Stewart Alonzo, Dine-Laguna

Stewart Alonzo is talented fetish carver of Diné (Navajo) and Laguna Pueblo descent who was raised in Ramah, New Mexico, near Zuni Pueblo. He has been carving for more than 15 years. Stewart’s self-taught carving style is sought after by many collectors, including those in foreign countries.

He has traveled extensively throughout the United States as a featured artist and participant in major arts shows. Stewart’s unique carvings range in size from two inches to large sculptural pieces, up to 30 pounds in weight. He uses many types of stones, including marble, serpentine, alabaster, pipestone, dolomite, and Acoma jet. All the inlay details are of natural materials: turquoise, lapis, mother-of pearl, sugilite and coral. The glass-like polish on Stewart’s carvings reflects the effort he puts into every piece.

Stewart specializes in carvings with an inlaid heart-line, which represents the spirit and breath in the carving. Many of his fetishes are also decorated with an arrowhead bundled with sinew and beads. This bundle is an offering to the fetish animal, thanking it for its protective qualities—its “medicine”. A standing bear with a fish represents vitality and abundance.