We recently connected with ELIZABETH Kirk and have shared our conversation below.

ELIZABETH, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

My ability to earn a full-time living as an artist is due largely to my ability to take what my father created to the next level. My father and his late brother became artists who set themselves apart by working in high karat gold and quality stone. My journey started by simply wanting to be closer to my hero and the want to see him grow the business as it enabled our family to be available at all times. At the age of 17 I took over the business side and started making calls and looking at marketing, something my father never thought was necessary. Soon enough I was picking up skills to help with production and the creativity started to flow.

I believe more accessibility to a business mentor and technology could have sped up the process of knowing what I know now. At the time, it was trial and error, plus a great deal of faith when growing the business. I am grateful with technology people connect more and are open to helping see others succeed.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was born into my industry, having a father and uncle who blazed the trail and opened doors for me has been key, but the ability to pivot and stay relevant while holding true to my culture has been crucial. I am a second generation Native American Jeweler from Isleta Pueblo with ties to Taos Pueblo and the Navajo Nation who works side-by-side with my 76-year-old father. Together we own and operate Kirk Ltd. Co. and have work available at www.kirkjewelry.com. What I believe has helped us to stay relevant is our ability to successfully merge modern technology with traditional aesthetics, thereby elevating our artform. Our studio is located on the Isleta Pueblo reservation, where we were both born and raised. In 1971, after my father’s tour of duty in Vietnam is when my father started his jewelry career, I joined him in 1994, and we have been a team since.

Prior to 2023 our work was represented by over 50 galleries and museums world-wide, but I was elected for a 2-year term to serve as a Tribal Councilwoman for my Pueblo, and we took a 2-year sabbatical. Since we were no longer creating full-time, we explored alternative materials for our creations such as wood and acrylic. Normally our materials of choice are Argentium Silver 14K-22K gold. Argentium Silver has a higher silver content (.940) than Sterling Silver, it is tarnish resistant, fusible and less prone to firescale. It has a brighter and whiter appearance than Sterling Silver and is made of recycled silver, making it an eco-friendlier choice. Precious and semi-precious stones, liquid ceramic, animal claws, various animal horn and elk ivory are some of the diverse ranges of materials utilized in our work.

In 2025, we have commenced our artistic work once more all while balancing raising American Bison, farming, family and the formalities a business brings. While there are many designs made over the years, our family is known for the intricate feather design my father created 40+ years ago, the feather has graced many magazines world-wide and has been a featured item in two Smithsonian catalog series 30 years apart, as well as being carried in both the New York and D.C. galleries. For me, this was a proud moment to be selected for not only the catalog, but both galleries. I was able to duplicate what my father had achieved early in his career, but with my own twist. The addition of liquid ceramic enables me to add bright colors to metal turning it into a statement piece. The technology has allowed us to add vibrant colors to various designs. My most notable piece was a hummingbird necklace we worked on which had five colors on one piece, this was achieved by no one else at the time, the inventors included. The piece incorporated silver work, inlay work and the liquid ceramic in a harmonious balance. For us, creating is more than wearable works of art, it is creating memories and capturing moments in time.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to share a piece of myself, my culture and my life with others. I have spoken with youth, other creatives and businesses about my journey as an artist, sharing what works for me and connecting people to make their experience easier.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I knew about small business incubators earlier in my creative journey. The ability to have a mentor or team to walk me through the process of growing and maintaining the business would have been welcome. I would suggest looking local to see if there are organizations which offer consulting and training to small businesses. WESST in Albuquerque was one organization which helped me to look outside my practices. The Rural Community Assistance Corp is another organization who helped me to look at my creative work as a true business. Elizabeth Bernal was instrumental during the pandemic to help pivot from in person shows to an online presence, as well as identifying what my strong points were as an artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kirkjewelry.com
• Instagram: kirkltdco
• Facebook: Kirk Ltd. Co.

Image Credits

Ungelbah Davila- UDavila Photography
Darryl Tom – Darryl Tom Designs