All Dolled Up
I explore my beadwork with my fingers and all my senses.
I feel my doll's creative aura. One hundred years from now I say "when
someone picks you up and holds you they, too, will be at one with the SEASON
OF HOPE."
Hope is the assurance of things wished for in the absence
of what is seen. All bead artists have this hope as they set out tubes
of glass beads, needles, scissors, and thread and then hope beyond what
is in front of them to create beauty and form in art.
As I bead
late into the night and early morning, I hope, pray, and create. My mind
often gravitates to native artisans who hundreds
of years ago also hoped, prayed, and created. HOPI IN THE NIGHT,
a form of an angel, represents this connection.
In the
American Southwest, Hopi tribesmen use Katsina dolls to encourage their
children to pray. To the Hopi Indians, Katsinas are
spiritual beings central to the Hopi religious life. Katsinas serve as
intermediaries between the Hopi people and their Gods. Katsinam hear the
prayers of the faithful and convey their supplications to God, whom responds
with blessings. (Prayers, petitions, requests, and blessings need a little
help sometimes to get where they're intended to go.) Katsinas are like
Angels, they are messengers of God. HOPI IN THE NIGHT symbolizes
a Katsina doll or Angel.
Traditionally
Katsina dolls are hand carved by tribesmen using the roots or branches
of cottonwood trees. Many Hopi argue that it
is inappropriate for women to carve Katsina dolls; they believe that those
who attempt to do so will come to harm. To understand and appreciate ancestral
Hopi culture and their spiritual values, I avoided the traditional hand
carved cottonwood forms of Katsina dolls and fashioned my own 8" three-dimensional
soft sculpture doll. HOPI IN THE NIGHT is made of dense brown woven
cotton material. The doll is stuffed with wood shavings from a local woodworker's
shop. I thought this use of "cotton wood" might be safer.
Tortoise colored beads, swirled and embroidered
Toward
this end of the nineteenth century some native carvers began to experiment
with ways to suggest life and motion into Katsina dolls.
After World War II "dressed" Katsina dolls became the norm as
carvers began to adorn their work. HOPI IN THE NIGHT uses these
newer techniques to suggest life, motion and adornment. This doll uses
tortoise colored
beads, swirled
and embroidered on the dolls chest and arts to suggest the bronze colored
skin of Native Americans in the desert sun. The colorful feathered wings
provide the appearance of movement which helps transcend messages between
Heaven and Earth. Soft hand sewn leather moccasins guarantees our messages
sent to God humbly. The swinging drum and baton ensure that when prayers
are heard or answered, Katsina can surely make a joyful noise! In the Hopi
culture, directions are associated with color. For example: Yellow: north;
Blue/Green: west; Red: south; White: east; and Black: above. HOPI IN
THE NIGHT uses bright multi-colored beaded stars, under the mask, to
radiate out in every direction. These stars are surrounded by black beads
to remind us that our hopes can go higher than the Heavens.
Beaded stars under the mask
A loom beaded headdress shows that a Katsina hides a portion
of himself to go about the beauty of blessing others. In the facial mask,
a 5 pointed star in each eye of the Katsina points away from the Angel,
leading toward the Creator. This characteristic of denying self is similar
to bead artists who, too, create away from self and bow toward a greater
beauty as seen through each craftsman's eye.
Loom beaded headdress
I believe all bead artists are graced with a SEASON OF HOPE.
In this season they go beyond the limits in front of them to create greater
beauty and form in their art. HOPI IN THE NIGHT is for past, present, and
future bead artists; let this doll symbolize the hope, prayers, and creativity
we all share.
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Side Image
Back Image
Detailed Image
Hopi In The Night
(rotation)
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LIST OF MATERIALS
Nymo B black thread
Needle size 12 sharps
Seed beads size 11/0
- transparent tortoise colors
- opaque: red, yellow, sky blue, purple, black, green
Fringe beads
- small cubes, drops
1/4 yd. dense cotton fabric: brown
1/4 yd. total wool felt: red, black
Leather remnant for moccasins and leggings
Leather cord for belts
wood chips for stuffing
Feathers; colored and natural
wooden drum and stick
8" doll pattern on request
LIST OF TECHNIQUES
Bead embroidery
Loom work
8" doll
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