A highly influential Native American jeweler during the 20th century,[1] Loloma popularized use of gold and gemstones not previously used in Hopi jewelry.

[2] He attended Phoenix Indian High School in Arizona where he began his artistic career as a muralist and painter when he was asked by Fred Kabotie to assist in the reproduction of murals from the Awatovi site on the Hopi reservation for New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Loloma later worked with Kabotie and René d'Harnoncourt on murals in the Federal Building on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay for the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939.

In the program, the Lolomas learned how to make stronger mixes of clay along with modern methods of forming and firing pieces, including glazes.

Loloma used unconventional materials like sugilite, lapis, ivory, gold, pearls, diamonds, and even exotic woods.

After a few years there, Loloma returned to Hotevilla and set up his own studio, also selling his jewelry in the Heard Museum Shop and several galleries.

He visited many countries including France, Egypt, and Colombia His achievements inspired other Native jewelers such as Jesse Monongye (Navajo).

Loloma's work was explored in a series on American Indian artists for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS).

Other artists in the series included R. C. Gorman, Helen Hardin, Allan Houser, Joseph Lonewolf, and Fritz Scholder.