it’s an accurate reflection of their worldview. The Hopi are a deeply spiritual people whose central belief is to live in harmony with nature and all of humanity. When the Hopi pray, they don’t just pray for themselves, they pray for rain, balance, and peace for the entire world. As dry farmers, their culture and ceremonial calendar is deeply tied to the planting and harvesting seasons. These themes—rain, corn, Kachinas, cycles of nature—have always been central to Hopi art and remain dominant motifs in Hopi jewelry today.
Hopi silversmithing began in the late 1800s, when Lesou, the husband of famed potter Nampeyo, became the first Hopi to learn silversmithing from Zuni artists. By 1906, silversmiths from all three mesas were creating silverwork, but for many years it resembled the Navajo and Zuni styles that preceded it. A distinctly Hopi style began to take shape in the 1930s, thanks in large part to the influence of Dr. Harold S. Colton and Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, founders of the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. The Coltons encouraged Hopi artists to develop a unique style grounded in Hopi culture, drawing inspiration from ancient pottery designs, murals, and ceremonial symbolism.
A turning point came after World War II. When the war ended in 1945, many young Hopi men returned home from military service. These returning veterans faced a difficult reality that there were few job opportunities on the Hopi mesas. Farming remained central to Hopi life, but it was seasonal, labor-intensive, and not sufficient to support growing families in a cash-based economy. At the same time, many of these men wanted to remain on their ancestral land, close to their communities and traditions. There was a real concern that without new sources of income, young Hopi people would be forced to relocate in search of work—risking a loss of cultural continuity and community strength.
In response, the Hopi Silvercraft Cooperative Guild was formed in 1949 in the village of Shungopavi on Hopi Second Mesa. Led by artists Fred Kabotie and Paul Saufkie Sr., the Guild began training returning Hopi veterans in silversmithing. Funded by the GI Bill, these now-legendary “Veterans’ Classes” produced many of the most influential Hopi silversmiths of the 20th century. The program taught design fundamentals, toolmaking, and fabrication techniques, but more importantly, it encouraged artists to create jewelry that expressed Hopi identity. It was during this formative period that the Hopi overlay technique, now synonymous with Hopi silverwork, emerged as the defining style of Hopi jewelry.
Overlay involves cutting intricate designs into a top sheet of silver and soldering it onto a darker, oxidized base. The resulting contrast brings symbolic imagery to life: rain clouds, kiva steps, corn stalks, Kachinas, migration patterns, and more. This technique offered both a medium for cultural expression and a dignified, sustainable livelihood—allowing artists to remain at home and continue participating in Hopi life.
In the decades that followed, Hopi jewelry gained global recognition. One of its most prominent figures, Charles Loloma became an international star, achieving great fame and wealth through his innovative designs that impacted Native American jewelry forever. Yet, even with this surge of success, Hopi artists remained deeply connected to their heritage. Many were spiritual leaders and maintained traditional practices, including tending to fields of melon, squash, and corn. Master Hopi overlay silversmith, Victor Coochwytewa achieved international recognition as a jeweler but always identified first as a corn farmer. With a twinkle in his eye, he once said, "Jewelry is my hobby; corn is my work." Hopi artists, quite literally, remained rooted in their Hopi lives.
Today, Hopi silversmithing continues to thrive, but we see less each year. As one of the smallest tribes in the Southwest, the Hopi produce jewelry in much lower volumes compared to other tribal groups. Fewer young Hopi artists are taking up the craft, due to the challenges of volatile metal markets, the pull of mainstream culture, and the demands of mastering a demanding and tedious traditional art form. Still, individual styles continue to evolve, and new generations bring innovation to the work. At its core, Hopi jewelry remains grounded in cultural preservation, spiritual meaning, and a deep reverence for nature. Each piece tells a story, not just of the artist, but of a people who have endured with resilience, grace, and peace through centuries of change.
To fully appreciate Hopi jewelry is to honor its origins. These dazzling works of art, meticulously crafted, collected around the world, and displayed in fine galleries, are created in the quiet homes and villages of the Hopi mesas by artists who are also farmers, ceremonial leaders, and cultural guardians. Many of these artists live along dusty dirt roads in simple stacked-stone homes, surrounded by the same desert landscape their ancestors have lived for centuries. That these works of art continue to emerge from such grounded, spiritual places is part of what makes Hopi jewelry so extraordinary.
