Hopi Polychrome Seed Jar with Butterflies [SOLD]

Mark Tahbo is the great-grandson of famous Hopi potter Grace Chapella, and the grandson of her daughter Alma Tahbo.  His siblings are potters too.  Grace Chapella, of course, is famous for living to 106 years and continuing to make pottery past her 100^th birthday. 

Tahbo has been a consistent award winner at Santa Fe Indian Market.  In 1991, he won Overall Prize at Indian Market.  In 1992 he was awarded Best of Division at the Heard Museum Indian Fair. Awards continued to be presented to him in 1993 and 1994 and later.

This seed jar is the traditional shape of Sikyatki prehistoric seed jars and is the same shape and with the same design made famous by Grace Chapella.  It is decorated with traditional Sikyatki moth or butterfly designs, for which Chapella became most famous and which her great-grandson is continuing.  Other identifiable features: the three triangular items painted black, red and stippled represent the three Hopi Mesas.  The star-like elements represent corn fields and the area in which they are enclosed represents rain. 

Condition: The seed jar is new and in original condition.  It is signed with the potter's name and the year 2012.

Provenance: recently from the artist

Recommended Reading: Hopi-Tewa Pottery 500 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf