Hopi potter joins Corrales Bosque Gallery
Contributed by: Dianna Shomaker - Corrales Bosque Gallery
<center><table border=0 align=center><tr><td><caption><font size=-1 face="Arial Narrow" color=#000000>Corrales Bosque Gallery has a new artist, Valerie Namoki, and we’re very proud of her!</font></caption><img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/Valerie_Namoki_crow_mother_and_hopi_kachinas.jpg border=0 align=center vspace=5 hspace=5 alt="Corrales Bosque Gallery has a new artist, Valerie Namoki, and we’re very proud of her!"></td></tr></table></center> Corrales - Corrales Bosque Gallery has a new artist! And we’re very proud of her. Valerie Namoki. Have you ever had the privilege of hearing music when artist talks about their work and how it has developed? Valerie Namoki can mesmerize you in this way. As one of the newer artists at Corrales Bosque Gallery, we asked her to describe her clay work. And she began in a very quiet unasuming but lyrical voice to describe her life as an artist.
<table border=0 align=right><tr><td><caption><font size=-1 face="Arial Narrow" color=#000000>Valerie Nakomi works in pottery, wood and natural stones.</font></caption><img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/Valerie_Namoki_Hopi_Chess_Set.jpg border=1 height=350 align=right vspace=5 hspace=5 alt="Valerie Nakomi works in pottery, wood and natural stones."></td></tr></table> She is Hopi / Apache from Arizona and her work is basically Hopi. Her grandmother was a well known potter, her father and uncles woodcarvers. At a very young age she would play with clay or watch the process of wood carving. Later, her Jemez motherin- law challenged her to work with clay. Trying her hand at clay storytellers did not seem right, it did not express her Hopi tradition of Kachinas. So she stated creating Katchinas in clay and to this day is about the only Hopi making Kachinas in this manner. She uses the traditional coil method and her signature pieces are ones with a spiraling body that give the illusion of motion. Her first piece was the first to sell in a San Diego show and went into the museum collection. In 2008 she received Best of Division and First Place with on of her pieces, at Indian Market in Santa Fe.
She digs her clay at Hopi, breaks up the hard lumps with a sledge hammer, grinds the pieces into powder and filters it to clean out the impurities. The feel of the clay and the particular source let her know what texture and color she will achieve in the fired final product. Not only does she create for the market but more importantly she creates items that will help her teach her children and grandchildren the Hopi traditions about the First People of Hopi, about harvesting and honor to elders, and the dances using the Kachinas as remembrances and prayers.
<center><table border=0 align=center><tr><td><caption><font size=-1 face="Arial Narrow" color=#000000>Valerie also works in wood.</font></caption><img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/Valerie_Namoki_Hand_Carved_Bowl.jpg border=1 align=center vspace=5 hspace=5 alt="Valerie also works in wood."></td></tr></table></center> Stop by the Corrales Bosque Gallery to see her work and that of the 28 other artists on display. The current show runs until March 3.
The gallery is open daily 10-5. It is located at 4685 Corrales Road in the Mercado de Maya in the heart of historic Corrales. 505-898- 7203. www.corralesbosquegallery.com (http://www.corralesbosquegallery.com/)
Contributed by: Dianna Shomaker - Corrales Bosque Gallery
<center><table border=0 align=center><tr><td><caption><font size=-1 face="Arial Narrow" color=#000000>Corrales Bosque Gallery has a new artist, Valerie Namoki, and we’re very proud of her!</font></caption><img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/Valerie_Namoki_crow_mother_and_hopi_kachinas.jpg border=0 align=center vspace=5 hspace=5 alt="Corrales Bosque Gallery has a new artist, Valerie Namoki, and we’re very proud of her!"></td></tr></table></center> Corrales - Corrales Bosque Gallery has a new artist! And we’re very proud of her. Valerie Namoki. Have you ever had the privilege of hearing music when artist talks about their work and how it has developed? Valerie Namoki can mesmerize you in this way. As one of the newer artists at Corrales Bosque Gallery, we asked her to describe her clay work. And she began in a very quiet unasuming but lyrical voice to describe her life as an artist.
<table border=0 align=right><tr><td><caption><font size=-1 face="Arial Narrow" color=#000000>Valerie Nakomi works in pottery, wood and natural stones.</font></caption><img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/Valerie_Namoki_Hopi_Chess_Set.jpg border=1 height=350 align=right vspace=5 hspace=5 alt="Valerie Nakomi works in pottery, wood and natural stones."></td></tr></table> She is Hopi / Apache from Arizona and her work is basically Hopi. Her grandmother was a well known potter, her father and uncles woodcarvers. At a very young age she would play with clay or watch the process of wood carving. Later, her Jemez motherin- law challenged her to work with clay. Trying her hand at clay storytellers did not seem right, it did not express her Hopi tradition of Kachinas. So she stated creating Katchinas in clay and to this day is about the only Hopi making Kachinas in this manner. She uses the traditional coil method and her signature pieces are ones with a spiraling body that give the illusion of motion. Her first piece was the first to sell in a San Diego show and went into the museum collection. In 2008 she received Best of Division and First Place with on of her pieces, at Indian Market in Santa Fe.
She digs her clay at Hopi, breaks up the hard lumps with a sledge hammer, grinds the pieces into powder and filters it to clean out the impurities. The feel of the clay and the particular source let her know what texture and color she will achieve in the fired final product. Not only does she create for the market but more importantly she creates items that will help her teach her children and grandchildren the Hopi traditions about the First People of Hopi, about harvesting and honor to elders, and the dances using the Kachinas as remembrances and prayers.
<center><table border=0 align=center><tr><td><caption><font size=-1 face="Arial Narrow" color=#000000>Valerie also works in wood.</font></caption><img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/Valerie_Namoki_Hand_Carved_Bowl.jpg border=1 align=center vspace=5 hspace=5 alt="Valerie also works in wood."></td></tr></table></center> Stop by the Corrales Bosque Gallery to see her work and that of the 28 other artists on display. The current show runs until March 3.
The gallery is open daily 10-5. It is located at 4685 Corrales Road in the Mercado de Maya in the heart of historic Corrales. 505-898- 7203. www.corralesbosquegallery.com (http://www.corralesbosquegallery.com/)