Kópavi:
The Story of Richard Mehagian, Margo Dove, and a Hopi Jewelry Legacy
In 1973, Richard Mehagian and Margo Dove drove into the Hopi village of Shungopavi on Second Mesa. What began as a road trip rooted in curiosity and a love for Native American art turned into a lifelong partnership with Hopi jewelers—one that would transform the course of contemporary Hopi jewelry and produce a body of work unlike anything else.
Their visit wasn’t part of a business plan. Richard and Margo were drawn to Hopi by a shared sense of wonder, respect, and cultural curiosity. By luck or fate, they landed in the very village where the Hopi Silvercraft Cooperative Guild had formed decades earlier, a place that would soon become central to their lives and their life’s work. The people of Shungopavi welcomed them with unexpected openness. Over time, those early visits evolved into deep friendships and creative collaborations. A Hopi artist, McBride Lomayestewa, gave Richard the nickname “Ahöla,” likening Richard's hair to the headdress of the Ahöla Kachina, and because, like the Kachina, he was always seen with his "Mana", Margo Dove. Before long, everyone in the village knew him simply as Ahöla. Margo was never called Mana, but Richard wouldn't be Ahöla without her by his side.
Richard and Margo spent weekends driving to Hopi, attending ceremonies, visiting artists, and returning to Phoenix during the week for their jobs. In late 1974, they moved to Sedona, Arizona, while also renting a trailer in Shungopavi. During those early years, they split their time between the two places, immersing themselves in the Hopi community. They would supply jewelry to the Capistrano Trading Post, the Museum of Northern Arizona, and other regional galleries. But they soon realized that to fully support the artists they were working with, they needed to open a gallery of their own.
In 1976, they opened Kópavi International in Sedona, Arizona. Kópavi means “door to the top of the head,” referencing the soft spot on an infant’s head that Hopi culture believes is the connection to the next dimension. The shop quickly became a showcase for some of the most spiritually resonant, technically refined, and artistically bold Hopi jewelry being made. Unlike many dealers at the time, Richard and Margo worked hand-in-hand with the artists—not just purchasing finished work, but providing materials, encouraging experimentation, and helping artists grow creatively and professionally.
Each piece created through Kópavi carries not only the hallmark of the Hopi artist but also a unique Kópavi shop mark, signifying this collaboration. Kópavi’s mark is a flute player, designed by Delbridge Honanie. This mark is federally trademarked and can only appear on American Indian handmade jewelry. It guarantees the work's authenticity.
Richard’s eye for materials helped redefine what Hopi jewelry could be. While earlier Hopi overlay jewelry often used thinner silver, Richard encouraged artists to work with heavier gauge silver, resulting in thicker, more durable pieces. He also sourced high-grade, natural turquoise from stone dealer Larry Cooley, and introduced gold and platinum into a tradition long centered solely on silver. The unique use of gold in overlay jewelry became a signature characteristic of Kópavi jewelry. Some of the jewelry even included diamonds and other gemstones that had never been used in Hopi overlay jewelry before. He worked closely with master jewelers like Victor Coochwytewa, Michael Kabotie, John Coochyumptewa, and Phillip Honanie to incorporate diamonds, texture, and sacred symbolism into powerful new designs.
The results of these collaborations are extraordinary. The jewelry created through Kópavi from the 1970s onward represents some of the most exceptional Hopi artwork of the 20th century. The pieces are visually stunning and full of meaning. The Kópavi Collection includes the landmark "Emergence Jewelry" series by Phillip Honanie, inspired by the Hopi creation story. The collection also features Victor Coochwytewa's Starblower jewelry, which represent a spiritual figure who sends stars into the sky—a metaphor for illuminating darkness and restoring balance to the cosmos.
After over 50 years of working hand-in-hand with Hopi artists, Richard and Margo retired in 2025. Garland’s is honored to now serve as stewards of the Kópavi Collection, featuring work by many of the most important Hopi silversmiths. These pieces—once only seen in the warm, wood-paneled interior of the Kópavi gallery in Sedona—are now available in our two galleries, as well as online for the very first time.
The story of Kópavi is a testament to what’s possible when respect, trust, and creativity are given the space to flourish. We’re proud to help carry that story forward and to share these remarkable pieces with the world. We invite you to explore the Kópavi Collection and discover the depth, beauty, and quiet brilliance of Hopi craftsmanship.
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