Al Qöyawayma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Al Qöyawayma
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| Born | February 26, 1938 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Potter and sculptor |
Alfred H. Qöyawayma is a famous Hopi artist. He creates beautiful pottery and bronze sculptures. He was born in Los Angeles on February 26, 1938. Besides being an artist, Qöyawayma is also a mechanical engineer. He helped create guidance systems for airplanes and rockets. He also helped start the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, which supports Native American students in science and engineering.
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Growing Up and Learning
Al Qöyawayma grew up in the San Fernando Valley in California. He was the only child of Mayme and Alfred. He went to Van Nuys High School.
He earned a degree in engineering from California Polytechnic State University in 1961. Later, he got a master's degree in engineering from the University of Southern California. His aunt, Polingaysi Qöyawayma, was a well-known teacher and potter. She taught him a lot about Hopi traditions and art.
Amazing Artistry
Al Qöyawayma's art mixes different cultures and has a simple, clean style. Many of his pots show images of maize (corn). Corn is very important and sacred in the Hopi religion. It's like a mother to the Hopi people, giving them food and being part of their ceremonies.
Qöyawayma finds and prepares his own clay. He uses a special method called "spiral coiling" to build his pots. Then, he bakes them at a very high heat. This makes the clay smooth and shiny. He uses coal for heating, a technique his Hopi family (Coyote clan) has used for a long time.
His aunt, Elizabeth Q. White, taught him traditional Hopi pottery and stories. She wrote a book in 1964 called No Turning Back. In it, she said it's good to keep the best parts of your own culture. But she also said it's important to learn from other cultures too.
A pottery expert named Lee M. Cohen said that Al Qöyawayma's pottery is truly unique. He said it shows how much Al respects his Hopi ancestors.
Pottery in Space
In 2002, something amazing happened! Astronaut John Herrington, who is from the Chickasaw tribe, took one of Qöyawayma's small ceramic pots into space. It traveled aboard the Space Shuttle mission STS-113. The shuttle docked with the International Space Station. That special pot is now kept at the National Museum of the American Indian. It is a tiny pot shaped like a traditional Hopi seed jar, with a corn design.
Sharing His Knowledge
Al Qöyawayma also helps others learn about pottery. He received a special award called a Fulbright fellowship. This allowed him to help the Maori in New Zealand bring back their traditional pottery making. He has also worked with the Smithsonian Institution. There, he helped study ancient Sikyátki pottery.
Art Shows and Exhibitions
Al Qöyawayma's artwork has been shown in many important museums and galleries. Here are some of the places where his art has been displayed:
- Night of the First Americans, Kennedy Center, Washington, DC, 1982
- First Showing of Contemporary American Indian Art, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, 1982–83
- Al Qoyawayma: A Retrospective, Taylor Museum at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs, 1985
- Head, Heart and Hands: Native American Craft Traditions in a Contemporary World, American Craft Museum, New York, 1999
- The Road to Aztlan Austin Museum of Art, Austin, Texas, 2001
- Jewels of the Southwest, Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe, 2002
- Changing Hands New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, 2003
- Inaugural Opening, National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, DC, "Space Pot", 2004
- HOME: Native People of the Southwest, Heard Museum, 2005
- Gift of the Gods: Exploring Maize, Culture and Indigenous Art in the Americas, Hearst Gallery, St. Mary's College of California, Moraga, California, 2011
