Bennard & Frances Dallasvuyaoma Bennard and Frances Dallasvuyaoma are Hopi Indians originally from northern Arizona. Bennard is also one-quarter Pima Indian. They currently live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Bennard was an educator for sixteen years certified to teach four major subject areas for grades Kindergarten through Twelfth. But over the course of sixteen years, he has also taught College level students. Bennard became a full-time self-employed jewelry artist in 1993. He has exhibited his jewelry in the United States, Europe and Asia. Bennard started exhibiting in the Indian Art Markets in 1998 where he has won a number of awards in the most prestigious Indian Art Shows including the world renown Santa Fe Indian Market. Frances was an attorney practicing Indian, Business and Environmental Law. She has helped Bennard with the jewelry since 1993 but she has since retired from the practice of Law and now works with him full time. Dallasvuyaoma Designs (DD) jewelry draws on the Hopi and Pima Tribes for the philisophy as well as the style of the jewelry. The gemstones are cut in the ancient mosaic style that was originated by the Hohokam, predecessors of the Aikmel Oo'dam (Pima) and the Hisatsinom, ancestors of the Hopi. The gemstones are encased in sterling silver which has been cast in Hopi sandstone rock from the Hopi Village of Hotevilla. The name "Dallasvuyaoma" is as follows: "Dallas" means "Corn Pollen" and "Vuyaoma" means to carry the corn pollen in Harmony. The jewelry is designed to represent harmony and balance. The sand cast that they get the sandstone from Hotevilla on the Third Mesa. The Hopi called the Hopi Reservation the Center of the Universe. So what these artists are really doing with their pieces of the sandstone is holding the gems bringing them together from all over the world for Harmony. These outstanding Artists have sold their pieces at the Museum of New Mexico, Indian Shop in the Dept of the Interior in Washington, D.C., the Museum of Man in San Diego and have also been sold to Switzerland and Japan. List of Awards Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence in Lapidary Jewelry from the Arizona State Museum, Tucson, 2003. Second Place in Jewelry from the Sharlot Hall Museum, Prescott, Arizona, 2002. Second Place in Jewelry from the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Artist and Craftsman Show, 2001. Second Place in Jewelry from the Sharlot Hall Museum, Prescott, Arizona, 2001. Judge's Choice Award in Jewelry from the Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona, 2001. Third Place Award in Jewelry with Stones from the Santa Fe Indian Market, 2000. Blue Ribbon Best in Jewelry with Stones & Blue Ribbon 1st Place Award from the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Artist & Craftsman Show, 2000. Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence in Jewelry from the Arizona State Museum, Tucson, 2000. Blue Ribbon 1st Place Award from the Santa Fe Indian Market, 1999. Best of Division Award for Jewelry from the Heard Museum Show, Phoenix, Arizona, 1999. We here at Arizona Indian Jewelry.com are very excited to begin carrying some of these beautiful Bracelets, Pendants and Earrings, that are so masterfully created by these Award Winning Artists! Thank You ~ Bennard and Frances Dallasvuyaoma ! "Loloma" - (Harmony) Click on their photo for a larger view! ~***~ Close Window or Go Shopping!