By Tisha Colussy
 

    When you look at a piece of art work, do you ever stop to wonder about the process involved or the person who actually created the piece?  What about the time, preparation, and meticulous detail involved?  Maybe you are the type of person who has knowledge of a particular artisan or type of art, but many of us enjoy art simply because it appeals to our individual tastes.  In every house, apartment, and even dorm room, there surely exists one piece of art that reflects the individual’s tastes and preferences. Art is an opening to the soul, not only to the soul of the owner, but to that of the creator.  This is one of the reasons art is so highly regarded.
    Imagine then, an artist being criticized for spending too much time on the production of a piece.  It seems rather ridiculous, does it not?  Unfortunately, this is actually happening to one particular group of artisans, whom will be the focus of this paper.  The Hopi-Tewa potters of the Southwest have come under attack by Euro-American critics who have begun to claim that the process by which these potters make their pottery is too tedious.  They would argue that, with all the new technological advances of today, the potters could replace some of their cumbersome methods and, in turn, produce more at a faster rate.  The problem with this idea, however, is that while time is no longer being sacrificed, tradition, authenticity, and quality may be.  This clash of values is a good example of a contact zone that exists between Euro-American culture and the traditional Hopi-Tewa potters of today.
    A contact zone, as defined by Mary Louise Pratt in her article “Arts of the Contact Zone” is the place where people “meet, clash and grapple with one another.”  This concept deals with the fact that all individuals have their own set of guidelines and however any two might come in contact with each other, there may exist a difference of opinions.  This clash of values between the Hopi-Tewa and the art market is not a Hopi phenomenon;  differences in opinions occur in every area of life.  Unfortunately, a contact zone is all too evident when related to the Euro-American culture, which promotes change, and which drives the market within which the Hopis sell their pottery, and the Native American culture which hinges on tradition.
    Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Hisi Nampeyo, the great-great granddaughter of Nampeyo, who was responsible for the revival of the classic style and design of  Hopi-Tewa pottery as we know it today, and has passed her traditional designs on to her descendents.  This past February, at the Arizona State Museum, located on the University of Arizona campus, I spoke with His Nampeyo at the museum’s annual art fair.  Of course, the information that can be gathered from books is quite beneficial, but there is certain authenticity to the process of pottery making when seen first hand. Included in the exhibit, were pieces of Hisi’s personal collection and some additional pieces from other artisans in her community and she demonstrated her technique as part of the exhibit.  Hisi was extremely eager and informative in addressing all the aspects of traditional Hopi-Tewa pottery making, and I was fortunate enough to have her demonstrate a work in progress.  The following explanation of the process of Hopi-Tewa pottery making will show how truly essential these traditional methods are to the artisans themselves, and to the preservation of their culture.
    Perhaps the most important element involved in Hopi-Tewa pottery making is the selection and preparation of the clay.  Besides being the first step in this process, the clay also symbolizes the preservation of traditional Hopi methods by excavating a clay that is native to the community in which the potter resides.  The clay is found mostly in the local mesas near the tribes, where it is excavated and then prepared for molding.  Traditional Hopi-Tewa pottery tends to have a golden hue to it once it has been fired, but the “virgin” clay, itself, before any impurities have been removed, may be red, buff or yellow.  In order to obtain the most pure type of clay, the excavated rock-like material must first be soaked in water until it has the soft, smooth, pliable properties associated with clay.  Once the clay has been soaked, it is then strained through a fine cloth to remove any excess impurities.  In some instances, Levi jeans have been used as a straining mechanism for the wet clay to be pushed through, thus, removing any extra debris.  The purified clay is then buried in the sand to soak up any excess moisture and to keep the clay in prime condition for molding (Hisi Nampeyo).
     The next step in the process is to choose a shape and begin manipulating the clay into the desired shape, or visa versa.  The design can come after the shaping has already begun.  First, a small ball is formed and pinched into a bowl-like shape.  Dried gourd shells for smoothing out the damp clay are used at this point (Different smoothing devices are used at the various stages of pottery making to achieve different results.  A few will be mentioned throughout the explanation of this process).  Once the small bowl has been formed and smoothed, a coil of clay is added to the inside wall of the bowl.  The coil is smoothed in an upward and outward motion that gives the piece depth as well as height.  Since the thickness of the coil determines the thickness of the piece, the piece is at a greater risk for cracking the more thick the coil.  Air bubbles, characteristic of thicker coils, tend to arise if the piece is not smoothed to the point where all bubbles have been eliminated.  Therefore, it is important that as each coil is added, the air bubbles are removed so as to prevent any cracking during the firing stage.
 

    Puki is a supportive base made from wood ashes and water.  It is used to sustain the shape of the piece so that the proper shape can be maintained during the formation process.  After the artisan has reached his or her desired shape, depth and size, the unfinished piece must be left to dry in a cool, dry place for approximately 2-3 days (Hisi Nampeyo).
 

