Vintage Hopi Nellie Nampeyo Polychrome Clay Bowl, Signed

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Vintage Nellie Nampeyo Polychrome Bowl, Signed. Hand built clay bowl with polychrome exterior. Signed on the bottom. In good condition … Read more Vintage Nellie Nampeyo Polychrome Bowl, Signed. Hand built clay bowl with polychrome exterior. Signed on the bottom. In good condition with wear consistent with age. Please refer to the photos for details.

Size:  4”D x 2.25”H

Nellie Nampeyo (1896–1982), the eldest daughter of renowned potter Nampeyo of Hano, played a vital role in continuing her mother's artistic legacy. Trained from childhood in traditional Hopi-Tewa techniques, she mastered the hand-coiling method and the intricate Sikyátki-style designs that her mother had helped revive. While deeply rooted in these ancestral traditions, Nellie developed her own distinctive style, characterized by bold, confident patterns and exceptional craftsmanship.

Her work gained widespread recognition and can be found in major museum collections, including the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, the Heard Museum, the Museum of Northern Arizona, and the Denver Art Museum. Through her artistry, Nellie Nampeyo not only honored her mother's influence but also ensured the continuity of Hopi-Tewa pottery for future generations.

A portion of the proceeds goes to The Hopi Foundation.

“The Hopi Foundation was founded to bridge the gap between modern and traditional. The question of how a vital, complex, and sophisticated people can maintain not only their values but their own voice and contribution to humankind in the face of encroachment by a dominant and forceful majority culture is an important one. The values of the Hopi people include millennia-old practices concerned with respecting the rights of other people, respect for and protection of the environment, self-determination and an attendant repugnance for government welfare programs, and integration of all aspects of life into a balanced and harmonious way of being.

In our 30-plus years of existence, we have initiated, grown, and housed nearly 20 projects that benefit our Hopi/Tewa communities in the areas of culture, well-being, capacity building, sustainability, farming, historical preservation, and youth development.” See less