Our Pottery Artists in Keams Canyon, AZ

Ida Sahmie (Navajo) the wife of Andrew Sahmie (Hopi), and the daughter-in-law of Priscilla Namingha Nampeyo. She was born in 1960 and has been an active potter since 1990.

Her favorite designs are Yei-like figures. Gregory Schaff has described her in Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artists Biographies:

“Ida Sahmie is a Navajo woman who is married into a Tewa family. She has learned how to make pots in the technique and style of Hopi-Tewa potters. However, she prefers to use Navajo designs, especially Navajo Yeis, spiritual ‘Holy People.'”

Along with her appearance in Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artists Biographies by Gregory Schaff (p. 143), Ida is also featured in Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery (p. 48), and in The Legacy of a Master Potter: Nampeyo and Her Descendants by Mary Ellen and Laurence Blair (p. 188).

Although her work has drawn criticism from both the Hopi-Tewa and Navajo communities, Ida maintains her commitment to her artwork and continues to push forward with clean and consistent pieces.

Ida is quoted in Fourteen Families: ” Personally, I feel I have a unique talent with pottery. It’s a combination of both Hopi and Navajo, though I feel it should be more Navajo because I am a Navajo. I want to stick with more Navajo designs. The Yei figures are the most popular for me, secondly would be the rug designs, and third the sand painting designs.”

Yvonne Analla Lucas is the wife of world-renown Hopi potter – Steve Lucas. She and her husband take inspiration from one another and it shows in their work. Her traditional pottery has its roots in her Laguna heritage.

Yvonne can often be found showing with Steve, as she attends many of the major markets including Santa Fe, and others. She has won ribbons and awards for her distinctive, classic, and hard-to-come-by Laguna style pottery.
Yvonne is among the few potters producing Laguna pottery with the traditional designs of the Pueblo. She enters her work into many shows and always under the Laguna categories. Yvonne has won quite a few awards at Santa Fe’s annual Indian Market, including a first place ribbon at the 2003 Market.

She learned a great deal from her husband, Steve, but has also been mentored by Steve’s aunt – the great Hopi matriarch, Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo.

As with Laguna themes, her pottery abounds with geometric designs and floral motifs. She always does a nice job with her classic Laguna white-wash. Her polychrome is deep and dark, while occasionally she dresses up a piece with red and orange slip.

Like her husband, she has signed with his hallmark mudhead, or koyemsi, only hers have earrings!

Born in 1968, Les Namingha is one of the most prolific Hopi abstract artists of today. Since his youth, Les has received valuable instruction at the hand of this grandmother Rachel Namingha Nampeyo and his aunt Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo.

He is the son of Emerson Namingha and a Zuni mother. His cousins are Dan Namingha and Hisi Nampeyo. As you can see, his family tree reads like a “who’s who” in Hopi fine arts.

Having received a degree in design at Brigham Young University, Les took his contemporary training back to his traditional roots and gave life to a style of indigenous pottery all his own. Of course his designs are influenced by both his Hopi and Zuni background – which is probably why his pieces are so unique.

Having exhibited in nearly all the major shows and venues, Les has rapidly attracted the attention of savvy collectors and gallery owners. He has received honors and awards at the Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Museum Guild Market and Show – including the Judge’s Choice Award. Les was also named as one of the “artists to watch” in 1998 by Southwest Art Magazine.

This spectacular piece represents Les’ skill as a contemporary artist with roots deep in an age old tradition. He always uses native clays dug from his homeland, and always practices the traditional art of outdoor, sheep-dung firing.

His images always incorporate something drawing upon his tradition – yet his work is sometimes abstract – and his occasional use of acrylic paints pushes the envelope in pueblo pottery making.

We are proud to feature the work of Les Namingha and we are always excited to see his newest pieces and the progressive stance he takes in his work.

This particular piece is no exception. His attention to detail is second to none. A close look reveals many subtle nuances traditional to Les’ Hopi and Zuni roots. This is truly a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Well known throughout the Pueblo Pottery world as one-of-the-best, Mark Tahbo continues to create innovative and inspiring works of art through his traditional clay mediums. Never afraid of pushing the envelope, Mark continues to try new approaches and themes in pottery making.

