Hopi-Tewa Pottery Essay

The Process of Hopi-Tewa Pottery Making When you look at a piece of art work, do you ever stop to wonder about the process involved or the person who actually created the piece? What about the time, preparation, and meticulous detail involved? Maybe you are the type of person who has knowledge of a particular artisan or type of art, but many of us enjoy art simply because it appeals to our individual tastes. In every house, apartment, and even dorm room, there surely exists one piece of art that reflects the individual’s tastes and preferences. Art is an opening to the soul, not only to the soul of the owner, but to that of the creator. This is one of the reasons art is so highly regarded.

Imagine then, an artist being

This past February, at the Arizona State Museum, located on the University of Arizona campus, I spoke with His Nampeyo at the museum’s annual art fair. Of course, the information that can be gathered from books is quite beneficial, but there is certain authenticity to the process of pottery making when seen first hand. Included in the exhibit, were pieces of Hisi’s personal collection and some additional pieces from other artisans in her community and she demonstrated her technique as part of the exhibit. Hisi was extremely eager and informative in addressing all the aspects of traditional Hopi-Tewa pottery making, and I was fortunate enough to have her demonstrate a work in progress. The following explanation of the process of Hopi-Tewa pottery making will show how truly essential these traditional methods are to the artisans themselves, and to the preservation of their

This last step also follows the traditional methods passed on from Nampeyo. A kiln, because it is a more modern device is not used. Rather, the Hopi-Tewa have developed their own methods in place of using a kiln. The results of this process have worked well for the Hopis for centuries, thus allowing the potters to remain true to their predecessors. Depending on the size of a particular piece, the firing time can differ. According to Hisi, the average time for firing usually ranges from 2-3 hours. The first step involved is to create smoldering coal for which the piece will rest on top. Typically, cow or sheep manure is used, but the type of dung used depends solely on the livestock particular to each geographic region. The manure, once hot, has shards of old pottery pieces placed on top of it so as to prevent direct fire from touching the art piece directly. The direct fire can cause discoloration and even breakage. The piece is then placed on the shards and covered with more manure and left to “bake” in this make shift oven. After the allotted burning time the piece is left to cool inside the oven. If the pottery is removed too quickly, the piece is more susceptible to cracking. This process, however cumbersome, continues to produce some of the most beautiful pieces of pottery in the