Tonita &
Loren Nampeyo
Generations
11" H
x 6 1/4" D
This piece is a collaborative
effort between Tonita Nampeyo, who constructed the vase, and
her son Loren, who carved the sgraffito desgins into its surface
and painted them.
What a rare and unique opportunity
to collect a work by artists are both ends of the traditional
spectrum. Titled, Generations, this piece reflects the passing
of the tradition from one to another - not to mention the series
of stylized sun motifs that fan across the horizon.
Another beautiful characteristic
of this pottery is the warmth created by subtle fire clouds appearing
throughout.
Considered the true matriarch
of the remaining Nampeyo family, Tonita is the eldest daughter
of Fannie Nampeyo, and grand-daughter to the legendary Nampeyo
who was credited as being instrumental in the revitalization
of Hopi polychrome pottery.
In the footsteps of her forebears,
Tonita stays true to her traditional roots, preferring to do
everything the "old way." Her clay is still dug from
deposits near her home. She still hand-coils and hand polishes
every piece she does. Tonita remains loyal to many of the original
Sikyatki ruins designs, as can be seen here in this beautiful
vase.
The rich orange and brown
colors are achieved through a traditional process of pigmentation
where natural vegetal and mineral dyes are used. Tonita has traditionally
fired this piece as well - as can be seen in the subtle shifts
in color around the base of the pot.
Tonita is world-renown and
appears in nearly every publication dealing with Hopi pottery.
Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the
globe, and she has shown and placed at nearly every major venue
throughout the Southwest.
Her work appears in Fourteen
Families in Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham, The Art
of the Hopi by Jerry Jacka, and Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500
Artists Biographies by Gregory Schaff as well as others.
Loren Hamilton Nampeyo learned
the delicate art of pottery making from being around his maternal
grandmother, Fannie Nampeyo. He also learned a great deal from
his well-known mother, Tonita Hamilton Nampeyo.
He spent a year learning from
his Uncle, Tom Polacca. He still makes pottery full time, interpreting
old designs his way. He uses a method he learned from Tom, called
Sgraffito, which is the cutting away of different parts of surface
layer of clay to expose colored layers.
Loren's work remains some
of the finest in Hopi carved pottery. His meticulous attention
to detail can be seen in every line.
Loren's work is also recognizable
because of the high-polished finish he achieves in completing
his pieces. In this way, his work resembles that of his well-known
aunt, Iris Youvella Nampeyo.
We're pleased to present this
unique piece of pottery by Loren. He is featured in many publications
on Hopi-Tewa pottery, and is an important part of the Nampeyo
family tree.
