American West Jewelry Adds Artist Kenneth Johnson to Its Line of Native American Designer Jewelry

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Relios has announced a new relationship with award-winning Native American jewelry designer Kenneth Johnson. The company will bring Johnson’s unique designs to collectors around the world through its American West line of sterling silver and natural gemstone jewelry when it makes its scheduled debut on QVC® March 19 from 1-3 AM (ET) and 6-8 PM (ET).

“We have worked with some of the greatest talents in the Native arts world, bringing our collectors a diverse and exciting range of jewelry designs both contemporary and traditional”

For the past 12 years, Bill and Carolyn Pollack, the CEO and vice-president of Relios, have collaborated with award-winning Native American jewelry artists, licensing designs to be made in their Albuquerque, New Mexico production studio under the direction of the artist. The designs of these Native American artists have been made available to a larger audience through American West Jewelry and QVC, which reaches more than 98 million U.S. households.

Johnson is a Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole artist known for complex and innovative jewelry designs with a distinct contemporary vision. He has been recognized with fellowships from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and the Santa Fe Indian Market.

“We have worked with some of the greatest talents in the Native arts world, bringing our collectors a diverse and exciting range of jewelry designs both contemporary and traditional,” said Bill Pollack, founder and CEO of Relios. “We are now able to expand this range even further by working with an artist as innovative and renowned as Kenneth Johnson.”

Johnson designed three new pieces for American West Jewelry—a ring, cuff bracelet and pendant crafted from sterling silver and turquoise from Arizona’s famed Sleeping Beauty mine.

“I am amazed by the creativity and constant innovation in Kenneth’s jewelry pieces,” said Carolyn Pollack, acclaimed designer and vice-president of Relios. “He approaches his work through symbolism, incorporating elemental symbols like the sun and stars to achieve a contemporary aesthetic that is completely his own. I am thrilled to introduce his jewelry to an entirely new group of collectors.”

“Collaborating with Relios and American West Jewelry is an incredible opportunity for me,” said Johnson. “The number of collectors I can introduce my work to has always been limited by how many pieces I create each year, but through American West I can bring my designs to a much broader audience. Though I feel great satisfaction when I finish a piece, for me the circle is truly complete when I see a collector wear and respond to my work.”

In addition to Johnson’s designs, the QVC show on March 19 is scheduled to include jewelry by acclaimed Native American artists Jody Naranjo, Fritz Casuse, Veronica Benally, Myron Panteah and Victoria Adams. Jewelry from all of the designers will be available to collectors through QVC and on QVC.com starting March 19.

The Pollacks first met award-winning jewelry artist Roderick Tenorio more than 12 years ago through their affiliation with Santa Fe Indian Market, the most prestigious Native arts fair in the country. Since then they have licensed and produced over 50 of his designs and introduced his work to thousands of collectors.

About American West Jewelry:

Designed and produced in New Mexico, American West Jewelry captures the adventure, romance and colorful lifestyle of the American West through sterling silver and natural gemstones.

Relios is committed to American made jewelry and supporting contemporary Native American jewelry. Bill and Carolyn Pollack, CEO and vice-president of Relios, have been licensing and producing designs of award-winning artists for more than 12 years. They have sponsored Santa Fe Indian Market’s Best in Jewelry Classification award for the last six years.

American West Jewelry can be found on QVC.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanWestJewelry.