Karen Abeita is known for her traditional and innovative Hopi-Tewa pottery.  This may be one of her most charming pieces I have seen.  The jar has a low, round shoudler and a turned out rim. What’s charming? The design!  The sides have tiny painted hummingbird heads surrounded on each side by red slipped wings.  Each is so delicately painted.  Separating them are two large sections.  Each with a traditonal hummingbird tail and wing design.  There is so much detail in this jar, along with the various colors of clay.  Below the shoulder are small pottery shard designs.  They are placed as single shards or groups.  It is traditionally fired to create the blushes on the surface of the jar. It is signed on the bottom in bee-weed, “Karen Abeita”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Brand

Abeita, Karen (b. 1960)

Karen Abeita

Karen Abeita’s mother was Lenora Nahoodyce Abeyta and her father, Isidor Abeita, Sr., was from Isleta Pueblo. Her maternal family is from the Kachina-Parrot Clan at Hopi. She is known for her intricately painted pottery and use of traditional designs and techniques. She has won numerous awards for her pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Indian Market and other events.