16
1/2" tall by 9 1/2" wide at the horns
$500
Sale!
New reduced price is 30%
off:
$350 SOLD
plus shipping & insurance |
Clark
Tenakhongva,
who was born in 1956, comes from a long line of accomplished Hopi carvers.
Clark, along with other young carvers have rekindled the traditional style of Hopi doll carving, like their Grandparents who were
actively carving in the early 1900's. These dolls closely resemble those dolls made at the turn of the century.
The early traditional style Kachinas have bodies that are carved to
approximate human proportions. For example, the arms are
usually at right angles and are pressed against the body. A
static kilt and sash resemble the lower part of the body and the
legs are usually short. The head however, is carved and
painted correctly to identify each specific Kachina. These
dolls exhibit a pronounced spirituality because of their strong
stylization and abstractness. For Clark, his Kachina carving
is less of an art form and more of a religious act.
Clark's natural paints are very unique. They are thick and
textured. He does not use a sealant, but uses a substance
called 'tuuma' which makes the pigment very difficult to rub
off. He gets his pigments from all over the southwest and he
either uses natural pigments of plant dyes.
The
Cow Kachina (Wakas) was introduced into the Hopi area around the turn
of the century. His name is derived from the Spanish word Vaca,
which means cattle. This Kachina is thought to increase
livestock. Spectators will take the juniper from the Kachina in
hopes that their livestock supply will increase. The Kachina is rarely
seen, except in Moencopi on Third Mesa. Similarly, it is very
rarely carved.
The most distinguishing characteristic of this Kachina is the pair of
cow horns, mounted on top of the case mask. The mask has large
bulbous eyes and the ears resemble the ears of a cow. Horsehair drapes the front of the face and the cow's snout. He
wears an green ruff and there is a cluster of small turkey
feathers at the back of the mask.
Originally, Kachina dolls were given to children to hang on their
walls, as there was no base. This Kachina is no
exception. It has a piece of string attached in the back for hanging.
Clark first started carving Kachinas when he was 13 years old and
mostly carved what he calls the 'Michelangelo' dolls, or the more
precise detailed dolls. He also carved the 'old-style' or what he
refers to as the traditional style dolls that he used to decorate
his house. When a trader from Second Mesa first saw these
dolls hanging on the walls of Clark's home, he suggested that Clark
should start selling these dolls. So, in 1994, Clark started
carving the traditional dolls full time and the first show he
entered was at the Santa Fe Indian Market.
Clark recalls this as one of his greatest years because he ran away
with the whole show that year. He received the
"Best of Classification" in his category, as well as
"First, Second, Third and Best of Division. Clark has
been winning awards ever since and has further refined his
style. Today, Clark exclusively carves the traditional style
dolls and states "I would not be comfortable carving a
one-piece doll now, because I would be going away from the religious
beliefs of how they're supposed to be carved. Within my heart
I believe this is the right way." Clark also believes
that a carver should speak Hopi. "if you don't speak and
understand it," he says, "you don't know the significance
behind it, and that's important."
The Wakas is signed on the bottom of the feet with Clark's
signature hallmark. Clark is one of
19 featured artists in the book "Traditional Hopi
Kachinas" by Jonathan S. Day. Clark is also featured in "The
Art of The Hopi" by Lois & Jerry Jacka on several
pages.
The Kachina includes certificate of authenticity signed by Clark.
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