His anchor and influence is his cultural heritage – rich in tradition. He endeavors to remain close to his ancestors through expressing his love and thanks for their teachings with every piece.

He is not limited in his imaginative work, but always remains close to his roots. His potteries nearly always tell a story and convey a moral or message through symbols. Even the lack of “design” is a design all its own – saying something about time, people, and place.

Mark Tahbo does not use any additional clay slip to polish his pots, but he re-wets the body of the piece and then uses a stone to burnish it. This is the process that creates the high shine on his work. His bowls are fired in a traditional outdoor firing, using sheep manure and old pottery shards as part of the process.

His work is featured in nearly every major gallery and museum featuring Pueblo pottery. He appears in Gregory Schaff’s publication, Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies (p. 158), as well as Rick Dillingham’s Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery (p. 8), and Jerry & Lois Jacka’s Art of the Hopi (p. 70).

He has taken numerous ribbons, including first place and best of show, at major venues like the Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Museum’s Annual Indian Fair and Market, as well as others.

Considered the true matriarch of the remaining Nampeyo family, Tonita is the eldest daughter of Fannie Nampeyo, and granddaughter to the legendary Nampeyo who was credited as being instrumental in the revitalization of Hopi polychrome pottery.

In the footsteps of her forebears, Tonita stays true to her traditional roots, preferring to do everything the “old way.” Her clay is still dug from deposits near her home. She still hand-coils and hand polishes every piece she does. Tonita remains loyal to many of the original Sikyatki ruins designs.

The traditional “migration pattern” design appears around the entire vase. The rich orange and brown colors are achieved through a traditional process of pigmentation where natural vegetal and mineral dyes are used. Tonita has traditionally fired this piece as well – as can be seen in the subtle shifts in color around the base of the pot.

Tonita is world-renown and appears in nearly every publication dealing with Hopi pottery. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the globe, and she has shown and placed at nearly every major venue throughout the Southwest.

Her work appears in Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham, The Art of the Hopi by Jerry Jacka, and Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artists Biographies by Gregory Schaff as well as others.

Karen Abeita was born on September 23, 1960. She is one of the finest young Hopi potters working today. She particularly likes using some of the older designs on her pots -the Palhik Mana – (Butterfly Maiden) pottery shards, feathers, eagle tail feather skirt, clouds, and songbirds.
Karen works particularly hard on her outdoor firing techniques – aiming to have a certain warm glow with the use of fire clouds.Her work is some of the very finest produced at Hopi today. Her use of fire clouds to produce soft changes in hue in her works creates an exceptionally rich and warm design.

All of Karen’s pottery is completely traditional from gathering the clay from the Hopi Reservation to hand coiling, hand polishing, hand painting than firing the old fashioned way – outdoors.

Karen has won numerous awards – including Best of Show, “Invitational,” Lawrence, KS. She is in all the major books recently published on Hopi pottery, including Gregory Schaaf’s book Hopi–Tewa Pottery 500 Artist Biographies.

She has signed with her name “Karen Abeita” and her parrot clan hallmark.

Born in 1951 in the village of Hotevilla at Third Mesa on the Hopi Indian Reservation of Arizona, Preston Duwyenie has emerged out of a cultural past and into the present with his simple and striking works of art.

His distinguished past includes degrees at the American Indian Art Institute, a BFA at the University of Colorado, and coursework in the MFA program at the same school. His career launched him into a world of mixed mediums where he not only practiced metal work and ceramics but taught as well. He has traveled North America giving workshops and lectures.

His inspiration comes from his native homeland however. His designs are indicative of the drifting sand dunes that are found in isolated areas of the Hopi reservation. The silver ingots have water-like designs, which represent a reverence for water and the rain, which is a scarce resource. The silver is cast from cuttlefish bone. His shifting sands series integrates ceramic and metal, reflecting one moment in time for the artist.

He has been featured in nearly every single gallery, show, and museum in the country. He has truly established himself as one of the “great ones” in American Indian art.

