Youvella, Wallace – Red Bowl with Three Tewa Sun Designs (1976)

4"w x 3.75"h

$ 875.00

This is an intricately etched red seed bowl by Wallace Youvella.  He was the husband of noted Hopi-Tewa potter Iris Nampeyo  It is fully polished red and the design is incised into the clay.  There are three sun medallions as the design. The sunface is one of the katsinas of Hopi.  This piece was made in1976.  Wallace was one of the first three men at Hopi in the mid-1970’s to begin making pottery (the others were Mark Tahbo and Thomas Polacca).  Interestingly, Thomas and Wallace (who were brothers-in-law) both started with traditional Hopi-Tewa designs but met resistance from the women potters, so began making pieces that were either fully polished and etched or carved.  This piece is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Wallace Youvella”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.