Marianne Navasie

Marianne Navasie is the daughter of famed Joy Navasie, and the grand-daughter of world renowned Paqua Naha, the original frog woman. Marianne was born in 1951, and has been making pottery since she was 18 years old. Although, Marianne was only three years old when her grandmother died, she does recall her and her mother always working with the clay. Marianne has mastered the white ware look pioneered by Paqua, and carried on by her mother, and now Marianne is continuing with the family tradition. Marianne stated, “ My Mother always pushed us to stay with traditional hand coiled pottery making methods, and to carry on the frog style.” One look at Marianne’s pottery and it is evident that she has mastered the art which was created by her ancestors. She gathers all her materials (natural pigments) from within the Hopi Reservation. Marianne cleans, mixes, hand coils, shapes, sands, paints, and fires her pottery, outdoors, with sheep dung.

Marianne signs her pottery with the “Paqua”, (frog) symbol, but does put a tadpole next to it so it indicates her place within her family tree. Marianne is left handed so her work will move in the opposite direction of her mother‘s.