Aaron J. Fredericks
Poli Mana
Butterfly Girl
11" H
with 1 1/4" base
Aaron J. Fredericks is a younger
carver whose work has rapidly reached the top of its category.
He consistently does well at juried competitions including Santa
Fe's Indian Market, the Heard Museum's Indian Art Show, and others.
His work can be found in the most discriminating collections.
He is a traditional carver
from the village of Shungopavi at Second Mesa. He enjoys working
on his dolls, and gets a lot of inspiration from his cultural
heritage. His wife also encourages his work and shares in the
creative process by suggesting colorful themes seen throughout
his work.
As with all of Aaron's kachinas,
this piece is masterfully detailed with superb painting and shading.
It has been carved primarily from one piece. It stands a total of 12 1/4" tall.
This particular figure represents
the Butterfly Maiden as she appears during the social dances.
She is danced only by the unmarried girls of the village, and
typically is danced during the fall months, before the Kachina
cycle begins again.
She is similar to her Palhik
Mana kachina counter-part in that she wears an elaborate
tableta or headdress. However, she is NOT a kachina, and
can be differentiated by the fact that she does not wear a mask.
You can see here that she
is portrayed naturally with her female face.
One of the most appealing
aspects of Aaron's work is the detail he puts into the overall
carving. Not only is the figure itself well carved, with meticulous
attention to the subtle textures and delicate painting, but there
is always additional symbolism and other meaningful Hopi motifs
depicted throughout.
This piece brings a variety
of sacred Hopi emblems together. It has a very delicate and spiritual
feel. Ceremonial feathers
appear descending toward the base.
A beautiful series of flowers
also winds its way up the backside, featuring roses and others.
A graceful butterfly rests gently on her hand.
All of these symbols come
together as a prayer of thanks for the gift of life.
