Preston Duwyenie
Sipapu
3 1/2"
H x 6 1/2" D
Born in 1951 in the village
of Hotevilla at Third Mesa on the Hopi Indian Reservation of
Arizona, Preston Duwyenie has emerged out of a cultural past
and into the present with his simple and striking works of art.
His distinguished past includes
degrees at the American Indian Art Institute, a BFA at the University
of Colorado, and coursework in the MFA program at the same school.
His career launched him into a world of mixed mediums where he
not only practiced metal work and ceramics but taught as well.
He has traveled North America giving workshops and lectures.
His inspiration comes from
his native homeland however. His designs are indicative of the
drifting sand dunes that are found in isolated areas of the Hopi
reservation. The silver ingots have water-like designs which
represent a reverence for water and the rain which is a scarce
resource. The silver is cast from cuttlefish bone. His shifting
sands series integrates ceramic and metal, reflecting one moment
in time for the artist.
He has been featured in nearly
every single gallery, show, and museum in the country. He has
truly established himself as one of the "great ones"
in American Indian art.
