One would expect that a flat tile would be one of the easiest pottery items to successfully make.  However, because they are flat, there is no structural integrity.  They sometime crack during the drying process or warp.  This Kewa (Santo Domingo) Pueblo tile succeeded in drying without cracking but it did warp slightly.  There is no indication of the artist or time period but I suspect it was made before mid-1950s.

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Maria Martinez was a remarkable woman who exposed to the world a pueblo craft that existed for a thousand or more years as functional ware, but her introduction to outsiders revealed the artistic value of those clay objects. She not only elevated pottery from San Ildefonso Pueblo to a highly collectible object, she, in doing so, helped potters at all the pueblos find a source of livelihood for their efforts.

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   Fannie Polacca Nampeyo (1900-1987) was a daughter of Nampeyo and Lesou and she had two sisters, Annie Healing and Nellie Douma.  They were all Corn Clan, the clan of their mom.  Lesou was Tobacco Clan but clan inheritance is from the mother.  Fannie had 7 children-Thomas, Elva, Tonita, Iris, Leah, Harold and Ellsworth-all of whom were potters, full time or occasionally.

This jar with the migration pattern is very typical in vessel shape and design of her wares.  Interestingly, it is a medium-sized one whereas many were either small or very large.  This one is a very good size for most collectors.

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   Elva Tewaguna Nampeyo was a granddaughter of Nampeyo of Hano and daughter of Fannie Nampeyo.  She has been gone over 30 years now so there are not many of her wares on the market, and there certainly are not many of this visual appeal.  She was an exceptional potter and her work never deteriorated later in her life when she became ill.  She certainly was one of the exceptional potters of her generation.

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This small jar is an excellent example of the finest Hopi-Tewa pottery.  It was well formed with a globular shape and sensual rolled out neck.  A wide brown framing line at the neck and another one at the base of the jar set forth the area for design.  Even on a jar this small, Elva managed to display the full impact of the Sikyatki-inspired migration pattern.  This jar has the impact of jars much larger in scale.  In fact, one of Fannie's favorite designs was the migration pattern-supposedly delineating the migration of the Hopi people through four worlds.

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Jaclas are comprised of two loops of turquoise and shell strung individually and then tied together in a fashion by which they can be hung from a nugget necklace.  Originally, in the 19th century, each of the units was made for use as earrings.  When not being worn, they were hung on a nugget necklace for storage.  Eventually, their use as earrings ceased and their use as a pendant on a necklace became permanent.

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This round pin was cast with sterling silver in a tufa mold, sometimes referred to as sand cast.  Tufa casting, often erroneously referred to as sand casting, is one of the earliest techniques used by the Navajo smiths. Today, it is still accomplished in the same manner as it was 150 years ago.

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Early jewelry sold by The Fred Harvey Company (using Navajo silversmiths) generally was made from thin silver and filled with stamped symbols relating to Indians or the Great Southwest.  This bracelet is no exception.  Stamped images include Whirling Logs, Maltese Crosses, stylized birds, collar tabs, crossed arrows, and other unidentified symbols.  The entire surface is filled with stamped imagery.

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"Hé-é-e or Hé'wuhti may be seen in Powamu celebrations most years, but it is at the Pachavu ceremonies that Hé-é-e is seen in her most impressive appearance.  This kachina is the Warrior Maid, based on the story of a young girl:

Many years ago, tradition says that some Hopis were living outside of the main village, and the mother of this household was putting up her daughter's hair.  The mother had finished only one side of the hair whorls, the hair on the other side still hanging loosely, when they saw enemies sneaking toward the village.  The daughter snatched up a bow, quiver and arrows from the wall and raced toward the village to warn the people. She then led the defense until the men in the fields could return and rout the enemy.

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Chakwaina appears most often in January during the Kiva Dances, dancing in a line with lively gestures, stooping and turning and singing a spirited tune. It has been said that Chakwaina represents Estevan the Moor, who led Fray Marcos de Niza in search of Cibola and was killed at Zuni. Barton Wright, the noted Katsina expert, said this is not likely because Chakwaina originally came from the Rio Grande pueblos, migrated to Zuni, then to Hopi from Zuni.

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We are all aware that many published reports state that it is very difficult to distinguish pottery from Laguna and Acoma Pueblos and that is quite true.  This historic wedding vase is the exception because it is clearly stated on the bottom of the vase that it is of Laguna origin.  The potter wanted to be sure that the buyer was aware that it was a Laguna item.  The rectangular orange boxes and the twisted handle would have been clues to a Laguna origin as well.

