Cecilia McKelvey is a daughter of noted Navajo potter Lucy McKelvey.  She learned to make pottery from her mother.  This plate is made using native clays and traditional clays and pigments (hematite, bee-weed, etc) for her pottery.  It is fired outdoors using oak.  Her designs are inspired by traditional sandpainting and rug designs.  This plate is coil-built and painted before firing.  The design is “Mother Earth and Father Sky”.  The story of this design is as follows:

“The Navajo people, the Diné, passed through three different worlds before emerging into this world, The Fourth World, or Glittering World. The Diné believes there are two classes of beings: the Earth People and the Holy People. The Holy People are believed to have the power to aid or harm the Earth People. Since Earth People of the Diné are an integral part of the universe, they must do everything they can to maintain harmony or balance on Mother Earth.  It is believed that centuries ago the Holy People taught the Diné how to live the right way and to conduct their many acts of everyday life. They were taught to live in harmony with Mother Earth, Father Sky, and the many other elements such as man, animals, plants, and insects.”

The plate is fully painted on the front.  The back is polished red. The piece is signed on the back, ‘Cecilia McKelvey”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  The plate has a second place ribbon from the 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market and the ribbon is signed by Dextra Quotskuyva and R. Pardington.