Bernard and Sharon Lewis are both a married couple and members of one of the two Lewis families at Acoma Pueblo. A source of confusion for many is the fact that there are two unrelated Lewis families at Acoma.

The most famous, of course, is the Lucy Lewis family. However, there is another accomplished Lewis family — that of Katherine Lewis and her children: Marilyn Henderson Ray, Carolyn Concho, Diane Lewis, Judy Lewis, Rebecca Lucario and Bernard Lewis and his wife, Sharon.

Like all members of this family, Bernard and Sharon work with many different colors of paints. Each of the children however, has a distinctive style. Bernard is a potter only and he specializes in pots with three-dimensional lizards creeping in and about the pot.

Sharon then does the painting of Bernard’s pots. Sharon also makes her own pots, always seedpots like this one, decorated with very well painted designs. They are a most talented couple in a very creative family.

Rainy Naha was born in 1949 into the Spider/Stick clan as the daughter of Helen Naha (Feather Woman) and the granddaughter of Paqua Naha (the original Frog Woman). Her siblings include Sylvia Naha Humpheries (d.) and Burell Naha.

Of all Naha family descendants, Rainy is perhaps the most prolific in her perpetuation of the pottery tradition. Having won numerous awards, including blue ribbons at the prestigious Santa Fe Indian Market, the Eight Northern Indian Art Show, and the Annual Heard Museum Show, it is easy to see how such meticulous detail and innovative design has taken Rainy’s work to the top.

Rainy has been an active potter for more than thirty years, and very active during the last ten. She was taught by her mother, and signs all of her work with her mother’s hallmark feather, along with her name, “Rainy.”

Thin walled vessels in both traditional and contemporary shapes are the basis for her work. The designs painted onto the vessels often incorporate her mother’s work, such as the Awatovi Star or bat wing patterns.

Her work is primarily Hopi clay with a white slip applied before the polychrome designs, sometimes known as Walpi Polychrome. All of her pieces are made using traditional clay, paints, and methods of forming and firing. Rainy has also added other clay slips to her work, with pieces often having up to five different colors.

Rondina Huma is one of the most highly sought after and one of the most widely celebrated Hopi pottery makers of all time. Her pieces consistently win awards at all the major shows – including most recently at Santa Fe’s Indian Market where she took first place in pottery. Additionally she has been featured in every major publication and can be found in exclusive galleries and museum collections around the world.

This piece features a myriad of designs all drawing from her roots as a traditional Hopi potter. With her home at First Mesa near the old ruins of Sikyatki, where Nampeyo first drew her inspiration, Rondina is afforded the special opportunity to reflect and create special pieces that exhibit that heritage.

We are excited to see new and innovative work by Rondina. Her award at Santa Fe went a long way to encourage her. Although the “shard” designs will probably still appear from time to time, we hope that she’ll continue to explore and experiment with the beautiful medium of clay that seems to sing a special song – just for her.

Rondina’s potteries are always traditional in every sense. Her vessels are always hand coiled and hand polished, with natural vegetal and mineral pigments used to give life to her designs. Even the inside of her bowl has been polished smooth.

She has signed with her clan symbol, the parrot, along with her name, Rondina Huma: Tewa – Hopi.

Jacob Koopee was born March 31, 1970. He was the great-great grandson of Nampeyo; great-grandson of Nellie Nampeyo Douma; grandson of Marie Koopee, and the son of Jacob Koopee, Sr. (Tewa) and Georgia Dewakuku Koopee.

In 1996, at the age of 26, Jake was awarded Best of Show, Committee’s Choice, and Best Traditional Pottery, at the Museum of Northern Arizona. He has successfully participated in and won awards at many Markets since then – including back-to-back “Best of Show” awards at both the Heard Museum and Santa Fe Indian Market 2005!

Jacob Koopee appeared in several major publications on Hopi pottery including Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaff (p. 59), and The Art of the Hopi by Jerry and Lois Jacka (pp. 118, 126).

He loved to base his work on old Sikyaki designs. Jake reported, “My Aunt Dextra (Quotskuyva) inspired me.” Jake was a young man with extraordinary talent. He created some of the largest hand coiled, open fired pieces of pottery at Hopi.

