Bronze sculpture To The Springs by Kim Obrzut.

Hopi culture depends on everyone doing their part; no one person or his or her role is anymore important than any other. Collecting water at the springs can bring a lot of the community together; it is a time of relaxation, a time to catch up on the latest, to see friends and clan relations that may have messages or important advise to be passed on. The women bring their canteens or water jars to be filled for the house or garden.

Sedentary people of the Southwest have been making pottery for two thousand years. The origins of pottery came from Mexico and developed through mud-lined basketry enabling food to be stored and water to be boiled rendering vegetables easier to eat and digest. Mothers and Grandmothers pass on their designs and skills for generations. No greater craftsmanship is found elsewhere in a period comparable to the Neolithic of Native prehistory. In 1821 the Santa Fe trail opened and market demand encouraged the polished yellow styles of 200 years earlier, known as the ''Sikyatki Revival'' and has remained the dominate Hopi style since the beginning of the 20th century. Elements from a thousand years earlier can reappear in today's finest pieces. Widespread collecting of Pueblo pottery began in 1876 with Fred Harvey and the Santa Fe, Atchison, Topeka railways (now the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe).

To The Springs

<ul>
 	<li>To The Springs by Kim Obrzut: 22.5"H x 9"W x 8"D</li>
 	<li>Exquisite Bronze Artistry</li>
 	<li>Water Collection Tradition</li>
 	<li>Ancestral Pottery Heritage</li>
 	<li>Sikyatki Revival Inspiration</li>
</ul>

Bronze sculpture Summer by Kim Obrzut.

Since ancient times Hopi women have worn their hair in a style that reveals their marital status. In July with the Niman ceremony all the new brides from the entire year climb out of the kivas to be recognized and celebrated. Each bride now wears her hair in the "married woman hairstyle" that is twisted and wrapped on each side in wool. She will now modestly and humbly walk into adulthood as a patron of a matriarchal society.

The Hopi have lived where what is considered the oldest continually inhabited settlement in North America. This two-thousand-year-old prehistoric culture is based on an agricultural foundation that practices dry farming techniques. The land supports a variety of plants adapted to extremely dry areas. The Chili appeared in the sixteenth and seventeenth century from Mexico and Central and South America before Spanish contact. A number of permanent springs in the area provide the people with drinking water but not enough to irrigate the fields. Hopi women follow the foottrails below the Mesa to gather water from the natural springs below walking past the small walled plots of gardens where Chili and onions are grown.

The chili pepper is one of several plants with a name that comes from a Native American language. "Chili" comes from the Aztec Indian name for the plant.

Summer

<ul>
 	<li>Summer by Kim Obrzut dimensions: 11.5"H x 10"W x 11.5"D</li>
 	<li>Hopi Cultural Celebration</li>
 	<li>Exquisite Bronze Artistry</li>
 	<li>Marital Status Symbolism</li>
 	<li>Chili Pepper Inspiration</li>
</ul>

Bronze sculpture Sister by Kim Obrzut.

A bond between sisters is unlike any other. It may even be the longest relationship of your life. No one will ever be as close as sisters, not even mother and daughter. Sharing the same blood is what makes the connection unbreakable. The butterfly sitting in between the sisters represents this connection. No matter how much time passes or how much distance comes between sisters, they will have a bond unlike any other relationship.

Sisters

<ul>
 	<li>Sisters by Kim Obrzut dimensions:  7.5"H x 7.5"W x</li>
 	<li>Embracing Sisterly Bond</li>
 	<li>Exquisite Bronze Artistry</li>
 	<li>Unbreakable Relationship</li>
 	<li>Timeless Family Unity</li>
</ul>

Polimana by Kim Obrzut bronze sculpture.

"Polimana" translates as Butterfly Girl in Hopi.  A young girl initiated in the Hopi way wears her hair in the traditional style of a Butterfly Whorl. This style of hair shows her availability for marriage. The whorls represent butterfly wings.

The butterfly is celebrated for its beauty and its contribution in pollinating plant life. The pollen eaters signify rain and the abundance of the coming crops that we depend on for survival. The butterfly figure is prominent in prehistoric Hopi pottery and are frequently mentioned in mythological tales.

She has no face, which symbolizes the egalitarian society of the Hopi people. She represents a people, not an individual. The Hopi thought is: One Mind, one Body and one Spirit.

