Gary Polacca
Pilgrimage
10 1/4"
H x 10 1/4" D
Gary is the eldest son of
Tom Polacca, and the great grandson of the legendary Hopi pottery,
Nampeyo. Like his father, he continues to pave a way in blending
contemporary pottery making techniques with traditional Hopi
designs.
Gary's pieces are unique and
extremely rare. He only produces a handful of potteries per year,
as he spends the rest of his time as an academic professional.
His passion, however, is pottery. He explained to me that it
is a very personal process for him - one that requires a great
deal of pondering and introspection.
Listening to Gary talk about
his love for pottery making really made me see this form of art
in a new light. In our conversation regarding pottery, Gary said:
"Every pot has a part
of me that goes with it. Pottery allows me to look into the past
and see my people. They were like me, with emotions, searching
for a sense of spirituality.
Each pot tells a unique story.
Each piece interprets and represents my thoughts and feelings
and what is important to me."
You might notice that Gary's
pottery do not have any red pigmentation in them. When I asked
why, he said:
"My pots don't have red
in them because my environment is full of earth tones. When I
look out my window at these mesas, I don't see red - I see a
spectrum of natural colors. The different shades would allow
it to blend in with the natural setting. Red would be too obvious."
"I start by looking at
my pot, and I sit and turn it around and around and around for
a long time - and I have a vision, you might say. It's like a
dream where I can see the past - and then there is the design.
That's why my pots are never
alike, because when I see the design, it comes from a vision,
and each is unique."
The background designs could
be interpreted as their "thoughts," or "the desires
of their heart." Some of these symbols are traditional Hopi
symbols for sun, rain or water, and even corn. For the Hopi,
the center of everything is water.
Gary has been featured in
many publications, ranging from Rick Dillingham's Fourteen Families,
to Gregory Schaff's Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies.
Gary explained that the figures
adorning this pottery surface represent three prophets that are
thought by the Hopi to have led them to their arid homeland amidst
the three mesas where their villages are today.
They made a humble pilgrimage
and were told by their creator to remain close to him through
their spirituality. Their code requires that they think of others
before themselves and always open their door to guests.
The leading priest has his
head bent in prayer - thus his eyes are not visible. This is
also an indication that their identities are not known, but that
they are still present among us.
The Sunface is symbolic of
the Creator and his guidance. The temple is similar to those
found in Central America, where Gary and many other Hopis believe
they once migrated from.