He signed with his hallmark Kokopelli and last name Koopee.

Jacob was proud of his adherence to traditional methods, which always produced one-of-a-kind pottery, with its own unique character and finish. In Hopi culture, nothing is ever “perfect,” and that’s just the way he wanted it.

In the footsteps of her forebears, Tonita stays true to her traditional roots, preferring to do everything the “old way.” Her clay is still dug from deposits near her home. She still hand-coils and hand polishes every piece she does. Tonita remains loyal to many of the original Sikyatki ruins designs, as can be seen here in this beautiful vase.

The traditional “migration” design appears alternating around the jar. The rich orange and brown colors are achieved through a traditional process of pigmentation where natural vegetal and mineral dyes are used. Tonita has traditionally fired this piece as well – as can be seen in the subtle shifts in color around the base of the pot.

Tonita is world-renown and appears in nearly every publication dealing with Hopi pottery. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the globe, and she has shown and placed at nearly every major venue throughout the Southwest.

Her work appears in Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham, The Art of the Hopi by Jerry Jacka, and Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artists Biographies by Gregory Schaff as well as others.

Gloria Mahle has been an active Hopi potter since 1980. She attributes much of her development and success to Rainy Naha and Fawn Navasie who have acted as her teachers and mentors.

Her painting is very fine and her polishing extremely smooth. Her finished pots are exceptional in quality and design. She is known for her bird, rain and cloud designs.

Gloria has appeared in several magazines and publications dealing primarily with Native American art and Hopi Pottery, in particularly. These include Hopi-Tewa Potters by Gregory Schaaf, p. 73; and Art of the Hopi, Contemporary Journeys on Ancient Pathways by Jerry and Lois Essary Jacka, p. 100.

She has also won numerous awards, including ribbons at the Museum of Northern Arizona Hopi Marketplace, and is best known for her symmetry and her detail in application and innovation.

Beautiful Hopi “fire-clouds” indicate that Gloria has indeed remained loyal to her traditional methods of forming and firing her pottery. These stunning reddish-orange shades can only be obtained through the natural sheep-dung firing process.

My Name is Larson Goldtooth. I am a member of the Tobacco Clan. I come Tewa Village, which is located at First Mesa in Northeastern Arizona.

I have been practicing the art of Hopi-Tewa Pottery for 13 years. Though I have been working with Native Clay for this time period, I am still considered an Emerging Artist.

I learned the Art of Pottery Making from My Cousin Mark Tahbo. I first became interested by watching him build, paint and fire Pottery. It wasn’t until 1996 that I entered my first Juried Show at the Museum of Northern Arizona where I received my first award in the Pottery Category.

From that moment on, I knew I was given a gift that I could not give back and that’s when I decided to become one with the clay and the art of Pottery Making.

I began receiving Awards and recognition for my work. In the beginning of my art career, it was my goal to show at the Heard Museum Fair. After that was accomplished, I set my sights on the Santa Fe Indian Market.

I was accepted as a “New Artist” in 1999 and given a booth to show. I have received numerous awards for my work. The most prestigious award in my career at the Santa Fe Indian Market was receiving the Fellowship Award in 2005.

I left my job in August of 2007 to become a Full-Time Potter.

My Figure People and my Pottery are done in the traditional Hopi method. 
That is, hand-coiling each piece, stone burnishing, using the color clay pigments and the wild mustard and bee weed plants to design each piece. 
After all that is complete, I fire outdoors with cedar wood and sheep dung before they are sent to market.

Helen Naha (1922–1993) was the matriarch in a family of well-known Hopi potters. 

She is the daughter-in-law of Paqua Naha (the first Frog Woman). Helen was married to Paqua’s son Archie. She was mostly self-taught, following the style of her mother-in-law and sister-in-law Joy Navasie (second Frog Woman).Her designs are often based on fragments found at the Awatovi ruins near Hopi. Her hallmark style was finely polished, hand-coiled pottery finished in white slip with black and red decorations. She would often take the extra step to polish the inside of a piece as well as the outside. 

