Polychrome Vase with Moth Designs (#90)
Mark Tahbo (b.1958) — Hopi-Tewa
Tahbo makes extremely thin-walled vessels and polishes them to perfection; his designs are executed with precision too. On this beautifully formed shouldered jar he has painted moths surrounded by clouds and feathers. The orange blush of the slip accentuates the polychrome designs further. This type of pottery is often called "Sityatki Revival." Today's Hopi-Tewa potters use designs and pottery shapes first used in the Hopi ancestral village of Sityatki. The revival style of pottery honors the pottery made 1350-1625 AD when the village was a thriving community.