Grace Chapella (1874-1980) was a renowned Hopi-Tewa potter from a Tewa village and of the Bear Clan.
As a small child, Chapella learned pottery techniques from her mother, TaTung Pawbe and from her neighbor Nampeyo. Her father, Toby Wehe, was a traditional farmer.
In the early 20th century, Chapella sold her pottery at the trading post established by Tom Polacca who was also a Tewa from First Mesa. It was Tom Polacca who encouraged her to sign her work.
She was the first from a Hopi Pueblo to travel by airplane, in 1927, for a pottery demonstration.
From 1917 to 1955, Chapella worked as the cook for the Polacca Day School. In 1955 when Grace retired, the school personnel gave her a water spigot for her yard. At that time, plumbing was not common in Polacca, and Grace was the first person to have running water available at a private home.
Chapella was the subject of study by anthropologist Gene Weltfish.
Her work is part of the permanent collection of the Brooklyn Museum.
Several of her descendants also became potters.
Video Grace Chapella
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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