She signed her pottery with a feather glyph (shown in inset). This resulted in her being called “Feather Woman” by many collectors. Both of her daughters, Sylvia and Rainy (Rainell), as well as her granddaughter Tyra are well known potters.

Today, her medium to larger pots typically sells for several thousand dollars. She has also been recognized by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts for her body of work through the creation of the Helen Naha Memorial Award – For Excellence in Traditional Hopi Pottery. 


References:

Dillingham, Rick. Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery. Foreword by J. J. Brody. University of New Mexico Press, (reprint edition) 1994. ISBN 0-8263-1499-6

Schaaf, Gregory. Hopi-Tewa Pottery, 500 Artist Biographies. Edited by Richard M. Howard, CIAC Press, Santa Fe, New Mexico, ISBN 0-9666948-0-5

Graves, Laura. Thomas Varker Keam, Indian Trader. University of Oklahoma Press, 1998. ISBN 0-8061-3013-X

This beautiful Hopi Pottery was made by Fawn Navasie. Fawn is the niece to Frog Woman, daughter of the late Eunice “Fawn” Navasie, and sister to Dawn Navasie and Dolly Joe. She is also the spouse of well-known Hopi potter, James Garcia Nampeyo.

The Navasie family is known for their own special revival, as was Nampeyo known for Sikyatki. The Navasie’s are said to be responsible for reviving a style from the late Awatovi village, southeast of First Mesa.
Among her favorite designs are “Rainbirds, parrots, feathers, and clouds.” – Schaaf

Gentle Hopi “fire-clouds” indicate that Fawn has indeed remained loyal to her traditional methods of forming and firing her pottery. These reddish-orange shades can only be obtained through the natural sheep-dung firing process.

This piece features a design she referred to as “Sikyatki Birds.” The colors and stylized feathers give this pottery its good feel. She has signed with her classic “Fawn” and hoofprint.

Fawn is an accomplished potter and has shown at several major venues throughout the Southwest. She has been featured at shows in Santa Fe, NM., the Heard Museum, and others.

Fawn has appeared in several magazines and publications dealing primarily with Native American are and Hopi Pottery, in particularly. These include Hopi-Tewa Potters by Gregory Schaaf, p. 120; and Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham, pp. 60-61

This piece is the work of Hopi artist Garrett Maho. Garrett continues in the traditional Hopi firing method, in which he takes great pride.

Garrett incorporates new and innovative designs with traditional techniques. Along with the beautiful fire clouds, which are a result of traditional firing, Garrett also adheres to the original process of applying pigments using mineral base and natural “brushes” such as yucca strips and softened wood fibers.

Garrett’s talent precedes him, as he has appeared in shows across the west and has taken several awards for his neo-classical pieces. This particular piece is especially fine. The beautiful blush of the “fire clouds” resonates throughout the piece, and the tones of the mineral based pigments vary in degree.

Garrett’s application technique combines further traditional elements with contemporary styles. The speckling technique is around the rim is a distinctive trademark of this young and talented potter.

Garrett has incised his name in the bottom of the pottery — Garrett Maho, Hopi.

Marty and Elvira Naha Nampeyo are a husband and wife team who has quickly risen to the top of their division.

Known for their development of the incised redware (introduced by Elvira’s father, Tom Polacca), Marty and Elvira have nearly perfected the Kachina element captured in each of their unique pieces.

Both Marty and Elvira come from a long line of potters, and actually share distant relations with Nampeyo. (Elvira being the great-granddaughter of Nampeyo)

Their heritage and involvement with daily Hopi culture have given them an advantage. Their closeness with the Hopi way of life is represented as each piece nearly comes to life in the hands of an onlooker.

Having shown throughout the Southwest, Marty and Elvira’s pieces can be seen in various galleries as well as publications dealing with elaborate Indian art. One such collection resides within the Heard Museum, in Phoenix, AZ. Also featured in the Museum of Indian Arts & Cultures, Santa Fe, NM.

This duo has appeared in publications such as Hopi-Tewa Potters by Gregory Schaaf, p. 101; and Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham, pp. 14-15; and Art of the Hopi by Lois Essary Jacka, p. 110.