Polimana

<ul>
 	<li>Polimana by Kim Obrzut dimensions: 25"H x 9.5"W x 8.5"D</li>
 	<li>Hopi Butterfly Whorl hairstyle</li>
 	<li>Bronze Artistry</li>
 	<li>Mythological Significance</li>
</ul>

Peaches by Kim Obrzut.

Her hair is in the traditional hairstyle called the "Hopi Whorl." When you see this hairstyle it means she is a maiden, available for marriage.

The Spanish introduced peaches to the Hopi mesas in the sixteenth century. Fruit trees on the Hopi reservation do not produce every year due to late frosts, but in good years, however, they are plentiful. These extra peaches will be dried for later use or traded for something equally valuable.

This young maiden holds a basket of Peaches. She is showing her hard work and contribution to her village. The men of Hopi own the trees, but it is custom to allot each Peach tree to a little girl whose duty it was to care for the tree as long as it lives.

On the back of her shawl is a Hopi design for lightning, clouds and rain, these are for her prayers for her tree.

She has no face, which symbolizes the egalitarian society of the Hopi people. She represents a people, not an individual. The Hopi thought is: One Mind, one Body and one Spirit.

Peaches

<ul>
 	<li>Peaches by Kim Obrzut dimensions: 23"H x 10"W x 10"D</li>
 	<li>Hopi Maiden's Tradition</li>
 	<li>Bronze Artistry</li>
 	<li>Basket of Plentiful Peaches</li>
</ul>

New Day sculpture by Kim Obrzut.  In the early morning hours, the first light of the day comes from the Northeast, and a New Day makes its appearance. The first light comes first as white and after, a yellow dawn. The sky takes on the color of a new day. In these early morning hours the new day brings new life, a rebirth for the natural world and the human stewards of the land. Day has dawned with a happy heart re-energizing the commitment of the Hopi people. Sincere and heartfelt prayers are offered as the sun makes its appearance over the horizon. The people are deeply thankful and promise to continue the humble and hardworking practice of the Hopi ways of living. Each individual and the community as a whole pray for a fulfilled life and renew their determination to live in a humble and hardworking way of life.

New Day sculpture

<ul>
 	<li>Dawn of a New Beginning</li>
 	<li>Exquisite Bronze Artistry</li>
 	<li>Symbol of Rebirth and Renewal</li>
 	<li>Dedication to Humble Living</li>
 	<li>New Day sculpture by Kim Obrzut dimensions: 18.75''H x 7''W x 6.5''D</li>
</ul>

Mother's Gift Sculpture by Kim Obrzut.  Corn is the heart of the Hopi diet and has provided the Hopi with life for over a millennium. We understand that this is a sacred gift from our Mother, Mother Earth. In Hopi life the growing of corn is an arduous task, which requires dry farming skills, continuous hard work and a lot of prayer. Our corn is grown in less than nine inches of annual rainfall in dry washes. The Hopi people sustain the corn and the corn sustains Hopi culture.

Every living thing has a spirit, even insects, which was also given to us by our Mother. Having a deep understanding of the natural cycles of the earth, the Butterfly is celebrated not only for its beauty that brings happiness to the people, but also for its important contribution in pollinating plant life.

Corn and the Butterfly remind us of a life filled with the promise that a good life is to work hard, and pray, and the creator will always provide for your needs.

The Hopi thought is: One Mind, One Body, and One Spirit.

Mother's Gift Sculpture

<ul>
 	<li>Celebrating Hopi Traditions</li>
 	<li>Exquisite Bronze Artistry</li>
 	<li>Life's Promise of Hard Work and Prayer</li>
 	<li>Embracing One Mind, One Body, One Spirit</li>
 	<li>Mother's Gift Sculpture by Kim Obrzut dimensions: 16.5"H x 10"W x 8.5"D</li>
</ul>

Hope by Kim Obrzut

Visions of clouds bring relief, trusting in nature and hoping to bring rain. Just as this year has been so uneasy for us all, we look to hope for the promise of better days ahead.

Hope

<ul>
 	<li>Hope by Kim Obrzut dimensions: 13"H x 7.5"W x 7.5"D</li>
 	<li>Abstract Human Figure</li>
 	<li>Evokes Hope and Optimism</li>
 	<li>Bronze Artistry</li>
 	<li>Symbol of Better Days</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

Hopi Seed Pot by Kim Obrzut.

In the late 1800s, Hopi pottery experienced a historic change, often referred to as Sikyatki Revival or Hano Polychrome, and was directly related to visitors coming to the Hopi mesas. This birth of contemporary Hopi pottery began the era of non-utilitarian pottery for trade for goods such as coffee, flour, sugar, cloth, and metal utensils. Pottery is the direct descendant of early decorated pottery of the Anasazi.

The abandoned pre-historic village of Sikyatki brought anthropologist interest which in turn employed Hopi workers, and with it exposure to the ancient ancestral ceramic wares. The designs were not copied exactly but were used as inspiration and mixed with individual cultural influence and artistic genius. Many of the shapes and forms previously lost, however, were brought back, such as this squat, wide-shouldered jar.

This design represents lighting and rain for prayers of much needed moisture necessary for the crops. Hopi pottery is made from a fine clay enabling the potter to polish it with a smooth stone and apply mineral and vegetable paints directly onto the surface. This yellow ware is distinctly a characteristic of today's Hopi pottery.

Hopi Seed Pot

<ul>
 	<li>Hopi Seed Pot by Kim Obrzut dimensions: 10'' diameter x 2'' high</li>
 	<li>Honoring Hopi Pottery Heritage</li>
 	<li>Exquisite Bronze Artistry</li>
 	<li>Sikyatki Revival Inspiration</li>
 	<li>Symbol of Rain for Crops</li>
</ul>

First Born Sculpture by Kim Obrzut. The most celebrated rite on Earth is the gift of life. It is the Creator's will and new life benefits all. Nothing has more effect on the essence of Man than when a new born child pushes forth it's way from spirit to take it's rightful place among men. From the greatest depths of nature and from the far reaches of the universe, it appears and is manifest, as a song, as a prayer and then as a Child.

It is understood by all that the function of the new life is to renew the group life force. Even though the first ceremonial event in the Hopi life cycle lacks complexity, it is nonetheless a marked ritual and every detail of this gift of life is celebrated. On the twentieth day at first light, the baby is wrapped in its finest blanket and presented to Dawa, the Sun Father, and so the rite of life begins, the rite of hope, a new Hopi Soul. Children are the survival force of Hopi and on that day a feast in which both sides of the family participate concluding the first cycle of Hopi life, from birth to death.

She has no face, which symbolizes the egalitarian society of the Hopi people. She represents a people, not an individual. The Hopi thought is: One Mind, one Body and one Spirit.

First Born Sculpture

<ul>
 	<li>First Born Sculpture by Kim Obrzut dimensions: 25.5"h x 10"w x 8"d</li>
 	<li>Reverence for the Gift of Life</li>
 	<li>Exquisite Bronze Artistry</li>
 	<li>Symbol of New Beginnings</li>
 	<li>Cultural Celebration</li>
</ul>

Desert Sky sculpture by Kim Obrzut. Scented with sage, and salt brush, the rocky fingers of the three Hopi mesas offer an unobstructed view through to the horizon. Off in the distance one can see the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest, the San Francisco Peaks, the Grand Canyon, and even Sunset Crater. On this sacred land of the Hopi is a world of stone houses silhouetting the skyline hardly discernible from the rocky cliffs below The air is clear and dry.

The Four Corners country is lightly populated and far from outside influence. Sixty miles East of Winslow, Arizona at 6000 feet above sea level with less than ten inches of rainfall a year the Hopi people are intimately connected to the environment. These westernmost Puebloan people track the heavens; the sun, the moon, lightning, the clouds and even rainbows to aide them in the survival of their civilization and the preservation of their culture.

For over a thousand years life at Hopi on the Colorado Plateau has received blessings and inspiration from the Four directions through a life of hard work and dedication to the land and sky around them.

She has no face, which symbolizes the egalitarian society of the Hopi people. She represents a people, not an individual. The Hopi thought is: One Mind, one Body and one Spirit

&nbsp;

Desert Sky sculpture

<ul>
 	<li>Desert Sky sculpture by Kim Obrzut dimensions: 17''H x 7.25''W x 6.5''D</li>
 	<li>Honoring Hopi Sacred Landscape</li>
 	<li>Exquisite Bronze Artistry</li>
 	<li>Sky and Earth Connection</li>
 	<li>Egalitarian Representation</li>
</ul>

Matriarch by Kim Obrzut

In the way of the Hopi, the Grandmother plays a most important role in the society. Women at Hopi own the home and the seeds that are planted each year. The Grandmother awaits patiently for her grandchildren to come forth. She is the one who will often name the children, giving the child their Hopi name, at which time the child will be given the first of the four corns that they will receive in life. The baby will be taken to greet the sun on the twentieth day and will be given a name with their first ear of red corn, which is the naming corn. The Grandmother leads in wisdom and knowledge. She is the Matriarch of the family.

