Tyra Naha
Bear Paw Vase
6 1/4"
H x 4 3/4" D
This beautiful Hopi Pottery was
made by Tyra Naha. Tyra is the daughter of well-known
Hopi artist, Rainell (Rainy) Naha. She has certainly learned
a lot from her mother, and carries on the tradition and influence
of her grandmother, Helen Naha - also known as "Feather
Woman."
At nearly 30 years of age
Tyra is an accomplished potter in her own right and continues
to produce the same quality work that is the hallmark of the
Naha name. Tyra has shown at several major venues throughout
the Southwest. She has been featured at shows in Santa Fe, NM.,
the Heard Museum, and others.
Tyra has already appeared
in a few publications dealing primarily with Native American
art, and Hopi Pottery in particularly. Of most notable mention
is The Art of the Hopi by Jerry and Lois Essary Jacka
(pp. 42).
Like her mother, Tyra pays
special attention to every detail - polishing her pottery both
inside and out. Her pieces are delicate and graceful - full of
balance. Some have said that they have a porcelain-like quality.
Such could be said about this piece.
Although her pieces are fashioned
entirely in the traditional manner, Tyra's work remains incredibly
fine, and unlike many hand-coiled potteries, Tyra's are amazingly
light.
This piece is a stylized representation
of a bear track in the snow. The five ovals around the top and
the bottom make up the ten tracks of the bear. Tyra won a blue
ribbon at Santa Fe in 2000 for a piece with a similar design.
One of the most noteworthy
aspect of her pottery is the fullness of design. Tyra has meticulously
continued her designs all the way along the underside to the
pedestal of the piece.
She has signed with a combination
of the Naha family feather and the spider which represents her
clan.
