Adobe Gallery Blog

Garnet Pavatea was known as Flower Girl and she was a Hopi-Tewa from the Tewa Village on First Mesa on the Hopi Reservation. Her dad, Dewakuku, was Hopi and her mother was Tewa. Following tradition, Garnet was of her mother's clan.

Hopi artisans owe much thanks to Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, co-founder of the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. She was instrumental in creating the Hopi Craftsman Exhibition in the early 1930s with the intent of fostering production of quality work. She was concerned that traders were content to accept and sell mediocre work from Hopi craftsmen and were not interested in educating the public on quality crafts. She organized the craft exhibit for the July 4th weekend every year and it has served her intent to greatly increase interest in quality Hopi crafts.

Garnet Pavatea was a long-time entrant in the craft exhibit and won many awards by doing so. She also seemed to be a favorite of the Museum of Northern Arizona. She was often a demonstrator at the Craftsman Exhibition. For a number of years, Adobe Gallery had a standing order from the Museum of Northern Arizona for any Garnet Pavatea pottery available.

This small bowl is a fine example to illustrate the careful craftsmanship of Pavatea. The bowl was beautifully formed, polished inside and outside and painted with the utmost care. It is an excellent example of this potter's work.

Condition: excellent condition
Provenance: from an Albuquerque family
Recommenced Reading: Contemporary Hopi Pottery by Laura Graves Allen

Subject: Hopi Monochromatic Low Bowl
Artist / Potter: Garnet Pavatea (1915-1981) Flower Girl
Category: Contemporary
Origin: Hopi Pueblo
Medium: clay, pigment
Size: 2-7/8" deep x 5-1/8" diameter
Item # 25579