Description
Karen Abeita’s pottery is among the finest art-work produced at Hopi today. She is the daughter of a Tewa mother and a Isleta Pueblo father. She was raised in a traditional Tewa home and is a member of the Kachina/Parrot clan. Karen lives in Polacca, located on the Hopi Indian Reservation in Northeastern Arizona where she continues to live a very strong traditional life.
Karen’s pottery is all hand coiled and the painting is done with brushes made from the yucca plant. The paint is made from the mustard seed plant and is then poured onto a painting stone and rubbed back and forth with black hematite. Karen says that mixing the paint is one of the most important procedures considering if you paint the most beautiful design on your pottery but didn’t mix the paint properly, it will completely rub off. After the painting is complete, the pottery is then fired outside with sheep manure.
Karen Abeita painted this seed bowl with bird designs. The piece measures 4.5″ high by 7″ diameter
