Charles Loloma (Hopi, 1921–91) was a leading contemporary Native American jeweler known for his innovative designs and incorporation of unusual stones, gems, and pearls. Loloma began his career in 1939 as a muralist, painting murals at the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco. In 1946, after serving four years in the U.S. Army, Loloma studied ceramics at the School for American Craftsmen at Alfred University in western New York. In the mid-to-late 1950s, Loloma was making pottery at the Kiva Craft Center in Scottsdale when he quickly shifted his focus to jewelry. As early as 1963, Loloma became internationally known when his jewelry was shown on the Paris runway. Through his innovative designs, Loloma opened doors for generations of Native American jewelers who followed.