Carrying on a family tradition while infusing jewelry with modernity: this is the work of Luke Longfellow, a jeweler and the creative director of Nighthorse Jewelry.
“I grew up in my grandfather’s shop, learning metalsmithing from him,” Longfellow said. “I spent a lot of time with him. I’ve always loved jewelry, loved what my grandpa did. He has over a thousand different original pieces.”
Longfellow’s grandfather, of course, has a name familiar to many. Ben Nighthorse Campbell was a United States Congressman and Senator from Colorado. He is also a renowned Northern Cheyenne artist and master jeweler, whose work has combined Native creative traditions with contemporary artistry for more than seven decades.
Longfellow, inspired by his grandfather’s work, at first set out to forge his own path as a jeweler.
He moved to New York and attended the Gemological Institute of America. He earned a graduate degree in geology as a certified gemologist. He worked for a jewelry brand in New York City as a production manager, absorbing the work and culture there for six years.
“I learned different skills with diamonds and gemstones that aren’t necessarily Southwestern,” Longfellow said. This informs his work today—ever since he pivoted his career to carrying on the line of Nighthorse Jewelry.
Longfellow strives to honor the heritage of Nighthorse Jewelry while interpreting it through a contemporary perspective. He always begins with one of Nighthorse Campbell’s original designs. He then brings his own expertise and aesthetic to bear, creating the next-generation editions of a timeless tradition.
“New pieces and new designs have a direct reference to something made in the past,” Longfellow said. “This new collection is a continuation. It’s given my grandpa a lot of joy. He is engaged with it, excited about it. And it’s really wonderful for our whole family.”
Longfellow’s work and the Nighthorse Jewelry line can be seen at Sorrel Sky Gallery in Durango, Santa Fe, New York, and East Hampton—led by Shanan Campbell, Longfellow’s mother and Nighthorse Campbell’s daughter. There really is no way to extract the sense of family from the work they do together.
“Honoring that feels so much more meaningful than having my own brand,” Longfellow said. “There’s more of a story. I want it to be obvious that my work is still Nighthorse.”
– By Zach Hively
