Original Aquatint Etching by Helen Hardin “Messenger from the Sun”

"Messenger from the Sun" is an aquatint etching by Santa Clara Pueblo artist Helen Hardin, completed in 1980 at El Cerro Graphics in Los Lunas, New Mexico, with printers Ricardo Ximenes and William Boyson. This limited edition print, created in an edition of 50 along with various proofs, showcases Hardin's distinctive style of blending traditional Pueblo symbology with modern abstraction.

The image is composed in three colors: English red, ochre, and burnt umber. At the center, a bird's head emerges, with its body and tail feathers spiraling outward. Sun rays extend diagonally through the composition, while additional symbolic elements—leaves, vertical forms, and a kiva step design—appear near the bird's head and in the corners, demonstrating Hardin's mastery of integrating geometric abstraction with Native motifs.

Documentation describes the process as a "three-color, cut plate, embossed image" made by etching a KPR-coated copper plate in ferric chloride and then dividing it into four plates to achieve the layered colors and embossed texture.

The etching is signed Tsa-Sah-Wee-Eh (Little Standing Spruce), Helen Hardin's Tewa name, and numbered 31/50. It is displayed in a thin metal frame, matted and floated to reveal the entire paper.

Born in 1943 to painter Pablita Velarde and Herbert Hardin, Helen Hardin developed an innovative approach to Native American art. While inspired by her mother's work, Hardin created strikingly modern pieces that infused Native American symbols with geometric patterns and abstract forms. Her groundbreaking contributions left a lasting legacy before her passing in 1984, and her works continue to captivate collectors and admirers today.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Original Aquatint Etching by Helen Hardin "Messenger from the Sun" is from a private collection

Reference and Recommended Reading:  Changing Woman: The Life and Art of Helen Hardin by Jay Scott

TAGS: Helen Hardin, Santa Clara Pueblo, Pablita Velarde, Native American symbols, Native American Paintings, Acoma Pueblo