Nampeyo was an inventive painter whose artistic energy encouraged her to experiment with new forms and designs throughout her career. Reviewing her oeuvre reveals that, while inventive, Nampeyo also favored particular design elements and returned to these familiar patterns repeatedly. Barbara Kramer (1996:184-188) provides illustrations of common Nampeyo designs, as do Wade and Cooke (2012:232-243).
Over five dozen “Nampeyo” pots are included in this collection, from trinkets to masterpieces. See “Nampeyo #1, #2, #3 and #4” in the Artist List and Appendix D for the full list. Of course this is but a small subset of Nampeyo’s life work, but this sample also reveals design elements that she repeatedly used. You can experience her favorite design elements by choosing from the list below and then clicking on the hyperlinks of pots that incorporate that element. If a pot that displays many of Nampeyo’s design strategies (Appendix B) also displays many of these favored design elements, that is additional evidence that the pot is “by Nampeyo.”
Black rim:
2013-14, 2014-17, 2017-04, 2020-16, 2024-03
Clown face
1999-03, 2008-06, 2011-16, 2012-02, 2013-03, 2015-11, 2017-04, 2015-11, 2021-09
Crooks: square
1993-04, 2017-05, 2017-06, 2019-12
Crooks: triangular
2009-08, 2012-02, 2014-01, 2017-15, 2020-16
D-shaped swirl:
Curved point
Forground/background reversal
1993-04, 2002-03, 2005-16, 2006-11, 2008-06, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2013-03, 2014-01, 2020-06, 2020-09
FRAMING LINES:
Thick-over-thin:
1988-01, 1993-04, 2002-03, 2011-16, 2012-02, 2012-08, 2012-13, 2012-21, 2014-20, 2020-16, 2020-17, 2021-09
Thin-over-thick:
2015-03, 2018-13, 2020-16, 2021-09
Gumdrop hill, whiskers
1999-03, 2013-03, 2014-20, 2015-04, 2017-05, 2020-11, 2021-09
Gumdrop hill, no whiskers
2011-16, 2012-13, 2013-03, 2014-01, 2014-17, 2017-04, 2018-13, 2019-12, 2020-17, 2021-09
Joint elements: window pane + linear tail feathers
1988-01, 2002-23, 2014-07, 2019-12
Large parentheses
1993-04, 2006-11, 2012-13, 2018-04, 2015-11
Long curved element (blade)
1993-04, 1996-05, 1999-03, 2002-03, 2005-16, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-16, 2014-01, 2014-07, 2018-13, 2019-12, 2020-11, 2020-16, 2020-17, 2021-09,
Long leaf
1996-05, 2006-11, 2017-15, 2019-12, 2019-19, 2020-16,
Long leaf pairs 2006-11, 2019-12, 2019-19, 2020-16
Mother corn/”butterfly”
1993-04, 2015-12, 2010-11, 2024-03
Notched, unpainted diagonal
1993-04, 1999-03, 2007-16
Pahos (prayer feathers)
1993-04, 2010-11, 2014-20, 2015-03, 2020-16, 2020-17
Pointed arc
1993-04, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-16, 2013-03, 2014-01, 2015-11
Pointed triangle:
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TAILS/FEATHERS:
Black linear
2012-21, 2020-16, 2020-17
[Butterfly elements with linear black tails]: 1993-04, 2010-11, 2020-17
Black linear, flanked by black pointed feathers
1988-01
Unpainted base, black tipped
2015-11, 2019-12
Red feathers, black tip
2014-20, 2015-03, 2017-15
Red base comb, black tipped
1993-04, 1999-03, 2005-16, 2010-11, 2014-07, 2020-17
Red linear feathers flanked by red pointed feathers
2002-03
Red base comb, black tipped and flanked by red pointed feathers
2013-03, 2018-13, 2019-12, 2021-09
Red base comb, red feathers, flanked by black pointed feathers
1996-05, 2014-17
White comb or base, black tipped
1993-04, 2002-03, 2006-02, 2011-16, 2013-03, 2014-01, 2017-04, 2018-04
White comb, black tips flanked by black pointed feathers
2017-05
White comb, black tips, flanked by red pointed feathers
2017-04
White comb, black tipped and flanked by white pointed feathers
2013-17, 2015-12
Speckled core, black tips
2014-20
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Windowpane
1988-01, 1996-05, 2002-03, 2006-02, 2013-03, 2014-01, 2014-07, 2019-12, 2020-17
By daughter: 2014-13
