Bear Kachina #044

The Artist

Hopi silverwork is defined by the overlay technique: two layers of sterling silver, the upper sheet pierced with a design and soldered over a lower layer that is oxidised dark and often textured, so the motif reads as bright silver against shadow. The style was refined into its modern form after the Second World War, when a silvercraft training programme on the Hopi mesas encouraged smiths to draw on distinctly Hopi iconography. Clouds, rain, migration spirals, bear paws, katsina figures, and water-serpent forms recur — each carrying meaning within Hopi life. Stones are rare in Hopi work; the artistry lives in the line, the contrast, and the precision of the cut.

Heritage

The silver overlay masters of the Arizona mesas — luminous two-tone silver carrying clan symbols, kachina forms, and the imagery of Hopi life.

Art Traditions

The motifs in Hopi overlay are not decorative inventions; they are drawn from a living ceremonial and clan system. Kachina imagery, water and corn symbols, and clan emblems reference the spiritual relationships and responsibilities at the center of Hopi life, which remains organized around the ceremonial calendar, the kiva, and the agricultural cycle of the mesas. Out of respect, the most sacred imagery stays within ceremony and is not rendered for sale, and Hopi artists are deliberate about the line between what may be shared and what may not. The post-war creation of the Hopi style was, in part, an act of cultural self-determination — a conscious choice, supported by Hopi leaders and artists, to define Hopi identity in silver on Hopi terms rather than in borrowed forms. That spirit continues in the guild tradition and in the family workshops scattered across First, Second, and Third Mesa today. Humiovi presents Hopi overlay with awareness of its symbolic weight, honoring both the artisans and the boundaries the Hopi themselves draw around their sacred imagery. This care extends to the marketplace: Hopi artists and the guild have long worked to ensure that genuine Hopi makers, rather than imitators, receive the recognition and livelihood their work earns. To choose authentic Hopi silver is, in a real and practical sense, to support that self-determination and the families who sustain the craft.

Certificate of Authenticity

Every purchase includes a Certificate of Authenticity documenting the artist, tribal affiliation, and materials used in your piece.

Returns & Exchanges

Return within 30 days of delivery. Exchanges for an item of equal or greater value carry no restocking fee; refund returns are subject to a 20% restocking fee, with return shipping paid by you. Items must be in new, unworn, and unused condition with all original packaging — your Certificate of Authenticity is yours to keep. Custom and personalized pieces are not eligible.