Brian Honyouti
& Rick James
Ewiro
11 1/4"
H with 2" base
Both Rick James and Brian
Honyouti contributed to the creation of this collaborative effort.
Brian's bold designs and use of color features prominently, while
Rick's sense of posture and proportion are more subtely exhibited
in the action of this carving. We're excited to feature this
dual endeavor by two of the top kachina carvers.
"Ewiro is an old style
Third Mesa kachina that normally appears during Pachavu. However,
he may appear to make war on the clowns during the regular plaza
dances later in the year. He functions as a policeman and formerly
oversaw the cleaning out of springs.
"The small shield that
this kachina carries may be barely discerned at his right side."
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artists Documentary (63).
This kachina was carved by
Brian Honyouti, one of three famous Hopi brothers, who often
carve together. The Honyoutis, Loren, Brian and Ronald, are originally
from Bacavi, Arizona on the Hopi reservation. The Honyoutis are
featured in many books on Hopi carving including, "Kachina
Dolls" by Helga Tiewes and "The Art of the Hopi"
by Jerry and Lois Jacka.
In Helga's book, Brian is
written about extensively. The Honyoutis are considered forerunners
in the art of realistic carvings and are in a class of their
own.
Brian was born in 1947 in
the village of Hotevilla, Arizona on the Hopi reservation. He
started carving Kachinas in the mid 1960's, and learned his carving
techniques from his father, who taught him how to make one-piece
carvings. He began using oil paints in 1978, and he is universally
credited with being the first carver to use wood preservatives
and varnish as a sealer, instead of the usual white undercoat.
Brian was also the first carver
to substitute wood preservatives instead of paint, leaving the
flesh areas unpainted and using the natural wood colors. He rarely
uses Dremel tools and wood burners, preferring to do all of his
carving with pocket knives, chisels, hack-saw blades and small
files.
He has signed the doll on
the back of the base: "BH"
Rick James is originally from
Bacavi, Arizona on Third Mesa. He is in his early 40's and now
lives in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Rick first started carving
in 1974 at the age of 12.
Rick is listed in Eric Bromberg's
book "The Hopi Approach to Kachina Doll Carving," as
well as Theda Bassman's "Hopi Kachina Dolls and Their Carvers."
Rick is a very talented carver, and he should be, because he
was taught by one of the best...his father, Alvin James Makya,
generally accepted as the originator of all-wood action carvings.
