Helen Hardin Aquatint Etching "Unity of Prayer and Song" 1983

"Unity of Prayer and Song" is a profound and ethereal work by Santa Clara Pueblo artist Helen Hardin (1943-1984) Tsa-Sah-Wee-Eh - Little Standing Spruce, created in 1983 during the final and intensely creative period of her life. This aquatint etching, printed in six colors on cream paper, captures Hardin's visionary approach to Native identity, spirituality, and abstraction.

The image presents a composite mask formed by three interwoven faces, symbolizing a unification of spiritual voices across time. The six-color palette — burnt umber, yellow ochre, benzine yellow, English red, alizarin crimson, and midnight blue — imbues the piece with a sense of cosmic harmony and sacred energy. The faces feel at once ancient and contemporary, reminding us of a living cultural memory interpreted through a modern lens.

Hardin signed the piece Tsa-sah-wee-eh in pencil at the bottom right, along with her artist's cartouche and initials HH. This impression is #45 of an edition of 65, printed between March 25 and August 17, 1983, by master printers Ricardo C. Ximenes, Catherine Clinger, and Yvette Tapp at El Cerro Graphics.

Although she only began etching in 1980 and completed just 22 individual prints before her untimely death in 1984, Hardin quickly mastered the medium. Encouraged by art dealer Sue Di Maio and printer Ricardo Ximenes, Hardin embraced printmaking as a means to expand the reach of her work while maintaining artistic integrity. "Unity of Prayer and Song" stands as a testament to that creative evolution — bridging past and present, spirit and form.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: This Helen Hardin Aquatint Etching "Unity of Prayer and Song" 1983 is from the estate of a Santa Fe collector.

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

TAGS: Santa Clara Pueblo, Pablita Velarde, Native American Prints, Native American Paintings, Helen Hardin, Santa Clara Pueblo Painter, Southwest Indian Pottery