Gary is the eldest son of Tom Polacca, and the great grandson of the legendary Hopi pottery, Nampeyo. Like his father, he continues to pave a way in blending contemporary pottery making techniques with traditional Hopi designs.

Gary’s pieces are unique and extremely rare. He only produces a handful of potteries per year, as he spends the rest of his time as an academic professional. His passion, however, is pottery. He explained to me that it is a very personal process for him – one that requires a great deal of pondering and introspection.

Listening to Gary talk about his love for pottery making really made me see this form of art in a new light. In our conversation regarding pottery, Gary said:

“Every pot has a part of me that goes with it. Pottery allows me to look into the past and see my people. They were like me, with emotions, searching for a sense of spirituality.

Each pot tells a unique story. Each piece interprets and represents my thoughts and feelings and what is important to me.”

You might notice that Gary’s pottery do not have any red pigmentation in them. When I asked why, he said:
“My pots don’t have red in them because my environment is full of earth tones. When I look out my window at these mesas, I don’t see red – I see a spectrum of natural colors. The different shades would allow it to blend in with the natural setting. Red would be too obvious.”

“I start by looking at my pot, and I sit and turn it around and around and around for a long time – and I have a vision, you might say. It’s like a dream where I can see the past – and then there is the design.

That’s why my pots are never alike, because when I see the design, it comes from a vision, and each is unique.”
The background designs could be interpreted as their “thoughts,” or “the desires of their heart.” Some of these symbols are traditional Hopi symbols for sun, rain or water, and even corn. For the Hopi, the center of everything is water.

Gary has been featured in many publications, ranging from Rick Dillingham’s Fourteen Families, to Gregory Schaff’s Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies.

The daughter of the original Nampeyo, Fannie was a very prolific potter almost to her death. She began making pottery when she was in her early 20s and teamed with her mother. She was also the matriarch of the Corn Clan, a time-consuming ceremonial position among her people and developed a tamale business in Keams Canyon that was very successful. She raised seven children, became a devout Mormon, and was also noted for her quilting.

To pottery enthusiasts, the name Nampeyo is as well known as the name of Maria of San Ildefonso. Both were individuals credited with innovative pottery that sparked a revived interest in the craft and gave inspiration to generations of potters. But her story must be pieced together from events that happened around her rather than from her personal history, that of a humble woman living in a remote corner of northeastern Arizona on the Hopi Reservation.

It is known that her mother was a Tewa woman named White Corn from the village of Hano, on the northeastern end of First Mesa. Her father was from Walpi, the Hopi town on the opposite end of the mesa. Although Nampeyo was born into the Corn Clan of her mother, her father was from the Snake Clan and it was from that clan that Nampeyo received her name, “Snake-that-does-not-bite.”

The legacy Nampeyo left behind was two-fold. Not only did she leave scores of artistically decorated and beautifully formed pieces of pottery for the appreciation of today’s collectors, she also left a family who, through the generations, has kept alive and even extended the tradition of fine pottery and the innovations she introduced so long before.

This beautiful Hopi pottery was made by Tyra Naha. Tyra is the daughter of well-known Hopi artist, Rainy Naha. She has certainly learned a lot from her mother, and carries on the tradition and influence of her grandmother, Helen Naha – also known as “Feather Woman,” whom this piece honors in “remembrance.”

Tyra is an accomplished potter in her own right and continues to produce the same quality work that is the hallmark of the Naha name. Tyra has shown at several major venues throughout the Southwest. She has been featured at shows in Santa Fe, NM., the Heard Museum, and others.

Tyra has already appeared in a few publications dealing primarily with Native American art, and Hopi pottery in particularly. Of most notable mention is The Art of the Hopi by Jerry and Lois Essary Jacka (pp. 42).
Like her mother, Tyra pays special attention to every detail – polishing her pottery both inside and out. Her pieces are delicate and graceful – full of balance. Some have said that they have a porcelain-like quality. Such could be said about this piece.

Although her pieces are fashioned entirely in the traditional manner, Tyra’s work remains incredibly fine, and unlike many hand-coiled potteries, Tyra’s are amazingly light.

Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of this pottery is the fullness of design. Tyra has meticulously continued her designs all the way along the underside to the pedestal of the piece.

She has signed with a combination of the Naha family feather and the spider, which represents her clan.

This beautiful “white-ware” pottery is the creation of Grace Navasie, the daughter of Joy Navasie (Frog Woman). The Navasie family is one of the premier Hopi pottery families, and has produced a legacy of potters stemming from the original Frog Woman – Paqua.

Joy Navasie has been credited with the development of the white slip pottery style, and as a result, her children have remained faithful. This is one of the most beautiful examples of a perfect slip job, with traditional polychrome designs.

Grace explained to me that many traditional Hopi motifs include parrot and parrot feather symbols, but many overlook them or mistake them for “rainbird” designs, or even eagle patterns.

The beautiful colors are a result of all natural pigments such as the “bee-weed” and hematite mineral. Amazingly, these pigments are still gathered from areas around First Mesa (where pottery originated among the Hopi, and remains alive today).

The processing of these pigments is all done by hand with traditional tools, such as the matate stone, similar to the ones used for early Hopi corn grinding, to process the hematite and “Bee-weed.” Then the details are all added meticulously with the delicate strands of the yucca reed, which has been split into several fine strands, to be used as a brush.

Grace has been lives at the lower village of Polacca, at First Mesa and continues to adhere to the traditional styles the her mother introduced. She can be found featured in several works on the Hopi, including Rick Dillingham’s book Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery, 67; and in Lillian Peasser’s book Pueblo Pottery Families, 41.

Born in 1970 to Wally Youvella Sr. and Iris Polacca Nampeyo, Nolan Youvella has taken up the craft of his heritage in typical Nampeyo fashion: original. He is corn clan of the Tewa village at Hano, First Mesa on the Hopi Indian reservation.

Nolan traces his roots through his mother, back to his grandmother Fannie Nampeyo, and once more to his great grandmother, Nampeyo. Their blood flows through his veins, as well as their creative inspiration.

Nolan first began his pottery-making journey at age eleven. Following more closely in the footsteps of his mother, but also influenced by his father, as well as his uncle, Tom Polacca, Nolan produces a type of pottery known as appliqued buffware.

It has a characteristic very similar to that of his mother’s pottery. The surfaces are always highly polished and the natural color of the clay is allowed to shine through. However, he has incorporated the sgraffito techniques of his uncle in etching Hopi symbols on the walls of his work.

Most recently, Nolan has graduated into the applique work that depicts various village scenes, which are raised up off the surface of the pottery in a detailed fashion. Here you can see a Kokopelli playing to the village beneath him, while a kachina maiden watches from the back panel of the pottery surface.

Nolan’s work appears in nearly every major publication on Hopi pottery including Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies, by Gregory Schaff; Fourteen Families of Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham; Nampeyo: Legacy of a Master Pottery by Mary Ellen Blair; and Art of the Hopi by Jerry and Lois Jacka, as well as others.

As one of the youngest and most talent Hopi pottery artists of today, Hisi Nampeyo (Camille Quotskuyva) has really made a name for herself.

She is the daughter of world-famous Hopi potter Dextra Quotskuyva and has obviously inherited some of the family skill. Her work ranges from the unique and distinct, to classic Hopi themes with traditional motifs like the stylized moths pictured here.

Her work can be found in some of the most prestigious galleries and discriminating private collections.

She appears in nearly every major publication on Hopi-Tewa pottery, including Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham, The Art of the Hopi by Jerry Jacka, and Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artists Biographies by Gregory Schaff as well as others.

James Garcia Nampeyo is a talented potter from First Mesa. He is descended from a long line of Hopi legends. He is the nephew of the late Tom Polacca, and great-grandson of the famed Nampeyo. He was also married to the talented Hopi potter, Fawn Navasie.

James’ work is becoming increasingly fine, and as a result, highly collectible. His pottery has always exhibited qualities superior in Hopi pottery, but today his designs are even more unique and distinct.

James credits his grandmother, Fannie Nampeyo, with encouraging him to begin making pottery at an early age. He remains loyal to the traditional designs revitalized by his great-grandmother. Occasionally, he and his wife Fawn, will collaborate on larger pieces.

