Charles Navasie: Polychrome Hopi Jar

This small yellow-orange jar by Hopi potter Charles Navasie exhibits the eagle design that Nampeyo originally patterned after old Sityaki polychromes. When studying Charles’ work we are left with the impression that it was made by a member of the Nampeyo family rather than a Navasie.

Charles Navasie is the great-grandson of Paqua Naha, or Frog Woman. He is the grandson of Joy Navasie (Second Frog Woman, or Yellow Flower) and the son of Loretta Navasie. Charles credits his grandmother Joy as the person who taught him how to work with clay. Although his hallmark—a variant of Paqua Naha’s original frog with the full name “Navasie” on his frog’s belly-- reflects his lineage, it is our opinion that Charles is one of the few Hopi potters that has moved outside of his family’s traditional design conventions. Charles’ style represents an artistic bridge between the Navasie and Nampeyo pottery styles not only in his choice of design elements, but also in his use of colored clay and mineral paint. (JH, DH)