The Maze, or Se-eh-ha’s House (Man in the Maze)
Man in the Maze, a recognizable symbol among Native American art, represents challenge and triumph, and is a true symbol of perseverance. After Se-eh-ha returned to his home in the Greasy Mountains, he decided to build a new home, a dwelling that would be like... Read more
The Native American Squash Blossom Necklace
The Native American squash blossom necklace, while a Native American creation, developed slowly and is deeply rooted in non-Native American Indian culture and history. The main part of any squash (blossom) necklace, the crescent shaped pendant called the... Read more
February Artist Spotlight: Gwen Tafoya
It is our pleasure to introduce you to February’s featured artist, and our friend, Santa Clara potter Gwen Tafoya. A member of Santa Clara Pubelo, Gwen Tafoya was born on April 18, 1965 to Mary Agnes Tafoya. She first learned... Read more
A Brief History on Native American Kachinas
Native American Kachinas have a rich and varied history beyond the fact that they are most often recognized as wooden, carved dolls. The “original” kachinas were supernatural spirits and beings. These mostly benevolent entities once lived among the Native American... Read more
Artist Spotlight: Ida Sahmie
Hopi potter Ida Sahmie, born Navajo and married into Hopi, strikes a lovely balance between the two tribes in her pieces, incorporating her Navajo heritage in her Hopi pottery by way of traditional Navajo designs. Ida, born in the the Navajo nation, became a member of... Read more
The Tale of the Corn Maiden
A story written by Isleta Pueblo carver Andy Abeita, this piece explores the Tale of the Corn Maiden, and the importance of both the figure and all she represents in Pueblo Native American culture. In Pueblo Indian culture, there have been... Read more
Guardian Fetishes: The Six Directional Animals
Our friend and fetish carver Andy Abeita of Isleta Pueblo was kind enough to share some of his writings with us, and we are proud to share his rendition of the Guardian Fetishes: Six Directional Animals, with you. And so the Great Spirit... Read more
The Pueblo Storyteller
Time-honored Pueblo pottery traditions of working with clay and telling stories have merged into a modern art form: “Storyteller” pottery dolls. The art of making clay effigies is as ancient as the Anasazi peoples, who inhabited the deserts of New Mexico many... Read more
Artist Spotlight: Donna Navasie Robertston
It is our pleasure to introduce you to a Hopi potter with a very recognizable last name steeped in Pueblo pottery tradition: Donna Navasie Robertson. Donna Navasie Robertson was born on July 24, 1972 to Marianne Navasie and Lewis Robertson and raised by her mother and... Read more
Significant Symbols of Southwest Art
Symbols are an integral part of all cultures. Whether we think about symbols tied to religion, literature, poetry, architecture, ethnicity or art, each has a special and important significance. Symbols convey a specific and unique meaning that is of the utmost... Read more