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At first glance, the paint on this historic jar appears to be the type known to have been applied after firing, something that occurred at San Ildefonso and Tesuque Pueblos around 1900.  Paint applied after firing can easily be removed with Acetone, however, the blue and red paint on this jar do not come off with the application of Acetone.  The source of these colors is unknown.

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Western Apache basket makers did not succumb to making non-functional basket shapes such as flat plaques, wastebaskets, straight-sided and footed vases and gadgets such as match holders, purses, and figures of animals, plants and humans, as did some of the other tribes.  They continued making baskets of the style with which they were familiar which was the style they made for their own use.

This bowl or tray is typical of those made for use but does not appear to have been used.  It has a three-rod foundation and the design starts with a dark circle at the bottom center and spreads out in a flower petal pattern.  There are other elements pendant from the rim but the floral design is the predominant one.  It is quite likely that this basket dates to the 1920s.

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The origin of this jar is interesting.  The shape of the vessel, the texture of the base and the design elements do not all seem to fit any single source of origin.  One could assume it to be from Santo Domingo Pueblo except the color of the un-slipped clay below the design is much more like that from San Ildefonso Pueblo as is the slope of that area. The cream slip appears to be rag wiped, not stone polished.  The cream slip extends an inch inside the inner rim and, below that, is a one-inch red slip further inside the rim.

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Bill Gallen currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he enjoys painting landscapes, particularly location pieces. Gallen's paintings are included in private, corporate and museum collections nationwide.

Gallen stated "Painting for me is a world where, time after time, the ripeness and richness of life is revealed in the simplest of expressions. A path through barren autumn scrub is material enough for a painting. Translating the thrill of seeing-and responding in paint language-is the way and means of our craft. No grand vista is needed to discover a sacred world; one lies before us already."

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Fremont Ellis was a Santa Fe painter, printmaker, teacher and founder of the Santa Fe group known as Los Cincos Pintores (The Five Painters).  Ellis was the most conservative of the group.  Ellis, before Santa Fe, was a native of Montana who was headed for a career as an optometrist.  He left Montana and moved to El Paso, Texas.  A trip to Santa Fe in 1919 for a summer of painting ended up becoming his life home.

This painting of Santa Isabella Creek was completed in 1972.  The only Santa Isabella Creek of which I am aware is a small stream of water located in Texas which runs through Laredo, Texas. The creek is formed 32 miles from Callaghan, Texas and runs southwest for 33 mi (53 km) until it connects to the Rio Grande.  Perhaps Ellis made a trip to Texas and painted this at that time.

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In 1972, F. H. Tutt, an art dealer from San Clemente, California, organized the printing of limited-numbered sets of five of Quincy Tahoma's paintings that he had commissioned in 1952.  He packaged them in a hardback folio and included a page explaining the portfolio.

In 1973, Tuff described the edition as follows:

               ...a Delux Portfolio of reproductions of the five paintings and a cover story in a beautiful silver and turquoise hard cover jacket...

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Chaveyo and Hahai-i-Wuhti are the parents of the dreaded ogres known as Nataskas. Chaveyo, himself, is dreaded as his function is to show any Hopi who fails to perform his share of work or who acts in an unacceptable manner the error of his ways. He appears in dances at all the Hopi villages. Wright, 1973

It is believed that Chaveyo was originally from the Northern New Mexico Pueblos but has been a Hopi Katsina for as long as can be remembered.  As do all Hopi Katsinas, he lives in the San Francisco Mountains and visits Hopi villages during the Katsina season of February to August.  He can be seen at Palölökongti (Water Serpent Dance) where he is badgered by the Hopi clowns but they eventually get whacked for pestering him.

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The Hemis Katsina is one of the more spectacular looking of all katsinas, particularly when one sees a line of 20 or 30 of them dancing in front of the same number of Hemismanas kneeling and creating rhythm with rasping sticks.  It is a favorite Katsina for the Niman ceremony (Home Dance) at most Hopi villages.

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According to Barton Wright, "A'hote may appear in any of the directional colors but the two most common colors are the yellow A'hote (Sikyahote) or the blue A'hote (Sakwahote). In a Plaza Dance it is not unusual to see a line of Sakwahote with several Sikyahote, and a white or red form as well." A'hote may appear in Mixed Katsina Dances or the Palölökong Dances as well as Plaza Dances.

This Katsina doll dates to circa 1940s.  The mask has protruding eyes and snout and has multi-color chevron designs.  Protruding red ears have feathers pointing forward and a grass headband is wrapped around the top of the mask.  A fur ruff surrounds the neck.  The Kachina doll has a painted concha belt and a carved fox tail suspended from the back of the skirt.  The doll is equipped with a string around its neck to facilitate displaying by hanging although it stands unaided as well.

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