Native American Hopi Handbuilt and Handpainted Pot

Description

Native American Hopi Handbuilt and Handpainted Pot by Delaine Tootsie

This pot was created by Delaine Tootsie, a Hopi potter who has been making pots since she was a little girl. Her hand-dug clay is multicolored and the designs go back hundreds of years in her family history. Inside the pot at the bottom is the sipapu. A symbol that represents the hole at the base of the Grand Canyon where the Hopi people climbed out from the 3rd World to this, their Fourth World. This pot has symbols for water and lightning all around the neck as well as a couple of lines that surround the neck. The solid line represents unity and the broken line is to release negativity. The basket pattern covers the body of the pot. We had been talking about how the Native Americans would press the wet clay into baskets to make them more waterproof and would press wet clay onto the bottom of woven sandals to give another layer and more wear to the sandals. Delaine mentioned the basket patterns that were carved into the pots to help the individual grip the pottery when the weather was cold or wet. We are extremely happy to share Delaine's work with our customers.