“Hummingbirds”
by Debra & Preston Duwyenie, Tewa, Santa Clara Pueblo
Alternate Views
Preston Duwyenie
Photo by Lana Tupponce
Description: Seed pot made of native clay etched using the sgraffito technique. Red slip was stone-polished before traditional firing.
About this Award: Art works winning acquisition awards become part of the museum’s permanent collections. They are chosen for their technique and artistry as well as for the way in which they compare and contrast with other items in our collections.
Juror’s Comments:
Patrick Lyons and Diane Dittemore: We were struck by the incredibly delicate and precise carving exhibited by this small piece. We were also attracted by the iconography of hummingbirds and flowers on the top of the globe which, in the Southwest, evokes traditional values associated with nature in general, and with water specifically. We were further intrigued looking at the underside, which bears other water symbols of tadpoles, lightning and the Pueblo horned serpent Avañu.