Southwestern Souvenirs

Hopi Katsina Dolls: 100 Years of Carving is a remarkable exhibition at the Heard Museum in Phoenix. Katsinas are spiritual deities integral to Hopi belief; they have great powers over nature and must be honored through dances and ceremonies. Hopi children receive small dolls, known as titihu, carved from cottonwood which are forms of visible prayers. Carved katsina figures made for sale to non-Hopi collectors are a big business in the Indian arts world. This exhibition explains how katsinas evolved as a form of collectible art.

Just one display case in the Heard Museum's Katsina exhibit.

Carved dolls from the 1870s to 1950s have an appeal of their own, and fetch high prices. More recently made dolls possess intricate features that enhance their market value. Men comprised the front line of collectors, including individuals as famous as the late Barry Goldwater. His collection is represented in the exhibition, along with items by other notable collectors. Early katsinas were relatively stiff in pose, while modern active figures began to receive market notice by the 1970s. Named artists emerged, and the development of this craft took on more of an artistic movement in direction.

If you want to learn the who, what, and why that goes into Hopi katsinas, this exhibition has an amazingly educational and entertaining tone. Even the exhibition brochure, often a throwaway item these days, should be retained for its valuable information.

The beautiful and informative exhibition brochure.

And if you want to feel conscious and unconscious understanding of nature and creation, watch a master silversmith at work. We visited Orville Tsinnie at his workshop in Shiprock, New Mexico, as part of our research for our upcoming book Southwestern Indian Rings. When writing a book for collectors, educating them on the actual process of construction is of paramount importance.

Orville is a excellent choice for this. He’s been making jewelry, including rings, since 1973. Self-taught, he has also helped train many other younger artists. His pieces follow the older style of Navajo jewelry, shaped with a respect for the power of the metal of the moon and the stones of sky and earth.

Orville Tsinnie at his workbench, in Shiprock, NM.

Next month, Tsinnie and hundreds of other Indian artists will be on the Santa Fe Plaza for the SWAIA annual Indian Market. This event is always held on the third weekend in August, and attracts a massive crowd of enthusiasts, tourists, curious consumers, and crazed collectors. We’ll begin a series of posts related to comfortably handling this arts market and deriving the best experience possible.