Page 19 - the NOISE January 2014

South of Hopi by Dan Namingha is among the collection, “Nampeyo :: Namingha — Tradition & Transition” at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
of ancient firing and painting techniques. Her renowned pottery is full of Hopi flight imagery and ignited an international mar- ket for Hopi art.
Inspired by the dreamlike images of kat- sina ceremonies and the austere beauty of Arizona and New Mexico, Mr. Namingha’s drawings, paintings and sculptures also incorporate Hopi symbolism and imagery, continuing to keep their cultural traditions alive in the international art scene.
Working in bronze, wood and stone, Dan’s son, Arlo Namingha, creates sculp- tures that convey his appreciation and respect for his Hopi ancestors, traditions and landscapes. Some of his sculptures are crafted for their shadow effects and ap- pear to move like clouds.
Dan’s other son, Michael Namingha, creates modern, conceptual photographs that combine imagery and words that comment on interpersonal relations and popular culture.
“It is always a pleasure to be part of an ex- hibitthatincludesmyfamily,”saysMichael. “It is great to see how different each of our
work is, but also connected in many ways.” The exhibit, which runs through May 4, 2014, also includes ceramic vessels by
Nampeyo and her great-granddaugh- ter Dextra Quotskuyva. The Museum of Northern Arizona is located at 3101 N. Fort Valley Road. Visit musnaz.org or call 928- 774-5213.
MAGiCAL ABStRACtioNS
Abstract artist Susan Stebila (you may also know her as the Great Sudini, her alias when performing her magic show “Oops”) shows her paintings this month at Moun-
tain Oasis. Working mostly in oil, with some sketches in pencil, Ms. Stebila’s ab- stracts are alive with the fluid movements and daring color choices of the spontane- ous, resulting in images reminiscent of a bird of paradise about to take flight or the swirling depths of the sea. The inspiration for her paintings often comes from the most unexpected of places.
“Most of my energetic art is uninten- tional,” she says. “I’m not trying to capture anything; it just comes out the way it does, fast and in bursts of energy and inspiration. The peanut butter dolphin was my lunch; I just spread the peanut butter out and was surprised to see a dolphin, especially div- ing into my ocean plate. I ate it; now I wish I had framed it.”
This sort of light hearted humor is typi- cal of Ms. Stebila, who exudes a fun “don’t take yourself too seriously” energy.
Born and raised in Queens, NY, Ms. Ste- bila came to Flagstaff two years ago to join her family, who are also artists and musi- cians. In her early twenties she moved to Denver and studied under Carol Savid as a stained glass apprentice. Most of the work was commercial, which included 20 windows for the Stapleton Airport Restau- rant. She then later worked under Susan Gold doing commissioned work for banks and residential clients. Ms. Stebila’s most notable stained class installation was 18 original windows created for the movie set The Quick and the Dead.
In addition to the occasional peanut butter sandwich, Ms. Stebila gleans inspi- ration from nature, animals, people, scuba diving, Reiki, music and magic shows for kids. Her hope is that viewers experience
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thenoise.us • the NOISE arts & news • january 2014 • 19