Gloria Mahle
Flutter Byes
5 3/4"
H x 9 1/2" D
Gloria Mahle has been one
of my favorite "folk" potters from Hopi for a long
time. We have enjoyed presenting many of her smaller and less
complex pieces over the years because her designs are always
so fresh and clean. When we saw this piece, we jumped for joy!
It features everything we love about Gloria's work - excellent
polish, rich blush, whimsical design, and a beautiful shape -
but on a grand scale - AND the incoporation of the applique butterflies
was something we have not seen before!
Gloria Mahle has been an active
Hopi potter since 1980. She attributes much of her development
and success to Rainy Naha and Fawn Navasie who have acted as
her teachers and mentors.
Her painting is very fine
and her polishing extremely smooth. Her finished pots are exceptional
in quality and design. She is known for her bird, rain and cloud
designs.
Gloria has appeared in several
magazines and publications dealing primarily with Native American
art and Hopi Pottery, in particularly. These include Hopi-Tewa
Potters by Gregory Schaaf, p. 73; and Art of the Hopi,
Contemporary Journeys on Ancient Pathways by Jerry and Lois
Essary Jacka, p. 100.
She has also won numerous
awards, including ribbons at the Museum of Northern Arizona Hopi
Marketplace, and is best known for her symmetry and her detail
in application and innovation.
Beautiful Hopi "fire-clouds"
indicate that Gloria has indeed remained loyal to her traditional
methods of forming and firing her pottery. These stunning reddish-orange
shades can only be obtained through the natural sheep-dung firing
process.