2023-12 Long Hair Katsina tile

Fine-Line Migration Design, Kachina Design, Tile

The fine-line migration design has become a standardize design used by potters at Hopi, and, at first glance, that is what one’s eye sees here.  Randall Sahmie (1950-2008) is best known for his katchia carvings and painting.  He was an extraordinarily creative artist...

2023-11 Modern Polik’ Mana tile

Polik'Mana, Tile

This collection contains about a dozen versions of the Polik’Mana, from a tile (2014-10) and a tray (2017-04) by Nampeyo, to modern tiles (cf 2017-03), canteens, vases, a corn meal bowl, and even an image painted on cloth but posing as a tile (2016-02).  The format of...

2022-07 Large modern petroglyph tile

Tile

Hopi is a matriarchal society. This is a clay tile by an artist of paternal Hopi descent who grew up at Zuni, currently lives at Zuni, and was trained as a potter at Hopi by Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo, the leading Hopi-Tewa potter of her generation.  It is made of...

2022-04 Tile with maiden balancing a pot on her head

Tile

Framed in a doorway, this smiling woman balances a very large Hopi pot on her head.  Born in 1948, Jean began making pottery when she was about 17 had a long and productive pottery-making career, including this tile.  She was named an “Arizona Living...

2021-14 Dramatic butterfly tile

Folk Art Butterfly Design, Tile

This collection has more than two dozen pots carrying images of butterflies.  (See “Category” list.)  Its easy to love these flying flowers, but in addition, butterflies at Hopi are a sign that rain has fallen, the desert is blooming and there is hope for...

2014-10 Rectangular tile with polychromatic Polik’mana

1880s to 1900 Transition Ware, Kachina Design, Polik'Mana, Tile, White-slipped, Nampeyo

Form: Since prehistoric times Hopi women formed flat “tiles” of clay that were fired and then ground to use as temper in the formation of pots. Some decorated tiles may have been made for ritual use in the kivas (Wright, 1977:64). In 1875 Thomas Keam opened the first...