Joe Brennion is a man who loves his work. Along with his wife Faye, Brennion has owned and operated The Silver Buffalo Gallery in Berlin for nearly 20 years. The gallery, it seems, is more than just a showcase for southwestern Native American art and jewelry, it’s a testament to the Brennions’ passion for preserving and celebrating the indigenous cultures of our country.

 “I had always been interested in Native American culture,” explained Brennion, recalling business trips to New Mexico while working for Digital Equipment Corporation. “I had a work station in Albuquerque and took some time to explore southwestern culture, particularly the art and jewelry.”

After returning from New Mexico with several pieces of jewelry, Brennion marveled at the positive reaction the jewelry got from friends and coworkers.

 Brennion’s burgeoning interest in Native American jewelry. combined with a generous buyout package from Digital, provided the resources needed to start The Silver Buffalo.

Prior to starting the gallery, the Brennions had operated an antique business for about 13 years while Joe worked at Digital. Joe fondly recalled how he and Faye would hire a baby-sitter on Saturday nights so that they could attend antique auctions for the business, which they ran out of their home.

“The antique business gave us a good sense of the hidden pitfalls that come with operating your own business,” said Brennion.

 For the first two or three years, The Silver Buffalo was a traveling gallery.

“I would travel to different shows and fares to showcase and sell our products while my wife was getting the gallery set up,” explained Brennion. 

The gallery itself is a 1,000 square-foot space that is connected to the Brennion home, above their garage.

“I always wanted to own my own business,” said Brennion, who designed the space with a home-based business in mind. “I enjoyed working for Digital, but I always wanted to be my own boss.”

According to Brennion, one of the keys to operating a successful business and one of the main reasons he believes The Silver Buffalo remains in business after 20 years is meticulous product selection.

“You don’t have to sacrifice cost for quality,” explained Brennion, who added one can find high-quality work at all price levels. When asked what to watch out for, Brennion points to poor soldering jobs and mismatched stones as tell tale signs of poor quality and craftsmanship.

 Brennion travels to the southwest a few times a year to hand-select pieces he will sell in the gallery, often visiting trading posts and working within a self-designed network of traders who market jewelry for local artists.

Brennion explained that the jewelry craft is a cottage industry on reservations throughout the Southwest and often serves as a main source of income.

“There is no Hewlett Packard supporting these communities,” he said. “You have to be sure that you’re dealing with reputable traders who are dealing authentic merchandise and not knock-offs from overseas.”

Although Brennion has no Native American ancestry, he is deeply committed to the promotion of authentic Native American art as a way of preserving tradition and as a pathway to economic sustainability on the reservations.

“I think most Americans would agree that Native Americans got a bum deal, so it feels good to be a small part of helping the Native American economic situation,” he explained.

 Brennion’s commitment to the Native American cause is amplified when he speaks enthusiastically about the artisans that he works with directly. Artie and Gloria Yellowhorse, David Rosales, Watson Honanie and Al Joe are some of the artists that are continually showcased at The Silver Buffalo. Brennion sounds like a proud relative when he points out that Al Joe was named American Indian Artist of the year in 2002.

 The Silver Buffalo draws customers from all over New England and even New York seeking the quality oriented collections that the gallery specializes in. Brennion points out that a lot of the jewelry he sells is contemporary, which in a way is a departure from the turquoise and silver pieces that most people think of when they consider southwestern jewelry.

“A lot of the pieces that we sell are one of kind, which means that a customer may have only one opportunity to buy it,” he said.

As one would expect, the holidays represent one of busier seasons for The Silver Buffalo. However, Brennion notes that things usually slow down in January. Reflecting on one of the harder aspects of the business, Brennion discusses the days when not many customers come in to the gallery.

“Winter gets a little bit slower,” said, Brennion, “but we usually run a special sale in February to get things moving again.”

When asked about his favorite aspect of the business, Brennion reflects on the joy of seeing “someone’s face light up when they find a piece of jewelry that they really like.”

 Brennion, who has done some silver-smithing and even makes his own jewelry from time to time, is genuinely appreciative of his increased awareness of the Native American situation after 20 years in the jewelry business.

“This has been a really interesting way to earn a living,” Brennion said, recalling how much he has enjoyed his work.

 Perhaps his customers are the ones who are most appreciative.

Jim Redmond is a freelance writer living in Littleton. He can be reached at mothertown@cnc.com.