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gallery Online special Event:
Inspired: Re-Interpretations of a Nampeyo Jar |
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Inspired:
Re-Interpretations of a Nampeyo Jar July 10, 2008 |
King Galleries of Scottsdale & Martha Hopkins Struever
Present
Inspired: Re-Interpretations of a Nampeyo Jar
Nampeyo of Hano (1859-1942) was among the most influential and revered of the early Hopi potters. An important large jar by Nampeyo became available through Martha Struever, a leading Indian Arts Dealer and specialist in Hopi pottery. This jar reflects Nampeyo’s talent as a potter and a revivalist of pre-historic Sikyatki designs.
The visual and historic significance of this jar encouraged Struever and Charles King to ask twelve contemporary Hopi and Pueblo potters to create their own version of the vessel. Each artist was asked to base their pottery on whatever aspect of the original gave them the greatest inspiration. The resulting pottery is a dynamic reflection of how a piece from over one hundred years ago continues to inspire and speak through the clay today.
Please contact us at 480.481.0187 or at kgs@kinggalleries.com or info@mathrastruever.com for more information & any of the pieces and their availability
Participating Artists
Dextra Quotskuyva Les Namingha Jake Koopee Autumn Borts Loren Ami Susan Folwell Lisa Holt & Harlan Reano Nathan Youngblood Rainy Naha Jason Garcia Steve & Yvonne Lucas
#1
Nampeyo of Hano (1859-1942) - Hopi Tewa
Nampeyo of Hano was truly one of the most innovative and influential of the revivalist potters. In the 1880's, she was asked to re-create pre-historic Sikyatki pottery that was being excavated from an archeological site at the base of First Mesa in Hopi. Her pottery skills thrived as she began to make large vessels, technically challenging with wide bodies and low shoulders. Her painting in the early years was fluid and dynamic, covering the surface of the vessel with classic Hopi imagery. This jar is one from the 1890's, with amazing form and detail. The imagery of the birds and bird tails, fineline patterns and open spaces, are all significant contributions of her work. The selection of this piece for this show was to give other potters numerous choices for inspiration including form, design or color. Any single aspect of the vessel, or several of them, could be the foundation for their new works in clay.
13.5" x 6"h
SOLD
#2
Les Namingha - Hopi Tewa/Zuni
Les is a great-great grandson of Nampeyo of Hano. Among all the participants in this show, he chose to re-create the original vessel as closely as possible. The form, slip, colors, design, are all meticulously part of this piece. Les, who is among the most innovative of today's potters, also added his own voice to the jar. Below the shoulder it is also painted with an abstract design, so often used in his other pottery. The old and new, tradition and innovation, are all in perfect harmony within this single spectacular vessel.
13"w x 5.25"h
$11,500.00 - SOLD
#3
Rainy Naha - Hopi Tewa
Rainy Naha is a daughter of Helen Naha (Feather Woman). Rainy wanted to create a similar form to the large Nampeyo jar, with the wide shoulder and small neck. The bowl bowl has a very subdued appearance, because when she mixed her black (bee-weed plant), she ground it with more hematite stone so that the color would result in a brownish tone. The brownish-black and the use of only brown clay slips against the white background give the jar a stunning appearance. While the imagery is similar to that of the Nampeyo jar, not the use of her intricate designs and her own "old style" bird!
10"w x 5.25"h
$3600.00 - SOLD
#4
Dextra Nampeyo Quotskuyva (b. 1928) - Hopi Tewa
Dextra is a great-granddaughter of Nampeyo of Hano, descending through her eldest daughter, Annie Healing. Dextra has long been among the most creative, innovative and influential at Hopi over the past forty years. This vessel is truly inspired by the large jar by Nampeyo. The form is a classic Sikyatki shape and Dextra has given voice to the bird imagery. On one side is a very traditional style bird painted with very delicate lines. The other side has a sandhill crane in motion, the clouds painted with white clay and earth below slipped with a natural bluish-green clay. Stunning!
8"w x3.75"h
$7500.00
#5
Autumn Borts-Medlock - Santa Clara
Autumn Borts is one of the young innovative potters of Santa Clara Pueblo. Her renown family includes sister Tammy Garcia, mother Linda Cain, grandmother Mary Cain and great-grandmother Christina Naranjo. For this show, Autumn chose to focus on the bird imagery of the Nampeyo jar. The use of feathers at the top and rain symbols at the bottom, combine the Hopi-Tewa and the Santa Clara Tewa together in one elegant vessel.
4.5"h
$3800.00 - SOLD
#6
Susan Folwell - Santa Clara
This jar by Susan Folwell incorporates many of the design elements of the Nampeyo jar. Susan said she wanted to recreate not only the delicate imagery in her own style, but also the "older feel" and patina of the original vessel. The bird which features so prominently on Nampeyo's vessel is given a more realistic appearance is Susan's style. As Nampeyo was innovative in her painting and pottery, so is Susan Folwell, breaking boundaries and influencing the future of Pueblo pottery.
