Fred Kabotie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fred Kabotie
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Hopi Artist Fred Kabotie c. 1932
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| Born |
Naqavoy'ma
c. 1900 |
| Died | February 28, 1986 |
| Nationality | Hopi Tribe |
| Education | Santa Fe Indian School, Santa Fe Public High School |
| Known for | Painting, silversmithing, illustrating |
| Awards | Guggenheim Fellowship |
| Patron(s) | Museum of Modern Art, Elizabeth Willis DeHuff, The George Gustav Heye Center, Grand Canyon National Park |
Fred Kabotie (born around 1900, died 1986) was a famous Hopi artist. He was a talented painter, silversmith, and even wrote books! His Hopi name was Naqavoy'ma, which means "Day After Day." He taught art and helped share Hopi culture with the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Fred Kabotie was born into a Hopi family in Songo`opavi, Second Mesa, Arizona. His family helped start Hotevilla, a community that wanted to keep Hopi traditions strong.
He belonged to the Bluebird Clan, and his father was from the Sun Clan. His grandfather gave him the nickname Qaavotay, meaning "tomorrow." Later, his teacher spelled it Kabotie, and that name stayed with him.
As a child, Fred loved to draw. He would use coal and natural colors from the earth to draw pictures of Hopi katsinam on rocks near his home.
School Days
Fred didn't always go to his local school. The U.S. government then made him attend the Santa Fe Indian School in New Mexico. He said he was expected to forget his Hopi beliefs and way of life there. Students were only allowed to speak English.
However, a new superintendent, John DeHuff, and his wife, Elizabeth Willis DeHuff, changed things. Mrs. DeHuff taught painting and encouraged students to use their own cultures in their art. Fred painted Katsinas because he missed home. He sold his first painting for 50 cents!
When Mr. DeHuff was forced to leave the school for supporting Native cultures, he helped Fred continue his education at Santa Fe Public High School. During summer breaks, Fred worked on archaeological digs with artists like Velino Shije Herrera and Alfonso Roybal. He also worked with archaeologist Edgar Lee Hewett at places like Jemez Springs, New Mexico.
Beginning His Art Career
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After high school in the 1920s, the Museum of New Mexico hired Fred to paint and bind books. Elizabeth DeHuff also hired him to illustrate books. The George Gustav Heye Center in New York City asked him to paint a series about Hopi ceremonies. He also sold his art to people who collected it. Fred mostly used watercolor paints on paper.
In 1930, Fred moved back to Shongopavi, Arizona, where he lived for most of his life. He joined the Wuwtsimt men's society and married Alice Talayaonema. They had three children together.
In 1932, Fred's art was shown at a big international art show called the Venice Biennale in Italy.
Grand Canyon Murals
In 1933, a famous architect named Mary Colter asked Fred to paint murals inside her Desert View Watchtower at the Grand Canyon National Park. These large wall paintings included a circular design showing the Hopi snake legend. Other paintings showed Hopi gods and dancers.
From 1937 to 1959, Fred taught painting at the Oraibi High School, which opened for Hopi students. He taught there for 22 years!
In 1939, he helped with a show of Native American art at the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco. In 1940, he was asked to copy ancient murals from the Awatovi Ruins. These copies were shown at the Museum of Modern Art and other places.
Hopi Silversmith Work
The Museum of Northern Arizona encouraged Fred and his cousin Paul Saufkie to create a special jewelry style for the Hopi people. They developed an "overlay" technique, which was different from Zuni and Navajo silversmithing. They used designs inspired by old Hopi pottery.
A friend, Leslie Van Ness Denman, ordered Fred's first piece of jewelry as a gift for Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady.
Teaching Jewelry Making
In 1947, classes for making jewelry started at the Hopi High School for Hopi veterans returning from World War II. These classes were funded by the government. Fred taught the students how to design the jewelry, and Paul Saufkie taught them the techniques.
In 1949, Fred and Paul created the Hopi Silvercraft Cooperative Guild. This group helped show and sell their students' beautiful work. The Guild moved to a new building in 1963 at Second Mesa, Arizona, with a big showroom and workshop. Fred was president of the Guild from 1960 until he retired in 1971.
Later Career and Legacy
In 1960, Fred and his wife represented the U.S. Department of Agriculture at a big agricultural fair in New Delhi, India. After returning, Fred worked with the Indian Arts and Crafts Board. His many activities meant he had less time to paint after the 1950s.
Fred always dreamed of helping other Hopi artists sell their work. This dream came true with the opening of the Hopi Cultural Center in 1971.
In 1977, the Museum of Northern Arizona published his life story, Fred Kabotie: Hopi Indian Artist, which he wrote with Bill Belknap.
Awards and Recognition
Fred Kabotie received the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1945. This award allowed him to study ancient Mimbres pottery and write a book called Designs From the Ancient Mimbreños. In 1954, the French government gave him an award called the Palmes d’Académique for his important contributions to Native American art.
Death and Impact
Fred Kabotie passed away on February 28, 1986, after a long illness. He once said that the Hopi believe when you die, your spirit becomes part of nature, like clouds, and you return to your people.
He was most famous for his paintings, and it's thought he created about 500 of them. His work is known for being realistic, colorful, and showing strong figures. His paintings truly show his love for his culture and the Hopi people. The Katsinas in his art are often seen in real Hopi ceremonies.
Fred's son, Michael Kabotie (1942–2009), also became a well-known artist.
Where to See His Art
Fred Kabotie's artwork is in many important collections, including:
- The National Gallery of Art
- The Museum of Northern Arizona
- The National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution
- The Museum of New Mexico
- The Heard Museum
- The Philbrook Museum of Art
His work was also part of a major art show called Stretching the Canvas: Eight Decades of Native Painting from 2019 to 2021.
Published Works
- Kabotie, Fred. Designs from the Ancient Mimbreños With Hopi Interpretation. Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Publishing, 1982.
- Kabotie, Fred with Bill Belknap. Fred Kabotie: Hopi Indian Artist. Flagstaff, AZ: Museum of Northern Arizona with Northland Press, 1977.
- Kabotie, Fred. Hopi Indian Artist. Museum of Northern Arizona, 1977.
Images for kids
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Mural at Petrified Forest
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Fred Kabotie's Living Room Painting
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Mural within the Painted Desert Inn, commissioned by Mary Jane Colter c. 1947–1948.
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Standing Male Hopi, drawing
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Tasanaiyo (Walpi), A Chief Kachina from First Mesa, drawing
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Niman Kachina Dance, drawing
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Three Hopi Women Carrying Water Vessels, drawing
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See also
