Gerlinda Quam — Zuni Silversmith

Gerlinda Quam is a Zuni silversmith active since the 1970s. The Hougart record documents her work in inlay and figural chief-head designs — representational subjects within the Zuni silversmithing tradition that draw on ceremonial and cultural imagery.

Inlay work involves setting precisely cut stones into recessed silver channels to form images or patterns, a technique central to the Zuni artistic tradition. Gerlinda Quam's focus on chief-head figural motifs places her work within a subcategory of Zuni silversmithing notable for its pictorial subjects.