Marlin Pinto, Hopi Pueblo Carver

Self-taught carver Marlin Pinto started carving when he was only eleven years old and quickly became famous for his exquisite miniature katsina doll carvings. Later, he became even more famous for his truly outstanding larger one-piece katsina doll carvings.

He watched his famous uncle, Hopi painter Raymond Naha, who occasionally carved in between painting sessions. He picked up the technique by watching Naha. In carving the one-piece katsina dolls, Marlin used only a pocketknife. He had no power tools. He felt that the pocketknife reveals a more natural look to the one-piece carvings. He spent about a month completing a larger doll. Pinto passed away in January 2021.

Marlin Pinto (1957- 2021) was a Hopi even though he was born at Zuni Pueblo. His mother was Shirley Ben, his grandmother was Daisey Hooee Nampeyo, and his great grandmother was Annie Healing Nampeyo, which makes his great, great grandmother Nampeyo of Hano.

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo, Zuni Pueblo, Shirley Ben, Daisey Hooee Nampeyo, Annie Healing Nampeyo, Nampeyo of Hano, Raymond Naha