Hopi Pueblo Black-on-red Pottery Bowl by Sunbeam David

Sunbeam David: Eagle Tail Design (Hopi-Tewa)

This beautiful Hopi-Tewa bowl was formed using local yellow clay that traditionally fires to a rich red tone, and it is decorated with black pigment. The design is a notable example of the Sikyatki revival style, specifically referred to as the Eagle Tail design, a motif popularized by Nampeyo and continued by artists like Sunbeam David.

Design Elements and Symbolism

The composition is both simple and uncluttered, skillfully drawing attention to the paramount importance of the eagle in Hopi culture. The central design element, repeated on opposite sides of the bowl, is a stylized depiction of the eagle:

• The Tail: The lower portion features the characteristic eagle tail feathers.

• The Body: Above this is a central rectangular element with a hooked, stippled motif, capped by a second rectangle containing a pair of back-to-back soft triangles.

• The Head: Flanking the tail design are long, curved designs representing the eagle's beak, with a clear circle defining the eye.

An uninterrupted framing line runs just below the rim, containing the powerful design.

The Legacy of Sunbeam David

The bowl is signed Sunbeam David. She was an active potter on the Hopi reservation during the late twentieth century, carrying forward the Sikyatki tradition. Sunbeam David is also a significant figure in a noted artistic lineage, as the daughter of Lena Chio Charlie and the mother of the well-known Hopi artist Neil David, Sr. and his sister Irma David.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Hopi Pueblo Black-on-red Pottery Bowl by Sunbeam David is from the collection of an Albuquerque family. 

Recommended Reading: Hopi-Tewa Pottery 500 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf

TAGS: Lena Chio Charlie, Irene Shupla, Neil David, Sr., Neil David, Jr., Katsina Doll, Annie Nampeyo, Fannie Nampeyo, Nampeyo of Hano, Southwest Indian Pottery, Hopi Tewa, Hopi Pueblo, Larry David, Native American Paintings, Native Drawing, Carving, Bronze, Sunbeam David