James has shown at several major venues throughout the Southwest, such as Heard Museum, Museum of Northern Arizona, and Santa Fe Indian Market.

He appears in various publications dealing with fine Hopi art, including Hopi Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf, p. 108; and Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham, p. 23.

Sylvia Naha, member of the Spider Clan, was born in 1951 into the Hopi-Tewa Reservation. Sylvia passed away in August of 1999, at the age of 48.

She is the grand daughter of the late “Paqua Naha”, who was among the most famous and prolific Hopi-Tewa potters to ever have lived. Paqua’s first name means “frog” in the Spanish language. She is known as “Frog Woman”.

Sylvia specializes in hand coiled Hopi white slip pottery. She learned all the fundamentals of traditional pottery making from her mother, Helen “Feather Woman” Naha.

Helen’s children signed their pottery with a feather, and their first initial when they were young, and now each has developed their own signature retaining the feather.

Sylvia’s signature remained the same: a feather, punctuated by the letter ‘S’. Sylvia won many awards over the years.

Sylvia gathers her clay and other materials from the Hopi lands including natural pigments used for color on her pottery. She cleans, mixes, shapes, sands, paints, and fires her pottery outdoors, the traditional way with sheep dung. Many of the designs Sylvia paints on her pottery are Helen’s but she will incorporate them with her own.

Sylvia is related to: Rainy Naha (Sister), Burel Naha (brother), Joy “Frog Woman II” Navasie (aunt), Dee Setalla (cousin), Eunice “Fawn” Navasie, and Dawn Navasie (cousin).

Publications: -Southwestern Pottery Anasazi to Zuni -Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery -Hopi-Tewa Pottery 500 Artist Biographies -Southwestern Pottery 1999 Edition

Loren Hamilton Nampeyo learned the delicate art of pottery making from being around his maternal grandmother, Fannie Nampeyo. He also learned a great deal from his well-known mother, Tonita Hamilton Nampeyo.

He spent a year learning from his Uncle, Tom Polacca. He still makes pottery full time, interpreting old designs his way. He uses a method he learned from Tom, called Sgraffito, which is the cutting away of different parts of surface layer of clay to expose colored layers.

Loren’s work remains some of the finest in Hopi carved pottery. His meticulous attention to detail can be seen in every line.

Loren’s work is also recognizable because of the high-polished finish he achieves in completing his pieces. In this way, his work resembles that of his well-known aunt, Iris Youvella Nampeyo.

We’re pleased to present this unique piece of pottery by Loren. He is featured in many publications on Hopi-Tewa pottery, and is an important part of the Nampeyo family tree.

Marianne Navasie is the daughter of famed Joy Navasie, and the granddaughter of world-renowned Paqua Naha, the original frog woman. Marianne was born in 1951, and has been making pottery since she was 18 years old.

Although, Marianne was only three years old when her grandmother died, she does recall her and her mother always working with the clay. Marianne has mastered the white ware look pioneered by Paqua, and carried on by her mother, and now Marianne is continuing with the family tradition.

Marianne stated, “ My Mother always pushed us to stay with traditional hand coiled pottery making methods, and to carry on the frog style.” One look at Marianne’s pottery and it is evident that she has mastered the art, which was created by her ancestors.

She gathers all her materials (natural pigments) from within the Hopi Reservation. Marianne cleans, mixes, hand coils, shapes, sands, paints, and fires her pottery, outdoors, with sheep dung.

Marianne signs her pottery with the “Paqua”, (frog) symbol, but does put a tadpole next to it so it indicates her place within her family tree.

Marianne is left-handed so her work will move in the opposite direction of her mother‘s.
Awards: – Santa Fe Indian Market -New Mexico State Fair -Gallup Indian Ceremonial 1st place – Scottsdale Hopi Show – Flagstaff Hopi Show

Publications: – Hopi-Tewa Pottery 500 Artist Biographies -Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery – Southwest Pottery for Anasazi to Zuni – Collecting Southwestern Indian Arts and Crafts – Cover of Gallup Ceremonial Brochure (1978)