Al Qoyawayma is a contemporary Hopi artist renown for his pottery and bronze sculptures. Al Qoyawayma was born in Los Angeles, California in the year 1938. His work often includes maize, similar to corn, which is a staple of life for his people. Another cultural idea he uses is to fire his work at very high temperatures using coal.
Qoyawayma attended college at California Polytech State University earning a bachelors degree. The artist went on to earn a master’s degree in engineering from University of Southern California.
In this clip we view a wonderful piece of pottery by the artist:
In a very cool endeavor the artist talks about one of his pots going on a space voyage. The artist is also the co-founder of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society:
The artist won a scholarship to help the people of New Zealand, the Maori, rediscover their pottery making traditions.
Qoyawayma is part of the permanent collection of the National Museum of the American Indian.
Al Qoyawayma is an amazing artist who has found his own perfect mix of ancient traditions and new ideas in his process. This gives his work a wonderful mix of old and new. His works that portray ancient Hopi dwellings are simply stunning!
Margaret Tafoya was a ceramics and pottery artist who was in the same league as Maria Martinez when it comes to the art of pottery. Tafoya works in red clay and also the black clay works we associate with Maria Martinez. Margaret Tafoya was born in Santa Clara, Pueblo, New Mexico in the year 1924.
Like many other families profiled here, Margaret Tafoya learned the craft of pottery from her parents. Her mother, Serafina Tafoya was a legendary master of pottery. Serafina lived from 1864 to 1949. Below an example of style.
In this clip some works by Margaret Tafoya are discussed in further detail:
Margaret Tafoya passed away in 2001.
Tafoya was also known by the name ” Corn Blossum.”
Price range information: Sorry none available.
I really enjoy these families that produce multiple generations of working artists!
Toshiko Takaezu was a very successful artist who specialized in ceramics and earthenware. Toshiko Takaezu was born in the year 1922 in Pepeekeo, Hawaii her parents of Japanese decent. For her collegiate education Takaezu attended the University of Hawaii located in Honolulu. Takaezu also attended the Cranbrook Academy of Art located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Some themes in her ceramic work were tree forms and the moon.
A large influence on Toshiko Takaezu was the artist Toyo Kaneshige, himself a world renown potter. Toyo Kaneshige was deemed a living national treasure for his work with ceramics. Kaneshige acted as a mentor to Takaezu during the 1950s.
The artist was part of the teaching faculty at Princeton University and also the Cleveland Art Institute.
A book has been published featuring the life and career of Toshiko Takaezu. A link to this website promoting it is below:
In this clip a long documentary on the life and work of Toshiko Takaezu:
In this clip a poet laureate tells us what she admires about the work of Toshiko Takaezu. Its interesting how marks remind the poet of text and calligraphy.
Toshiko Takaezu is part of many prominent museum collections including the Smithsonian American Art Institute, the Butler Institute of American Art, and the Honolulu Museum of Art.
Toshiko Takaezu passed away in 2011 at the age of 88 years old.
Price range information: Most vessels range between $2,000 and $10,000.
Shoji Hamada was a famous Japanese potter born in the year 1894 in Tokyo, Japan. For his collegiate education Hamada attended the Tokyo Institute of Technology.
A wonderful selection of works by Hamada in this clip. I only wish I knew what the characters meant!
At this school only Hamada and another artist named Kawai Kanjiro where interested in becoming artists who specialized in pottery.
A large influence on the artist was Bernard Leach. Hamada saw Leach’s work and wrote to him seeking in introduction. The two met and became great friends as they had much in common. Hamada worked with Leach for a few years before opening his own shop in Mashiko, Japan. Below are two great examples of the British artist Bernard Leach:
Shoji Hamada was declared a living national treasure in 1955.
Shoji Hamada passed away in 1978.
In this clip we view Shoji Hamada at work on his pottery wheel!
Price range information: Sorry none available. His works sell very well at auction as he is so revered but I was unable to find any actual prices.
Hideaki Miyamura is a wonderful pottery artist renown for his work with unique glazes born in Japan in the year 1955.
Miyamura originally thought about going to medical school to become a doctor, but thought the cost was too much. For his artistic education Miyamura attended Western Michigan where he studied art history.
After college he would return to Japan where he found an interest in developing glazes for his pottery.
In this clip a brief audio tour featuring pottery from the artist’s 2012 works:
The artist was able to apprentice under Shurei Miura, who was a master potter with an extensive reputation. Below an example of Miura’s work, born in 1942 in Japan.
Part of many prominent museum collections including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Smithsonian Institution.
In this clip a gallery owner that deals in glass works by Galle gives us three examples of vases by the artist.
The same gallery owner tells us about a working table made by the artist. Its is very unique.
Emile Galle was an important icon in the art deco and home design movements in the early 1900s. Galle was also extremely well known for his medium of art expression, GLASS. Emile Galle was born in France in the year 1848. The movement he is most associated with is the Art Nouveau movement.
Galle’s father was a producer of a fine furniture and ceramics. As a child Emile loved to learn about plants and botany, philosophy, and drawing.
Galle moved to Meisenthal, France a region of the country well known for producing artists who were outstanding at working with glass. Glass works have been made in Meisenthal since the 1700s.
In the year 1873 he opened his own glass workshop in Nancy, France. In 1874 the artist took control of his father’s furniture company.
1878 the artist won four gold medals at the Exposition Universelle.
In 1900 the artist won the Grand Prix prize at the Exposition Universelle.
In 1901 Emile Galle helped to start a state run school specializing in teaching artists the world of industrial and commercial art.
Emile Galle died in 1904 at the age of fifty eight years old.
From an artistic standpoint, the artist reminds me of John LaFarge. Both artists were highly successful in using their artistic eye to further enhancements in home furniture and ornament designs. LaFarge worked in many mediums but the one that suprised me most was that of stained glass. Here an accurate use of color and design is absolutely necessary. An example of LaFarge’s work below. The work is titled, ” Peonies Blowing in the Wind.”
Price range info: The artist has done oils which range from $10,000 down to $500. He also has designed lamps and tables of which I couldn’t find a pricing schedule.
Early on in his career he developed two styles of glass that he worked with. Both were very high quality. One type of style was called “poems in glass.” These works took many hours to complete. His other style was still high quality enough that he was okay to attach his signature to it. This more commercial style of glass art was eventually called “industrial Galle.” Great business is the best art as Andy Warhol used to say! Galle was certainly very clever in designing many home furnishings.
Emile passed away in 1904 and his widow took over the business. She put a star after all works made after the Galle’s death. One of his sons took over the business and ran it until it went out of business in 1936.
If you like this artist make sure and check out Art Deco artists like Romain de Tirtoff.
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