Raymond Sequaptewa — Hopi Silversmith
Hopi silversmith. Profiled in Mark Bahti’s Silver + Stone (2007).
Raymond Sequaptewa, a Hopi silversmith, was profiled in Mark Bahti's Silver + Stone (2007).
The Mark
Recorded mark: RS, and his name in script (Hougart (2022)).
From the Library: Bahti, Silver + Stone: Profiles of American Indian Jewelers (2007)
A 2007 profile, reviewed and corrected by the artists themselves before publication. Anything described as current describes 2006-2007, not today.
According to Bahti (2007, p. 160), Raymond Sequaptewa (b. 1948, Hotevilla) learned silverwork at Wayne Sekaquaptewa's Hopicrafts shop, where he stayed about eight years, then worked about seven years at the Hopi Arts and Crafts Guild before building his own studio at Hotevilla. [1]
Bahti (2007, p. 160) reported that his work moved from conventional Hopi overlay to pieces built around found materials such as wood, animal bone and discarded objects, cast and mounted in silver. [1]
Speaking to Bahti (2007), Raymond Sequaptewa said of those materials:
“The art was already in there: all I had to do was expose them so people could see them.”
— Bahti (2007), p. 160 [1]
Of his first show, the Hopi show in Sedona, he told Bahti (2007):
“But I sold everything by noon.”
— Bahti (2007), p. 160 [1]
According to Bahti (2007, p. 161), the artist Paul Kretzman later showed him etching and engraving. [1]
From the Library: Wright, Hopi Silver (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
According to Wright (2003, p. 85), Raymond Sequaptewa, of the Corn clan at Hotevilla, began silverwork in 1970 and learned at the Guild; he used his initials when he first worked, and Wright shows a later mark labelled 'Corn Ear 1974'. [3]
From the Library: Bassman, The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry (1993)
1993 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1993, not today.
Bassman (1993, p. 38) pictured a cast bracelet with turquoise and coral made in 1991 by Raymond Sequaptewa, and mask earrings of oxidized sterling silver he made in 1992. [4]
From the Library: Schaaf, American Indian Jewelry I (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
Schaaf (2003) entered him as
“Raymond Sequaptewa, Sr. (RS, early work; hallmark - ear of corn)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 286 [5]
Schaaf (2003, p. 286) recorded Raymond Sequaptewa, Sr. as Hopi of Hotevilla, active from about 1970 in contemporary jewelry, the father of Raymond Sequaptewa, Jr., taught at the Hopi Silvercraft Cooperative Guild, showing at Indian Market from 1993 and winning an award there in 2000. [5]
Field Notes by Mateo James
Bahti's 2007 profile, in Raymond's own account, has him learning first at Hopicrafts and then working at the Guild. Wright's listing records only that he learned at the Guild. The two may simply stress different stages of his training, so I show both as printed.
Sources
- Bahti, Mark. Silver + Stone: Profiles of American Indian Jewelers. Tucson: Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2007. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2007.
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022. Cited for the recorded hallmark.
- Wright, Margaret Nickelson. Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing. Revised edition. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2003. Originally published by Northland Publishing. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2003.
- Bassman, Theda. The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry. Photography by Gene Balzer. Walnut, California: Kiva Publishing, 1993. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1993.
- Schaaf, Gregory, with Angie Yan Schaaf. American Indian Jewelry I: 1,200 Artist Biographies, ca. 1800-present. American Indian Art Series, Vol. 5. Santa Fe: CIAC Press, 2003. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2003.
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