Wendy Crabb grew up in New England and had not been out West until she was 23 years old. She had fashion know-how from working as a buyer in New York City, Los Angeles, and abroad, but she was still curious when it came to handmade Navajo jewelry.
As she learned more, Crabb began to sell small batches of jewelry on eBay, and it snowballed from there into her turquoise business, Colorado Jo. “I just became more and more interested, asking who was making this, who designed this, who are these people,” says Crabb, who has now lived in Durango, Colorado, for 15 years.
“My goal has been to put names and faces to these pieces of art,” Crabb says.
“I'm looking to bring artists to the forefront. There is this bridge between Navajo handmade or Native American jewelry and the cowboy culture, and they are completely different things except they share this love of turquoise jewelry.”
Crabb’s love and respect for the artists and silversmiths she works is obvious. “For me, it’s more than just selling,” Crabb says. “It’s making those connections and it’s forming relationships with people and a lot of really fabulous clients who have been repeats over the years and introducing them to these silversmiths and connecting with them directly.”
When asked if she has any favorites, Crabb laughs and says, “I know it’s such a blanket statement, but every piece that comes through my hands. I feel so lucky because I get to hold it and play with it and photograph it and wear it while I'm working.”
However, she admits that squash blossom necklaces do have a certain effect on customers. “People will comment that they look really heavy, but when you put on a squash blossom necklace, they feel like a giant hug. And as you wear these pieces, the silver starts to warm to your body temperature, and they just feel like a giant hug.”
From our January 2022 issue.
For more information, please visit the website, Colorado Jo, and follow Colorado Jo on Instagram.