Jonathan Charles Cordero (1968 – )

Jonathan Charles Cordero was born in Moenkopi, AZ on the Hopi Reservation.  His father, who was Cochiti, died when Jon was just a baby.  Although Jon was raised on the Hopi Reservation, he would always spend a month each summer with his Cochiti grandmother, the famed matriarch of storytellers, Helen Cordero.  His grandmother tried to teach him to make storytellers, but it just wasn’t his calling.  Instead, when he was in high school, he learned to carve Kachina dolls from his uncles, Hopi master carvers Loren Phillips and Tom Holmes.  Loren was not only his teacher, but also continued to encourage Jon in his carving through the years. 

Like the traditional Hopi Jon continually strives to be, he works very hard all the time tending to his cattle and his horse as well as planting and tending his crops of corn, beans, melons and squash.  He participates in the dances, with respect to the Kachinas.  Yet Jon always finds time to do what he likes best, and that is to carve. Instead of carving alone, Jon prefers the company of other carvers.  His favorite carving buddy has always been his cousin and clan brother Leonard Selestewa, who was also always a great source of encouragement for Jon.

Excerpt from Hopi Katsina: 1,600 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf.

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