Artist Spotlight: Keri Ataumbi

Artist Spotlight is a fashion-focused segment that takes a deep dive into the unique backstories and their creative processes. Highlighting the fashion industry's hidden gems and innovative talents.

Keri Ataumbi was born in the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming before she moved out to New Mexico in the 90’s. Ataumbi founded her luxe jewelry brand in 2014 and it is currently based outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico in the Cerrillos Hill area. Growing up Ataumbi’s mother, Jeri Ah-be-hill, was a respected fashion expert who saw over the Santa Fe Indian Market’s annual clothing contest. When Ataumbi got older she attended the Rhode Island School of Design before moving to Santa Fe in 1990, she then went on to go to the Institute Of American Indian Arts and earned a A.F.A., Sculpture. In 2003 Ataumbi graduated from the College of Santa Fe and earned a B.F.A, Magna Cum Laude, Painting and Art History. She then founded her brand Ataumbi Metals which is a brand that creates jewelry that looks like pieces of art. Ataumbi describes her jewelry as wearable art that has a conceptual narrative exploration at its core. She uses traditional Kiowa imagery and material in contemporary form to help create small sculptures. Overall her goal is to create work that embraces contemporary jewelry making strategies by using artistic methods that are different from traditional design processes.

Sources:

Ataumbi Metals. (2018, June 18). About the Jeweler. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from https://ataumbi.com/about-the-jeweler/

Allaire, C. (2020, April 26). Keri Ataumbi: How This Indigenous Jeweler Is Embracing Tradition Under Lockdown. Vogue. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/keri-ataumbi-indigenous-artist-photo-diary