Joy Navasie

The work of renowned Hopi-Tewa potter Joy Navasie (1919–2012) appears in museums across the country that proudly represent the finest in Native American Arts & Crafts. Born in 1919, Joy began creating pottery at the age of 17. She learned her craft from her mother, Paqua Naha (“Frog Woman” – 1890–1955), who was acknowledged as a master of her craft. Joy also adopted the name of her mother, Frog Woman. Both mother and daughter used the image of a frog to sign their work. However, Joy’s signature frog displays webbed feet, distinguishing it from the short-toed frog used by her mother.

Paqua Naha is credited with developing white ware pottery in the early 1950s, a technique that became closely associated with the Frog Woman family of potters. Joy continued and refined this tradition, mastering the difficult process of painting intricate black and red designs on a white kaolin slip surface. The pottery is traditionally hand-coiled and pit-fired using sheep dung, a method that requires expert control of temperature and timing.

Joy’s work often features classic Hopi-Tewa motifs such as rain, clouds, parrots, and feathers. Her pottery is known for its impeccable symmetry, fine-line painting, and deep cultural symbolism. Over her long career, she became one of the most respected and influential potters of the 20th century, and her legacy continues to inspire new generations of Hopi-Tewa artists.