About

Native American Collections Inc. was established in 1994, by Jill Giller, in Denver, Colorado. In the early 1970’s, Jill had the unique experience of living in a hogan and teaching English and Navajo on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. This afforded her the opportunity to participate in many Indian cultural activities. After receiving her Master’s of arts in Education and Psychology at Northwestern University, she had a private practice for eighteen years. During this time, she was an avid collector and admirer of the Indian arts. After supporting other people’s galleries, she decided to open her own business to promote Native arts. Working personally with the artists themselves, NAC offers a diverse range of contemporary and traditional Native art. Jill meets with customers in person at the gallery or through this web site.

Jill has had the honor of being a judge of Pueblo Pottery at the Indian Market in Santa Fe, the Heard Museum in Phoenix, and the Tesoro Foundation in Colorado. She was President of the Board of Directors of the Douglas Society (the support group of Tribal Arts at the Denver Art Museum.) She fulfilled that position for two terms, and remains on the executive Board of Directors.

The Native American Collections Gallery

This gallery showcases the finest in handmade Native American Indian Pueblo pottery, Zuni fetishes, and Indian jewelry. Our pottery is from the Acoma, Cochiti, Jemez, Santo Domingo, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, San Felipe, Laguna, San Juan, Zia, and Zuni pueblos, and the Navajo, Hopi, and Wyandot tribes.

We particularly delight in introducing collectors to pottery made traditionally, but with a contemporary style. Our artists use traditional methods in the creation of their works. We select artists considered to be innovators in their field, often working directly with them to acquire specially designed pieces. We represent such well known artists as Russell Sanchez, Nathan Youngblood, Nancy Youngblood, Jennifer Moquino, Hubert Candelario, Steve Lucas, Richard Zane Smith, the Folwell family, Grace Medicine Flower, Autumn Borts Medlock, Glendora Fragua, Lisa Holt and Harlan Reano, Harrison Begay, Jr, and many more.

By showing you these on-line examples of our gallery, NAC hopes to share the excitement of collecting the finest Native American art available. We offer professional and personalized customer service, and strive to be educational and informative as we attend to your collecting needs.

Reviews

Galleries and dealers are careful to promote their sensitivity to the historical and spiritual significance of Native American artifacts. (As James Clifford has remarked, tribal artifacts cannot move directly into the art market, without trailing clouds of authentic [traditional] culture.) Several dealers emphasize their close contact with makers, around whom they construct a cult of personality. In so doing, they elevate their own status as ‘collectors’. This is particularly clear at www.nativepots.com, a web site produced by dealer Jill Giller of Denver, Colorado. The ‘voice’ is lively, individual, and extremely enthusiastic; the information given alongside many pots suggests intimate friendship with individual makers.

-Interpreting Ceramics

Museum-quality Indian jewelry, pottery, carved fetishes,  The pottery alone is worth the visit. Owner, Jill Giller, hand picks only choice pieces.

-The Denver Post | June 4, 2008