Helen Hardin painting, “Mimbres Rabbits in a Sand Storm”, 1976 [SOLD]

In this painting, Helen Hardin portrays two rabbits standing on a decorative pattern amidst a sandstorm. To the left, a chamisa, sometimes referred to as a rubber rabbitbrush, is depicted, while the entire composition is enclosed within three bands of color framed by two large stippled semi-circles. This motif aligns with Hardin's painting style, renowned for its masterful execution characterized by precise line-work set against speckled color fields. This technique reflects the meticulous linework reminiscent of her mother, Pablita Velarde, who also employed the circle as a compositional element. The rabbit, traditionally a food source for the people of the Mimbres Valley, was a recurring motif in Hardin's work.

The painting is signed Tsa-Sah-Wee-Eh © 1976 in the lower right corner. It is framed in the original stacked frame style preferred by Hardin. The painting is mounted within its own frame over a fabric matting within a larger frame.

Helen Hardin (1943-1984) Tsa-Sah-Wee-Eh or "Little Standing Spruce" was an innovative and influential painter from Santa Clara Pueblo. Hardin was born in 1943 to Santa Clara Pueblo painter Pablita Velarde and Caucasian civil servant Herbert Hardin. Inspired by her mother, she began creating and selling paintings as a teenager. She went in a different direction than her mother and her mother's peers, creating more contemporary works that depict Native American symbology with striking geometrical patterns and abstract imagery. She died of cancer in 1984, leaving behind an astounding body of work for her many admirers to enjoy.

Condition: Very good condition

Provenance: This Helen Hardin painting, "Mimbres Rabbits in a Sand Storm", 1976 is from the collection of a resident of New Mexico

Recommended Reading:  Changing Woman: The Life and Art of Helen Hardin by Jay Scott

TAGS: Helen Hardin, Santa Clara Pueblo, Pablita Velarde, Native American symbols, Native American Paintings, Acoma Pueblo