Description
This artist is a university teacher of the Navajo language, a noted poet and writer, and, by the way, a potter, too.
Her minimalist Yei masks reflect her Navajo culture in an abstract, contemporary way.
Yeis are benevolent Navajo entities, who intervene between the people and the spirits in the heavens.
Using commercial clay (she is a city girl) and paint, she fashioned a hauntingly simple mask that works well in any decor.
As well as being attractive, it has a serene and spiritual aura.
This mask is colored from blue, at the top, grading through brick red, and ending in off-white, with flecks of mica adding sparkle.
Like the colors, the form flows too, from the rounded head to the organic curve at the bottom, that resembles a broken relic.
Deerskin tassels hang on either side, and a collection of natural feathers sit on top
These are standing in for the eagle feathers a real Yei mask would have.
A wonderful addition to a mask collection, to spice up a display of pictures, or to enjoy alone. Nice gift, too.
