Our Story
Introduction
Our Foundation
For generations, Indigenous art has been sold by people who didn't make it, in spaces that weren't built for us, at prices that never reached the artist.
Cowgirls & Indians is the authenticated source for contemporary Indigenous art and jewelry. Every artist is verified — enrolled members of federally recognized tribes. Every piece is hallmarked. We partner directly with Indigenous artisans, pay them fair wages upfront, and connect them with international buyers.
We represent master artisans from federally recognized tribes across North America, with a focus on Contemporary Navajo Jewelry handcrafted in Navajoland by generational silversmiths working in tufa-cast silver, natural turquoise, and 18K gold. These are heirloom pieces built to the same standards as any fine jewelry house — Tiffany, Cartier, Bvlgari — except here, one artisan completes every step from casting to final polish.
Signed, hallmarked pieces by known Native artists now command multiples of unsigned work. We exist to connect serious collectors with authenticated contemporary art and support Indigenous artisans with fair partnerships, year-round market access, and international reach. Made-to-order commissions available. International shipping, fully insured.
What We Built
This marketplace is Indigenous-owned and will remain in Indigenous hands. Every decision we make — about which artists we carry, how their stories are told, what they earn — is made by people who understand these communities from the inside.
Nation. Lineage. Process. Materials. Every artist has a dedicated page that tells the whole truth of what they make and where it comes from. You shop with complete confidence.
We build direct relationships with Indigenous artisans. We partner with verified Native artists, pay them fair wages upfront, and handle all fulfillment — shipping, packaging, and delivery.
Why We Exist
The Native art market has always had a structural problem. Most artisans rely on one or two major market weekends a year — Santa Fe Indian Market (SWAIA) in August and the Heard Indian Market in Phoenix — where they can sell directly to collectors at anything approaching full value. For many artists, a single weekend at one of these markets genuinely equals twelve months of income.
Cowgirls & Indians was built to change this. We provide year-round, international infrastructure so artisans can focus on what they do best — creating. A great piece doesn't have to wait until August to find the right buyer. They can stay in the studio doing what they enjoy best making heirlooms. We handle the rest.
The Founders
Yá'át'ééh shik'éí dóó shidine'é, Kailey James yinishyé. Bílagáana dine'é éí nishłį́, tábąąhi dine'é éí báshíshchíín. Bílagáana dine'é éí dashicheii. Tsi'naajinii dine'é éí dashinalí. Ákót'éego diné asdzáán nishłį́.
Hello my relatives and my people, my name is Kailey James. I am from the White Clan, born for the Water's Edge Clan. My maternal grandfather is from the White Clan. My paternal grandfather is from the Black Streak Wood Clan. In this way, I am a Navajo woman.
Kailey draws from generations of Navajo tradition, with deep roots in the Vanderwagen homelands of New Mexico — the epicenter of Contemporary Navajo silversmithing. She comes from a family of master weavers and is the first in her lineage to practice silversmithing. She apprenticed under master Navajo silversmith Bo Joe and is forging her own path as a first-generation silversmith.
Stacy brings a heritage deeply rooted in Texas history — a fifth-generation Austinite whose lineage embodies the pioneering ethos of the Southwest.
Together, we built Cowgirls & Indians because we understand these communities from the inside. Because we've watched authentic masterworks undersold in spaces unworthy of them. These pieces deserve stewardship by people who understand their worth — their craft, their lineage, their place alongside high jewelry's greatest traditions.
Your Purchase Matters
When you purchase from Cowgirls & Indians, you are not just acquiring something beautiful. You are choosing to put money directly into Native hands. You are validating Indigenous artistry on its own terms. You are refusing the extractive economy that has defined this space for generations. Every piece on this platform was made by a Native artist. Every purchase reaches them directly.
This is what it means to shop with intention.