Jerry Samuel

Artist Profile

Jerry Samuel was born into the Navajo Nation in 1959 and is a member of the Bitah’nii Clan. He obtained his artisitic ability from his family of artisans. He began his interest in creating these unique dolls by watching his sister, Cheryl Yazza, craft her dolls in early 1998.

Jerry handcrafts these beautiful, one of a kind, Southwestern Indian porcelain dolls from scratch to finish, along with the help of his wife, Victoria Samuel, and his son, Cooper Samuel. Jerry creates these dolls with enthusiasm and the anticipation of attracting various doll collectors. His dolls are designed with fox fur, bobcat, badger or wolf pelts. The clothing resembles the clothes worn by Northern and Plains Indian tribes. The facial designs represent spirits of various Navajo Ceremonial Dieties, while the colors represent the clans of the Navajo. The dolls’ attire also tell stories such as the fox head representing spirits of animals for hunting purposes. Jerry signs his dolls below the left ear: J-Samuel.