Adobe Gallery Blog

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

Hopi artisans owe much 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 seed jar of the Sikyatki-shape is a shining example of her expert craftsmanship in vessel construction and her artistic talent in designing and painting a jar. She extended the red paint on the rim down into the interior of the jar, a step not necessary, but one that demonstrates her attention to detail. The jar was constructed from all native materials and fired in a traditional outdoor firing. It is signed Garnet Pavatea on the underside.

Condition: the jar must be at least 40 years old and is in original condition.
Provenance: from a gentleman collector from Colorado
Recommended Reading: Canvas of Clay: Seven Centuries of Hopi Ceramic Art by Edwin L. Wade and Allan Cooke

Subject: Hopi Sikyatki-style Seed Jar
Artist / Potter: Garnet Pavatea (1915-1981) Flower Girl
Category: Contemporary
Origin: Hopi Pueblo
Medium: clay, pigment
Size: 2-3/4" tall x 8" diameter
Item # C3354C