Tyler Polelonema “Smoking for Sunshine, Rain, Cattle, and Corn

This is a striking, highly structured painting by Hopi artist Tyler Polelonema (Duyauestewa, b. 1940), signed and dated 1968 in the lower right corner.

The piece is an excellent representation of Hopi cosmology, agricultural life, and spiritual balance, rendered in a clean, graphic style that bridges traditional Pueblo painting with mid-century modernist composition.

The painting is organized around a central circular medallion divided into quadrants that align with four distinct corner panels. This symmetry reflects the deep-seated Pueblo philosophy of balance, the four directions, and the cyclical nature of life.

In the central circle, we see a seated Hopi man in profile, holding a long-stemmed pipe to his lips. In Hopi culture, smoking is a sacred, ritual act; the smoke represents prayers rising to the heavens to bring rain and blessings.The upper right sector features stylized rain clouds sending down sheets of rain, directly responding to the figure's prayers. The lower right sector depicts three ears of corn (grey/blue, turquoise, and yellow/orange). Corn is the physical and spiritual essence of Hopi life, representing sustenance, motherhood, and the Hopi way.

The Four Outer Quadrants

Each corner panel expands on the themes of the central circle, representing different facets of the Hopi universe:

Top-Left (The Sky/Cosmos): A field of bold, dark circles with radiating lines, suggesting stars, constellations, or perhaps a solar/lunar cycle presiding over the world.

Top-Right (Sacred Clouds): Repeating geometric, stepped cloud terrace designs (often seen on kiva murals and pottery). These symbolize the home of the kachinas (ancestral spirits) and the promise of moisture.

Bottom-Left (Animal Life): Neat rows of stylized four-legged animals. This represents the pastoral and hunting aspects of Hopi sustenance and a harmonious relationship with the animal kingdom.

Bottom-Right (The Harvest): Rows of growing corn plants rooted in the earth, mirroring the corn ears in the central circle.

Artist Hopid Connection: While the formal collective Artist Hopid was officially co-founded in 1973 by artists Michael Kabotie and others, this 1968 painting shows the precise aesthetic roots of that movement. The collective aimed to reinterpret traditional Hopi mural symbols, body paint, and pottery designs into contemporary fine art to document and preserve Hopi culture.

His distinctive signature, Tyler Polelonema '68, is shown in lower right. This piece functions as a visual prayer for rain, growth, and cosmic order — beautifully encapsulating the essence of Hopi life.

Condition: very good condition. 

Provenance: this Tyler Polelonema "Smoking for Sunshine, Rain, Cattle, and Corn is from a client of Adobe Gallery. Displayed in Special Exhibit: "Ancestral Symbols, Modern Masterpieces: Documenting the Sacred Narratives and History of the Hopi People" at Adobe Gallery for its 50th Anniversary Celebration, Santa Fe, NM, May 2026.

Reference: Broder, Patricia Janis. HOPI PAINTING: THE WORLD OF THE HOPIS, Brandywine Press, New York, 1979

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo, Native American Painting, Tyler Polelonema