Jerry Faires

Santa Fe

Santa Fe Silversmith Jerry Faires is a Rio Grande boy: born a 5th generation Texan in the delta of the Rio Grande in deep South Texas, and living in Northern New Mexico for 47 years, the Rio Bravo del Norte has flowed near him for most of his life and stitched his varied interests and influences into a life of art and creativity.

A silversmith in the first-phase tradition… a songwriter and guitarist…a poet and performer… creativity has molded his life, as surely as he has shaped the metal and stone, the melodies, words, and thoughts that emerge as his art. 

Faires’ work is indeed, first-phase silversmithing. All of his work starts as ingots, cast in tufa-stone molds…then with hammer and anvil, sometimes with the help of his antique Oliver rolling mill… he shapes and forms the silver to be the piece of jewelry he holds in his mind. Dimension  and depth are added with chasing techniques, and detail and interest with die stamping.  Faires tries to achieve a rich, “well used” patina on most pieces, which will only deepen with use and wear.

Jerry Faires loves and uses stones of all kinds, with a special focus on natural turquoise, and a special love for stones from the Cerrillos Mining District, located only a few miles from his home. He mostly cuts and polishes these stones himself, acquiring rough cutting material from many sources, and loves to bring the hidden beauty to view by hand.

Bracelets, rings, necklaces, and concha belts all carry the Faires signature traits of heavy weight, smooth feel, rich patina, and when used, fine stones of  character and natural beauty. For more than 40 years, Jerry Faires has been a proud member of the long tradition of Southwestern silversmiths, and the silver, the gold, and the stones continue to inspire and inform his work.