“Smoking for Sunshine, Rain, Cattle and Corn" 1968 by Tyler Polelonema

This is a striking, highly structured painting by Hopi artist Tyler Polelonema (1940- ) Duyauestewa ("Bluebird"). 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 composition 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. Overall, this painting functions as a visual prayer for rain, growth, and cosmic order — beautifully encapsulating the essence of Hopi life.

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.

About the Artist: Tyler Polelonema

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. Tyler Polelonema was part of the Hopi Modernist movement before Artist Hopid got together. The collective aimed to reinterpret traditional Hopi mural symbols, body paint, and pottery designs into contemporary fine art to document and preserve Hopi culture. This painting is signed Tyler Polelonema '68 in the bottom lower right

Condition: very good condition. 

Provenance: Displayed in the special exhibit Ancestral Symbols, Modern Masterpieces: Documenting the Sacred Narratives and History of the Hopi People at Adobe Gallery for its 50^th Anniversary Landmark Exhibition in Santa Fe, NM, May – October 2026. This painting by Tyler Polelonema "Smoking for Sunshine, Rain, Cattle, and Corn" 1968 is from a client of Adobe Gallery.

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

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo, Native American Painting, Tyler Polelonema