Hopi-Tewa

The Hopi-Tewa potters are a group of native artists from various clans living about a hundred miles southeast of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Long ago the Hopi and Tewa groups came together around an area called First Mesa. They continue to speak their respective languages while sharing many cultural traditions including the art of pottery making. Most of the potters create a style called "Hano Polychrome" or "Sikyatki Revival". The pottery is typically black- on-orange, black-on-yellow or those combined with reds. The designs are usually pictorials of butterflies, parrots, feathers, and the unfolding of seeds into plants. The designs reflect a philosophy and spirituality based on the study of life, germination, plants, animals and insect life.

The matriarch is Nampeyo of the Corn Clan, 1860-1942. Many of the current famous potters are descendants of this clan. They include Jacob Koopee, Steve Lucas, Karen Lucas, Dextra Quotskuyva, and the Sahmie, Polacca, and Ami families. Alton Komalestewa married into the well-known Tewa Kachina/Parrot Clan which includes the Shuplas and the Abeitas. The Tewa Bear, Sand and Spider Clan includes noted artists of the Tahbo and Youvella families. Finally, there is the Frog Woman-Feather Woman extended family included noted potters Joy Navasie, Burel Naha, Rainy Naha and the Setalla family.

Personal Collection

Red shifting sands vessel	Artist: Preston Duwyenie (Lomaiquilvaa) Size: 4" high x 8" diameter Preston was born in 1951 and was raised in Phoenix from a small child. In 1978 he enrolled in the Institute of American Indian Arts and after graduating he studied arts at Colorado State University. After graduating with honors and doing some post graduate work he became a professor of traditional pottery and jewelry at the Institute of American Indian Arts. He taught there until 1996 when he decided to devote his time entirely to his art. Preston frequently applies metal medallions to his clay in distinctively elegant non-traditional vessels in a wide range of micaceous clays of white, pastels, red or black. Preston stamps his pots with just his hallmark, an outline of a mother with a baby on her back. It may have to do with his Hopi name of Lomaiquilvaa which means "carried in beauty". This "shifting sands" pot really caught our eye due to the dazzling red micaceous clay, fluid organic shape and inlaid sterling medallion. While studying metalsmithing and ceramics at CSU, Preston learned cuttlefish bone casting and he later used this technique to create the metal jewelry piece on his “shifting sands” pots. He includes an acrylic stand with the pot which really makes the pot seem more like a piece of sculpture on a pedestal.
Red melon bowl	Artist: Alton Komalestewa Size: 2.5" high x 4" diameter Alton Komalestewa was the son-in-law of the famous melon bowl maker from Santa Clara, Helen Shupla. Instead of carving the grooves on the outside of the melon bowl as is typically done by other potters, Helen devised a technique of "pushing out" the sections from the inside of the bowl. When Alton married Helen's daughter, he learned this special technique from Helen and has perfected it himself. Alton is an exceptionally fine artisan and this bowl is a perfect example of his precision in creating the melon ribs and beautiful red polish. It was really exciting to buy a "true" melon bowl in the style of Helen Shupla.
Polychrome bowl	Artist: Steve Lucas (Koyemsi) Size: 3.75" high x 7.5" diameter Steve Lucas is the great-great grandson of Nampeyo and the great grandson of Annie Healing Nampeyo, Nampeyo’s oldest daughter. Steve has the Hopi name of Koyemsi, Hopi-Tewa for the mudhead clown, the clan to which he belongs on Hopi First Mesa. The mudhead logo and the corn logo, symbol of the Corn clan, the clan of Nampeyo, along with S. Lucas are found on the base of his pottery. Steve Lucas is one of the premier potters from the Nampeyo family. He consistently wins blue ribbons at the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Guild Fair and the Gallup Ceremonial. He works in the traditional style of his great-great grandmother and coils, pinches, scrapes, sands, and then fires outside. Steve uses vegetal paints, and is able to achieve beautifully deep, rich colors in his design work. We loved this pot because it has so much of Steve’s famous micaceous red slip around the rim, on four corner designs and on the entire bottom half of the pot. The pot is perfectly shaped and beautifully painted with a traditional design.
Polychrome bowl	Artist: Steve Lucas (Koyemsi) Size: 3" high x 7.5" diameter (See above for artist's biography) This was the first Steve Lucas pot that we bought because it was the very traditional "space-ship" form that is so elegant. It also has patches of Steve’s famous micaceous red slip that he does so beautifully. As in so many of Steve’s pots the background seems to glow gold from the outdoor firing technique.
Polychrome bowl	Artist: Rainy Naha Size: 3" high x 3.75" diameter
Black/white awatovi star bowl	Artist: Rainy Naha Size: 5" high x 8" diameter
Polychrome egg seed pot	Artist: Carla (Claw) Nampeyo Size: 3.75" high x 2.5" diameter Carla Nampeyo was born in 1961 to Thomas Polacca (Tewa) and Gertrude (Hopi). She was taught to create pottery by her father, Thomas Polacca, the grandson of Nampeyo, son of Fannie Nampeyo and a well-known potter himself. Carla has been making traditional Hopi polychrome carved pottery for more than 25 years. She signs her work with Carla Claw, or Carla Nampeyo and "The Harvest". This little egg-shaped seed pot is very reminiscent of her father's work, containing very traditional painted design and carving. The design on the pot depicts the mudhead clown playing a drum.
Polychrome vase	Artist: Stetson Setalla Size: 10" high x 9.75" diameter