Hopi Tewa Pottery - Alton Komalestewa, CPOTDLR18-01

Alton Komalestewa is Hopi and related through his father to Nampeyo. He didn't learn to make pottery until he was an adult. He married Jeannie Shupla, the daughter of Santa Clara potter, Helen Shupla and they moved to Santa Clara Pueblo. He learned how to make pottery from Helen. Several years passed and both Jeannie and Helen passed away, and Alton moved back to Hopi. He continued to make pottery in the Helen Shupla style, only in Hopi clay. In 2001 he returned to Santa Clara Pueblo area and began to make pottery from the local clay and slips.

This pot is very beautiful in many ways. Its a simple pot with a very shiny slip. So shiny that it was difficult to photograph. The striations that are visible are smoothing lines made from stone polishing. This pot is made from a red clay and the walls are thin like Hopi pots are. The color of this pot has orange, red and brown together. Its like the color of desert landscapes. A beautiful pot to add to your collection.