     Design and color presentation are the next elements to this process.  Instead of purchasing paint in an art store, the Hopis have continued the traditions of Nampeyo by making their own painting materials from the native plants and rocks surrounding them.  Once the piece has been dried, it is then sanded with a sandstone and polished with a smooth river rock.  This smoothing and polishing technique gives the piece a grayish sheen and allows for the smooth application of paint.  Since glaze is not used, the smoothing and polishing must be done with absolute detail in order to achieve what looks like a glazed finish  (Peterson 64).  Aside from the surface color of the piece, three other colors have typically been associated with Hopi-Tewa pottery.  The colors black, white, and red are used most often.  Bee weed, a kind of spinach, can be eaten, but serves a much more important function as the black paint used to make the ornate designs characteristic of this type of pottery.  The bee weed is boiled and from it, a black color or dye is extracted.  Red rock, hematite, flagstone and clay also provide different colors that can be used in the painting process.  It is important that the paint be just the right consistency in order to assure that there will be no running or clumping in the sketches.  The consistency is also important because of the paint brushes that are used in the painting process.  The brushes are made of yucca, a plant native to the Southwestern United States and Mexico (Hisi Nampeyo).  These small brushes may be as small in length and width as a toothpick, but the designs that can be achieved by using a brush such as this are quite elaborate.  As for the design of the piece, this decision is left up to the individual artisan.  Some designs are unique to a tribe, while others are the creation of the individual artisan.
 

    The final step in this whole process is the firing.  This last step also follows the traditional methods passed on from Nampeyo.  A kiln, because it is a more modern device is not used.  Rather, the Hopi-Tewa have developed their own methods in place of using a kiln.  The results of this process have worked well for the Hopis for centuries, thus allowing the potters to remain true to their predecessors. Depending on the size of a particular piece, the firing time can differ.  According to Hisi, the average time for firing usually ranges from 2-3 hours.  The first step involved is to create smoldering coal for which the piece will rest on top.  Typically, cow or sheep manure is used, but the type of dung used depends solely on the livestock particular to each geographic region.  The manure, once hot, has shards of old pottery pieces placed on top of it so as to prevent direct fire from touching the art piece directly.  The direct fire can cause discoloration and even breakage.  The piece is then placed on the shards and covered with more manure and left to “bake” in this make shift oven.  After the allotted burning time the piece is left to cool inside the oven.  If the pottery is removed too quickly, the piece is more susceptible to cracking.  This process, however cumbersome, continues to produce some of the most beautiful pieces of pottery in the world.
    As one can see just from this detailed description of the process, Hopi-Tewa pottery materials are not purchased in a store.  Rather, they are materials native to the particular geographic regions. It is obvious that the traditional process involved in making these art pieces is as valuable to the natives as the product is to the Euro-American art market.   It is unfortunate that the art market has created such a negative contact zone with itself and the native potters. As the Euro-American population increasingly becomes more of a supporter of Hopi-Tewa pottery, their idea that technology is the answer for these artisans also becomes more apparent.  This particular art market would like to see more pottery produced then what is currently being done.  The fact that there does exist such a demand for these pieces of art, may be the reasoning behind this push for artisans to incorporate modern technology into their work.  More pottery could be produced in a shorter amount of time. While the Hopi-Tewa still sell to their own tribes and to neighboring tribes, it is important to their economy that the Euro-American patrons exist.  However, there still exists  the desire of the potters to keep their work authentic and traditional.  These traditions, taught by the great Nampeyo, reviver of the tradition of Hopi-Tewa pottery and continued by artisans such as Hisi, have been passed from generation to generation and are what make this particular pottery so unique and beautiful.  The quality of a piece may not be replicated by a machine and, because of this, the need for hand crafted pieces are necessary.  Therefore, these potters do not want to deviate from the process that has worked well for them for so many years.
    Where then does this contact zone diminish?  While contact zones exist in all aspects of daily life, it is important to note, again, that the clash between artisans and the art market is not unique to the Hopi-Tewa people.  This is a universal theme that occurs in all areas, whether it is in art, music, or even the economy;  people’s tastes and opinions are bound to differ.  I would argue, that these skillfully crafted works of art are just that, works of art.  One cannot put a time limit on tradition and beauty.  Hence, the Euro-American art market that seems to have increasingly tried to persuade these artisans to break from tradition should realize that, while money is necessary, it is not always the most important thing.
    The work by such artisans as Hisi Nampeyo is both unique and beautiful, and in a world full of technological advances, the argument may exist that art forms such as these could be replicated faster by machinery, and in turn, produce more money for the artisans that create these works.  This may very well be true, but in order to fully appreciate these pieces of art, one must understand the skill and stories behind each and every time consuming task.  The fact that each piece is so skillfully crafted contributes to the value of these works, not only monetarily, but for many people, spiritually.  At either end of the spectrum, one side is going to have to sacrifice either their time or their tradition in order to resolve the contact zone that has developed between the artisans and the art market..  I would argue for the sake of these talented artisans.  Creativity and beauty cannot be replicated by some machine and, for the sake of argument, should not be.  It is my opinion, and dare I say the opinion of many others, that works such as those that created by the Nampeyo family, are well worth the wait.
 

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Nampeyo, Hisi.  Personal Interview.  27 February 1999.

Peterson, Susan.  “The Legacy of Generations-Pottery by American Indian Women.”
 Ceramics Monthly  June/July/August 1998:  62-67.

Pratt, Mary Louise.  “Arts of the Contact Zone.”  Profession 91  33-40.