FARRESS CROMBE
from Rochester, New York
Season of Hope
Doll named Hopi In The Night
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Land of Odds, Be Dazzled Beads,
The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts, and
The Open Window Gallery present…

All Dolled Up

I explore my beadwork with my fingers and all my senses. I feel my doll's creative aura. One hundred years from now I say "when someone picks you up and holds you they, too, will be at one with the SEASON OF HOPE."

Hope is the assurance of things wished for in the absence of what is seen. All bead artists have this hope as they set out tubes of glass beads, needles, scissors, and thread and then hope beyond what is in front of them to create beauty and form in art.

As I bead late into the night and early morning, I hope, pray, and create. My mind often gravitates to native artisans who hundreds of years ago also hoped, prayed, and created. HOPI IN THE NIGHT, a form of an angel, represents this connection.

In the American Southwest, Hopi tribesmen use Katsina dolls to encourage their children to pray. To the Hopi Indians, Katsinas are spiritual beings central to the Hopi religious life. Katsinas serve as intermediaries between the Hopi people and their Gods. Katsinam hear the prayers of the faithful and convey their supplications to God, whom responds with blessings. (Prayers, petitions, requests, and blessings need a little help sometimes to get where they're intended to go.) Katsinas are like Angels, they are messengers of God. HOPI IN THE NIGHT symbolizes a Katsina doll or Angel.

Traditionally Katsina dolls are hand carved by tribesmen using the roots or branches of cottonwood trees. Many Hopi argue that it is inappropriate for women to carve Katsina dolls; they believe that those who attempt to do so will come to harm. To understand and appreciate ancestral Hopi culture and their spiritual values, I avoided the traditional hand carved cottonwood forms of Katsina dolls and fashioned my own 8" three-dimensional soft sculpture doll. HOPI IN THE NIGHT is made of dense brown woven cotton material. The doll is stuffed with wood shavings from a local woodworker's shop. I thought this use of "cotton wood" might be safer.

Tortoise colored beads, swirled and embroidered

Toward this end of the nineteenth century some native carvers began to experiment with ways to suggest life and motion into Katsina dolls. After World War II "dressed" Katsina dolls became the norm as carvers began to adorn their work. HOPI IN THE NIGHT uses these newer techniques to suggest life, motion and adornment. This doll uses tortoise colored beads, swirled and embroidered on the dolls chest and arts to suggest the bronze colored skin of Native Americans in the desert sun. The colorful feathered wings provide the appearance of movement which helps transcend messages between Heaven and Earth. Soft hand sewn leather moccasins guarantees our messages sent to God humbly. The swinging drum and baton ensure that when prayers are heard or answered, Katsina can surely make a joyful noise! In the Hopi culture, directions are associated with color. For example: Yellow: north; Blue/Green: west; Red: south; White: east; and Black: above. HOPI IN THE NIGHT uses bright multi-colored beaded stars, under the mask, to radiate out in every direction. These stars are surrounded by black beads to remind us that our hopes can go higher than the Heavens.

Beaded stars under the mask

A loom beaded headdress shows that a Katsina hides a portion of himself to go about the beauty of blessing others. In the facial mask, a 5 pointed star in each eye of the Katsina points away from the Angel, leading toward the Creator. This characteristic of denying self is similar to bead artists who, too, create away from self and bow toward a greater beauty as seen through each craftsman's eye.

Loom beaded headdress

I believe all bead artists are graced with a SEASON OF HOPE. In this season they go beyond the limits in front of them to create greater beauty and form in their art. HOPI IN THE NIGHT is for past, present, and future bead artists; let this doll symbolize the hope, prayers, and creativity we all share.

Side Image

Back Image

Detailed Image

Hopi In The Night
(rotation)

LIST OF MATERIALS

Nymo B black thread
Needle size 12 sharps
Seed beads size 11/0
- transparent tortoise colors
- opaque: red, yellow, sky blue, purple, black, green
Fringe beads
- small cubes, drops
1/4 yd. dense cotton fabric: brown
1/4 yd. total wool felt: red, black
Leather remnant for moccasins and leggings
Leather cord for belts
wood chips for stuffing
Feathers; colored and natural
wooden drum and stick
8" doll pattern on request

LIST OF TECHNIQUES

Bead embroidery
Loom work

8" doll