Polacca, Thomas – Seed Jar with Eagle Katsina at Walpi Village (1980s)
$ 1,000.00
This is a classic carved seed jar by Thomas Polacca. Thomas was a son of noted potter Fannie Nampeyo and a grandson of Nampeyo of Hano. He is considered among the first men to begin making pottery at Hopi in the 1970s. Interestingly, the men initially did not use the traditional Sikyatki painted designs but followed other directions in their pottery. The shape of this piece creates a full design for carving. There is a large Eagle Katsina with its wings outstretched. Note how all the feathers are carved on the wings! Below the wings as the jar is turned, there is a carved Hopi village. There is a “triple stone” carving next to the village, which is a landmark at Walpi. Walpi is on First Mesa and has been inhabited since 900. The carving on this piece is at multiple layers and has a strong use of clay colors. The piece is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair. The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Tom Polacca”. It is from the late 1980s.
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This is a classic carved seed jar by Thomas Polacca. Thomas was a son of noted potter Fannie Nampeyo and a grandson of Nampeyo of Hano. He is considered among the first men to begin making pottery at Hopi in the 1970s. Interestingly, the men initially did not use the traditional Sikyatki painted designs but followed other directions in their pottery. The shape of this piece creates a full design for carving. There is a large Eagle Katsina with its wings outstretched. Note how all the feathers are carved on the wings! Below the wings as the jar is turned, there is a carved Hopi village. There is a “triple stone” carving next to the village, which is a landmark at Walpi. Walpi is on First Mesa and has been inhabited since 900. The carving on this piece is at multiple layers and has a strong use of clay colors. The piece is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair. The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Tom Polacca”. It is from the late 1980s.
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Polacca, Thomas (1935 - 2003)
Thomas Polacca was a son of noted potter Fannie Nampeyo and a grandson of Nampeyo of Hano. Along with Wallace Youvella (the husband of his sister Iris), Thomas was one of the first Hopi men to make and design pottery in the 1970s. Wallace and Thomas told the story that they first tried making pottery with "traditional" designs. Still, there was resistance from the women, so they began to create a new style of Hopi pottery with carved designs, much like Hopi Katsinas. Thomas received wide acclaim for his pottery over the years, and his work is in numerous museums, such as the Heard, the Denver Art Museum, and others.