Matriarch

<ul>
 	<li>Tribute to Hopi Tradition</li>
 	<li>Matriarch by Kim Obrzut displays graceful bronze artistry</li>
 	<li>Symbol of Grandmother's Wisdom</li>
 	<li>Dimensions: 28"H x 14"W x 10"D</li>
</ul>

August Rain by Kim Obrzut

Her elaborate headdress is worn at the Butterfly Dance which is a social dance of celebration done in August after the gathering of the harvest. This dance is performed by the young Hopi maidens who are thanking the rain which has resulted in an abundant harvest. On the back of her headdress are the ever important corn, clouds and rain. Corn is the lifeblood of the Hopi and the rain sustains the corn.
Corn is the heart of the Hopi diet and has provided the Hopi with life for nearly a millennium. The connection between the people and the corn is pervasive and deeply sacred. Corn and the maiden together are the most important to the Hopi culture, both are necessities for survival.
She has no face, which symbolizes the egalitarian society of the Hopi people. She represents a people, not an individual. The Hopi thought is: One Mind, one Body and one Spirit.

August Rain

<ul>
 	<li>Hopi Celebration Symbolism</li>
 	<li>Exquisite Bronze Sculpture</li>
 	<li>Dimensions: 15.5"H x 5.5"W x 5"D</li>
 	<li>August Rain by Kim Obrzut is figural art</li>
</ul>

Lines of Time by Kim Obrzut.

She is kneeling to symbolize preparation for womanhood or for marriage.
The flowing shape represents the Manta, the over the shoulder dress worn by the Hopi Women.

The People of Long Ago, Hisatsinom, began developing pottery two thousand years ago, leaving traces of our migrations in the four corner regions of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. The color and characteristic of the earthenware clay varied from region to region and was a woman's task, passed from mother to daughter.

Utilitarian and storage vessels remained unadorned while ceremonial pottery were eloquently decorated with plant or mineral paint using a brush made from yucca. Vibrant linear hatch work in early pottery dominated often representing abstract themes of rain. Rain equates to fertile land and represents a vital life force.

Ceramic traditions continued to evolve with vibrant geometric designs representing abstract ideas of common themes such as nature and spiritual beliefs. This artistic expression progresses today still influenced by our ancestors as Hopi potters excel at innovating dynamic visual rhythms that captivate the beholder.

Lines of Time

<ul>
 	<li>Lines of Time by Kim Obrzut dimensions: 10"H x 13"W x 12"D</li>
 	<li>Hopi Cultural Symbolism</li>
 	<li>Elegantly Sculpted Bronze</li>
 	<li>Manta Dress Inspiration</li>
</ul>

While the Hopi culture is known for their traditional crafts, basket weaving is arguably the oldest of them all. It was started at least a thousand years ago and still continues to be an imperative part of our life and our ceremonies. The baskets are used for decoration, food plates, ceremonies and trays to hold our ceremonial objects, such as corn, rattles and gifts.
The baskets have also been used for a medium of exchange. The women learned they could help sell or trade the baskets to bring income and food to their families. The first basket a girl weaves is offered to spirits with the intention that she will make many more baskets.
The moon is a feminine symbol. It is very powerful. She controls the tides, the rains, the waters, and the seasons. We need the sun for our crops, but to create harmony, we also need the night.
She has no face, which symbolizes the egalitarian society of the Hopi people. She represents a people, not an individual. The Hopi thought is: One Mind, one Body and one Spirit.

Moon

<ul>
 	<li>Moon by Kim Obrzut dimensions: 35"H x 12"W x 12"D</li>
 	<li>Timeless Hopi Tradition</li>
 	<li>Elegantly Crafted Bronze</li>
 	<li>Symbol of Feminine Power</li>
 	<li>Cultural Harmony &amp; Unity</li>
</ul>

Kim Seyesnem Obrzut