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Symbols of the Hopi Pottery Essay

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Symbols of the Hopi Pottery

When most people look at a piece of pottery the first thing that comes to mind is the significance of the symbols and the stories behind these symbols. There are some symbols of Hopi pottery that have stories behind them and some that are symbols of either lost significance or the story is unknown. Some of the symbols we think of as symbols, are really the potters own design. Most people make the mistake that symbols and designs are the same thing, but in fact they are very different. Hopi potters, mostly women, have been instrumental in both preserving and developing traditional symbols and innovating designs in response to changes in and challenges to their culture.

In the beginning, …show more content…

The potter does not look at the design or shape of piece of pottery until the complete piece is finished. Once the pot is finished, the potter looks at it and if there is something wrong with it, such as it is lop-sided or the design is corked, he/she takes it as a learning experience , and will know what not to do the next time (“Museum Notes” 3).

If on the other hand, he/she has not decided on a design he/she may take the pot in his/her hands and close his/her eyes and imagine a design that would fit the pot which would be attractive on the piece. A very famous potter, Maria Martinez creates all of her pottery by first closing her eyes with the piece in her hands and then imagining what would look good on this piece and what will fit perfectly. Another artist, Carol Duwyenie, states “My creations in art revolve around symbolism in the relationship to life and Hopi Philosophy of the earth. Just like the paths of life change, twist, and turn, so has my work. I have taken different paths to express my creativity....”(Duwyenie 1). Everyone has there own way of deciding what to place on their art. As mentioned above, some artists know right from the start what the design will be , but some do not and some use both strategies depending on the piece.

There are several strategies to keep the pot flawless. The most common strategy is to border the area to be designed with several lines to keep it from becoming slated or lopsided. The area is first

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