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Creating Hopi pottery
is a time consuming and risky venture. Especially today, as the
migration patterns change and the Hopi youth leave the reservation to pursue
a career or employment elsewhere. The reality is that there are fewer
artists creating fewer vessels, an international market with greater access
because of the internet, and constant pressure on artists to pursue other
means of employment. this all culminates in higher prices. What
are the risks? As you read through this portion of the site detailing
how Hopi pottery is made remember that at any point the vessel could be
dropped, the painting can be tainted, or, last but not least, during the
firing an explosion could wipe out your work. Gathering the clay
Hopi families gather their clay from the ground. Usually from sources
highly coveted and guarded, the clay is dug from the earth. The clay
is cleaned of impurities (one blade of grass or other impurity could cause
an explosion during the firing phase), mixed with shards of older pottery to
give it the 'bonding', and finally mixed with water to create clay.
Forming the vessel
Whether a cup, a bowl, or a vase, the vessels all start at the bottom.
Using a tabipi (sometimes called a puki), the artist does not use a potter's
wheel. Instead, the clay is rolled into long strings of clay and
'coiled' up to create the vessel's shape. Obviously the narrower the
coils, the thinner the pottery. With large vessels this is very
difficult as the clay is heavy. As the clay is coiled up the bottom
must be able to support the heavy top. A scraping tool is used to
smooth out the coils until they become one solid wall.
Smoothing and drying
the vessel is smoothed and polished. It is then left to dry (usually
3-7 days) and harden for the next phase. A white wash is applied to
the piece.
Painting
Using yucca leaves and pigments from plants (mustard) and minerals (iron)
the potter applies designs and/or patterns to the vessel. This may be
the point of separation for masters from the rest. The ability to
'see' how a pattern will develop and look (they rarely use outlines or
stencils) before color is applied is perhaps only exceeded by the use of
space of Chinese artists. Creating a balanced and symmetrical pattern
by hand is extremely difficult and engaging.
Polishing
Using a tool (typically of stone) that has sometimes been handed down
through the generations, the artist creates a highly polished sheen to the
vessel.
Firing
After investing all of their time and resources, the day of firing arrives.
Perhaps the most dreaded day, the pottery will be fired at very high
temperatures to harden. Typically, cow or sheep dung is used (very
porous and highly combustible) to create temperatures sufficient enough to
harden the pottery. Old cracked pottery is used to insulate the piece
from direct flame and also used to segment one piece from the other (in case
one breaks, it's pieces do not fly off and break another piece). The
risks include smudges (where smoke comes into contact with the piece) and
breakage. Days when there is little wind, typically in the morning,
are especially waited upon.
Needless to say, the Hopi potters earn their money.
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