Hopi Jar
Title
Hopi Jar
Description
What drew you to this medium?
This piece is my response to the Historic/Contemporary project in Ceramics I. We were challenged to recreate exactly the form of a historic vessel and then on the surface make a statement about a contemporary issue. The historical piece I chose is from the early modern period of Hopi ceramics. The historic jar was made using the coil and scrape method and clay from first mesa. I worked using the same coil and scrape method.
Why are you drawn to this subject?
I spent time my sophomore year of high school living with Hopi artist Iva Honyestewa at her home on second Mesa on the Hopi reservation in north eastern Arizona. She told me stories about going to first mesa as a girl and watching artists make jars. I wanted to honor Iva and learn more about the ceramics she told me about. One of the reasons Iva allows students to come and live with her and learn about her culture is to spread awareness of the poverty and injustice that her community has been forced into and is trying to escape from.
What Does Your Artwork Represent?
The contemporary issue I am addressing on the surface of my piece is the overwhelming poverty rate on the Hopi reservation. 14.9% of Arizona residents live in poverty. 35% of the Native American population in Arizona lives in poverty.
What Inspires You?
Iva wants people to care about her and her community. The reason she opens up her house to young people is so that they can leave from it with a new call to action. This jar is one small way to raise awareness.
What connection do you have to your art?
I am still in communication with Iva and before I started this project, I asked for her permission to create the jar and she told me to make as many as I can. I am so grateful for her support and the many ways in which she opened my heart and eyes.
This piece is my response to the Historic/Contemporary project in Ceramics I. We were challenged to recreate exactly the form of a historic vessel and then on the surface make a statement about a contemporary issue. The historical piece I chose is from the early modern period of Hopi ceramics. The historic jar was made using the coil and scrape method and clay from first mesa. I worked using the same coil and scrape method.
Why are you drawn to this subject?
I spent time my sophomore year of high school living with Hopi artist Iva Honyestewa at her home on second Mesa on the Hopi reservation in north eastern Arizona. She told me stories about going to first mesa as a girl and watching artists make jars. I wanted to honor Iva and learn more about the ceramics she told me about. One of the reasons Iva allows students to come and live with her and learn about her culture is to spread awareness of the poverty and injustice that her community has been forced into and is trying to escape from.
What Does Your Artwork Represent?
The contemporary issue I am addressing on the surface of my piece is the overwhelming poverty rate on the Hopi reservation. 14.9% of Arizona residents live in poverty. 35% of the Native American population in Arizona lives in poverty.
What Inspires You?
Iva wants people to care about her and her community. The reason she opens up her house to young people is so that they can leave from it with a new call to action. This jar is one small way to raise awareness.
What connection do you have to your art?
I am still in communication with Iva and before I started this project, I asked for her permission to create the jar and she told me to make as many as I can. I am so grateful for her support and the many ways in which she opened my heart and eyes.
Creator
Sophie Grindon
Collection
Citation
Sophie Grindon, “Hopi Jar,” RICE (Research, Internships, and Creative Endeavors) Symposium, accessed May 4, 2024, https://ricecentrecollege.omeka.net/items/show/191.