Aztec artist blows glass

By Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

Artist Jay Dominguez presents some of his glass art work at Ellis Tanner on Friday afternoon. All of Dominguez's artwork is created outside and every piece is blessed. Jay has been a working artist for the past ten years. [Photo by Matt Hinshaw/Independent]

GALLUP — In the Indian arts and crafts world, there are those who do rugs, jewelry, beadwork and pottery.

And then there is Jay Dominguez.

Dominguez works in glass, etching out intricate designs and making an unique form of art that no one else has been able to imitate.

"There have been others who have tried to do this but they give up because it's so hard," he said.

His works have amazed everyone who has seen them.

Local Indian trader Ellis Tanner, who sells his work at his trading post, said he has a hard time keeping up with the demand. "It's hard keeping them on the shelves," he said.

It would seem, however, that what Dominguez does is easy.

He takes glass bowls he buys from a restaurant supply company and using sandblasting techniques, etches out various designs. But with the size of his bowls and the delicacy of the designs, the craftsmanship takes a lot of patience.

"It's frustrating and that's why people give up on it who try to imitate me," he said, adding that one simple mistake can ruin hours of work.

A member of the Aztec tribe, Dominguez came to Gallup some 10 years ago working as a trucker.

But about five years ago, things began changing in his life.

He got married to a Navajo, Vicki Parkett, and started attending Native American Church ceremonies, both of which gave his life a new focus.

He started experimenting with converting glass to a tribal art form, discovered he had the talent and the patience to create the hologram pictures and a new type of art was developed.

He now does bowls, beaded wineglasses, crystal water cups, water buckets, medicine bowls and glass arrowheads.

"Soon I hope to get a kiln of my own and blow my own glass as well as make giant statutes made of glass," he said.

He sells his works to places like Tanner's and has a number of clients in Gallup, Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

He does Native American Church sets which includes a water bucket, bowl, a crystal glass and a medicine jar and sells them for $250. Individual pieces go for as little as $15, so his work is easily affordable.

"This whole set is prayed over, blessed and made outside under the sun even if its raining, snowing or 20 degrees below zero," he said, adding that he feels making the artwork under the sun "gives these items special powers and blessings."

A good portion of what he does, he said, is from the visions he has in his head of what he wants his artwork to look like and although he's been doing the glasswork for the past five years and is getting better and better at it, he admits that he's still learning.

But while his work is now centered around small objects like bowls and glass arrowheads, he has visions of one day working on glass statutes the size of a man or bigger. In his mind, there are these giant statutes he wants to make for the city of Gallup that portray historic landmarks or a crystal palace.

These are visions, he said, that he has had for a long time "to put Gallup on the map and make it known for its art and talent."

He envisions the crystal palace being large enough that it could be at one of the entrances to the city.

"The large castle made of glass will be a giant art exhibit, consisting of etched, sandblasted and stained glass made by some of the best artists of Gallup, Arizona and throughout the nation and world," he said.

The castle would also include an auditorium and concert hall that could be used to hold actual events.

"This is a strong vision I have and I believe it's a solution for Gallup's people," he said.