Quotskuyva, Dextra – Bowl with Four Hummingbirds (1980s)

6.5"w x 4.5"h

$ 4,600.00

Dextra Quostkuyva Nampeyo is certainly one of the most influential Hopi-Tewa potters of the last 50 years. Not only has she taught numerous potters (Steve Lucas, Yvonne Lucas, Les Namingha, Loren Ami, Hisi Nampeyo, to name just a few), but her creative designs and forms have dramatically influenced the pottery itself.  This bowl is from the 1980s.  It has an asymmetric opening. There are two hummingbirds on each side. They are painted in a geometric manner with a very thin lined section extending downward.  Separating the birds are larger hummingbird wing and hummingbird tail designs.  It is slipped with brown clay to accent the designs.  Her designs draw the eye to move around the bowl.  She also deftly uses the negative space of the clay to enhance her imagery.  There is creative sophistication to the piece, much like in that of Nampeyo of Hano.  The bowl was traditionally fired, creating strong blushes on the surface. This bowl is signed on the bottom, “Dextra” and an ear of corn for Corn Clan.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  Definitely a classic of her creative clay art!

Dextra said of her early pottery:

“I was watching my mom (Rachel Nampeyo) all the time, and I was picking up everything she was doing. I found my own polishing stones. I would collect clays.  My mother didn’t like it when I did different types of designs. She was different in her ideas. My mother, she went so far as to say that whatever our great-grandmother had reproduced from old designs—those were important designs. We’re supposed to have the basics, she’d say. The big six. Don’t part from that. The six traditional designs. One of them is the migration design, the eagle feather design, the hummingbird design, the horned lizard, the moth design, and parrots. Those are the ones that started with Lesso and Nampeyo.  The designs are mainly from Sikyatki people—it was their pottery that was dug out when they were excavating. They were beautiful designs they had used quite a bit.”  Dextra Quotskuyva, Spoken Through Clay