10.5"w x 10"h
$4800.00 - SOLD
#7
Steve Lucas & Yvonne Lucas - Hopi Tewa & Laguna/Navajo
Steve Lucas is a great-grandson of Nampeyo of Hano. This jar is one which was made by his wife, Yvonne Lucas. Steve has painted the designs onto a white clay slipped surface. The jar has a double headed eagle inside two of the medallions. There are stylized birds in the area between the two medallions. The focus on the color and the birds of the original Nampeyo jar are brilliantly re-interpreted in this jar!
11.5"w x 9.5"h
$8800.00
#8
Steve Lucas & Yvonne Lucas - Hopi Tewa & Laguna/Navajo
This collaborative jar was made by Steve Lucas. The designs are painted by both Steve and his wife, Yvonne. The wide shoulder is reminiscent of the original Nampeyo jar, with Steve's own taller form and small neck. The birds and bird tail patterns are re-interpretations of Nampeyos. This jar is striking in the rich coloration from the firing further enhanced by the tightly painted designs and highly polished red clay slip.
12"w x 8.5"h
$8500.00 - SOLD
#9
LuAnn Tafoya - Santa Clara
LuAnn Tafoya is a daughter of noted potter Margaret Tafoya. Margaret had once met Nampeyo at Gallup Ceremonials in the 1930's. Margaret admired Nampeyo's large vessels, and Nampeyo told her that they both made large pieces because they were both members of the corn clan. LuAnn continues to be known for her large vessels. However, for this show, she made a classic Santa Clara style bowl and carved four panels into the clay. Each panel has her version of a stylized Hopi bird. The bowl is beautifully polished with a glassy appearance.
9"w x 6.75"h
$3600.00 - SOLD
#10
Jason Garcia - Santa Clara
This polychrome clay tile by Jason Garcia continues his series of "Tewa Tales of Suspense". This piece continues as part of the story of the migration of the Tewa peoples from the Rio Grande area of New Mexico to the Hopi Mesas. Taking inspiration from the bird design on the large Nampeyo jar, Jason has painted it as an eagle behind the two men in combat. All of the colors are derived from natural clay slips and Jason said that he was also working to maintain a similar tonality of colors to the original vessel.
9.25"w x 12"h
$2500.00
#11
Jacob Koopee - Hopi Tewa
Jacob is a great-great grandson of Nampeyo of Hano, descending through her daughter Nellie Douma, her daughter Marie Koopee and her son Jacob Koopee. This classic seedpot has an intricately designed pattern which has broken apart the various design elements of the Nampeyo jar. The birds and linear patterns are all seen on Nampeyo's work, while the use of the four outlined hands is a style originated by Jake, signifying his four generations removed from this illustrious potter.
9.5"w x 4"h
$4000.00 - SOLD
#12 Nathan Youngblood - Santa Clara
Nathan Youngblood (a grandson of Margaret Tafoya) decided to focus on the imagery of the Nampeyo jar and the connection of the Hopi-Tewa to the Tewa of the Rio Grande Valley. The form of the jar itself is meant to reflect the classic wide shoulder Hopi jar (top third) connected to a traditional Pueblo canister. Both forms served the same function in holding grains. The shape of the jar is also a visual nod to the Hopi Mesas rising above the surrounding fields and rivers. The top band of carving is a cloud pattern, with small sections taken from the design on the Nampeyo jar. In the central band of carving, there are three micaceous medallions. The first is a bird and the second a bird tail, as are seen on the Nampeyo jar. The third is a cross which represents the arrival of the Spanish and one of the possible reasons for the group of Tewa leaving from the Pueblos to Hopi. The lower level of the jar is fully carved in negative space, representing the rivers and underground springs which sustain life at Hopi. This entire piece, from shape to imagery, beautifully captures the inspiration and reflection of the jar by Nampeyo of Hano.
8.5"w x 9.75"h
$12,750.00 - SOLD
#13 Loren Ami - Hopi Tewa
Loren Ami has taken one of his strengths, the use of the Hopi red clay, and used that for his jar. Nampeyo would often use the red clay and the pieces would be painted by her daughter, Annie. This jar is highly polished red and the designs are painted in red and outlined with white clay. There are birds above the shoulder and there are bird tails and geometrics around the body of the jar. Loren has brought together numerous aspects of Nampeyo's work within this single jar, reflecting not only the jar for this show, but the historical legacy of Nampeyo's work.
10"w x 6"h
$3900.00
#14 Lisa Holt & Harlan Reano - Cochiti & Santo Domingo
Lisa Holt & Harlan Reano have exceeded expectations with this jar. The shape is beautiful and the walls are thin for a coil jar. The tall shoulders have give the piece a perfect background for Harlan's painted designs. The designs are extraordinary, as Harlan has captured the birds on Nampeyo's jar. The fineline painted sections again reflect the detail of Nampeyo's work in the bird-tail sections of her jar. Note as well the addition of classic Santo Domingo imagery around the neck and the base. This piece is definitely exciting!
9"w x 12"h
$3000.00 - SOLD
This Gallery Event is in Conjunction with:
Martha Hopkins Struever
P.O. Box 2203
Santa Fe, NM 87504