Preston Youvella
Bumble Bee
10" H
with 1/2" base
"The Bee makes rather
casual appearances during the Mixed Kachina Dances or during
the night ritual of the Water Serpent Ceremony. He presumably
dances among the audience, although how anyone could dance through
the tightly packed humanity is hard to imagine.
With a tiny bow and miniature
arrows he either threatens to shoot the spectators or actually
does hit some of them with tiny blunt arrows. In Zuni, when this
personation appears, he brings honey to the children in the audience
in the odd-shaped cups that appear on the top of his head."
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artist's Documentary (85)
Preston is the son of Tino
Youvella, from Polacca, Arizona on the Hopi Indian reservation.
Preston has been carving since
he was a boy and has accompanied his father and brother, Alex,
to many shows throughout the southwest.
Like his father, Preston's
work represents a great value for collectors just starting out
or who are looking for nice work at a great price.
Like the rest of his family,
he is very involved in the kiva activities in his village and
he helps his father and family members with other traditional
responsibilities.
