Fawn Navasie

Fawn Navasie, Hopi, Arizona

Hopi potter Fawn Navasie was born in 1959 on 1st Mesa on the Hopi Reservation. She has followed the family tradition of making pottery in the most traditional way. Fawn began specializing in white slip pottery under her mother’s guidance in 1979.

Fawn specializes in polychrome buff or yellow slipped pottery. Her clay and pigments are gathered on the Hopi Reservation. Fawn cleans the clay, mixes, hand-coils, shapes, sands, paints, and then fires her pottery traditionally, outdoors with sheep dung. Fawn’s designs originate from ancient designs found in the Sikyatki ruins of Hopi.

Fawn is related to many well known potters: Dawn Navasie, Dolly Joe Navasie (sisters), Stetson Setalla, Dee Setalla, Marianne Harrison, Burel Naha, Sylvia Naha (cousins), the late Eunice Navasie (mother), Helen Naha, Joy “Frogwoman” Navasie (aunts), and the late Paqua Naha (grandmother.)

Fawn's polychrome pottery