Rago Auctions

Eveli Sabatie was born in eastern Algeria to French and Spanish parents and spent the majority of her childhood in Morocco. She credits memories of her early life for inspiring much of her later work, noting the “turquoise blues, the blue-greens, the lapis blues of tiles laid into the walls of the mosques and fountains” and the “medina with streaks of light coming through” as particularly compelling. Sabatie left North Africa in her teens to study at the Sorbonne in Paris, eventually finding her way to San Francisco where she had a serendipitous encounter with some Hopi native people in an elevator. They extended an invitation to New Oraibi on the Hopi Reservation; she would live there from 1968 until 1972, the experience setting off what she deemed a “creative explosion” that would last until 1997.

After arriving at Hopi, she met esteemed jeweler Charles Loloma, from whom she learned the craft of jewelry making and whose teachings had a profound influence on her work. Sabatie apprenticed in his studio and quickly began making pieces in her own distinct style. Her experiences at Hopi were invaluable as she recalled in an interview: “My teacher, Loloma, had the talent and skills to unlock my creativity and help me deliver all the treasures I had amassed on this already long journey. In his presence and in the midst of Hopi songs and dances, a door was swung open through which thousands of pieces were about to gush out.”

Sabatie's abilities, unique sense of design, and creative use of materials were so impressive that she, in turn, influenced Loloma. After leaving Hopi, Sabatie became a famous artist in her own right, exhibiting throughout the Southwest and even having a solo exhibition at the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Though Sabatie stopped making jewelry in 1998 due to physical challenges, she left an indelible mark on the craft of jewelry and her bold, beautiful creations are highly coveted by collectors around the world.