Charley, Karen

Born in June 1951 at the Indian Health Services hospital in Fort Defiance, AZ, Karen Kahe Charley is the daughter of Marcella Kahe and Val Jean Kahe from the Hopi village of Sichomovi. Karen was educated at the Polacca Day School, then at the Phoenix Indian School. She got married, had three children, then around 1980 she got busy making pottery.

Karen learned how from her mother. Her mother also taught Emma Naha and Karen’s aunt, Ramona Ami.

Karen likes to make yellowware canteens, seed pots, jars, tiles, bowls, stew bowls and wedding vases. She also likes to decorate her pieces with red and black designs based on designs she’s found on potsherds from the ancient villages of Sikyátki, Awatovi and Payupki.

Karen has been participating in shows like the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Museum of Northern Arizona’s Hopi Show and the Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts Fair & Market since 1990. Over the years she’s earned ribbons for Best of Show, Best of Division and Best Traditional Pottery several times.

Some Awards Karen has earned

• 2018 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division B – Traditional Painted Pottery. Category 601 – Painted polychrome pottery in the style of Hopi, any form: Honorable Mention
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Traditional Pottery, Painted Designs on Matte or Semi-Matte Surface, All Forms Except Jars: Third Place
• 2001 Hopi Marketplace, Pottery Division: Best of Division. Museum of Northern Arizona
• 2001 Hopi Marketplace, Pottery Division, Polychrome canteens, wedding vases: First Place. Museum of Northern Arizona
• 2000 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Traditional pottery, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, all other forms except Hopi and other related styles, Category 1303 – Other bowl forms up to 9″ diameter: First Place
• 1999 Hopi Marketplace, Pottery Division, Polychrome canteens and water jugs: Third Place. Museum of Northern Arizona
• 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division E – Traditional pottery, Category 1201 – Jars, Hopi, up to 6″: Third Place
• 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Traditional pottery, Category 1307 – Canteens: Second Place
• 1998 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Traditional pottery, Category 1304 – Other bowl forms over 9″: Third Place
• 1997 Santa Fe Indian Market: The Sawyer Family Fellowship. Southwestern Association for Indian Arts
• 1997 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F , Category 1307: Second Place
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division E – Traditional, Category 1202 – Jars: Third Place
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Traditional pottery, Category 1307 – Canteens: Second Place
• 1996 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification VII – Pottery, Division C – Effigies and representations: Best of Division. Awarded for artwork: “Butterfly Dancer” Canteen
• 1996 Hopi Marketplace, Division – Pottery, Polychrome canteens: First Place. Museum of Northern Arizona
• 1996 Hopi Marketplace, Division – Pottery, Polychrome canteens: Second Place. Museum of Northern Arizona
• 1996 Hopi Marketplace, Division – Pottery, Polychrome tiles, plates: Honorable Mention. Museum of Northern Arizona
• 1995 Hopi Marketplace, Division – Pottery, Canteen and Wedding Jars: Third Place. Museum of Northern Arizona
• 1995 Hopi Marketplace, Division – Pottery, Small canteen: First Place. Museum of Northern Arizona
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Category 1302 – Jars: Third Place
• 1994 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Traditional pottery, Painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, all forms except jars, Category 1414 – Miscellaneous: First Place
• 1993 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Category 1406 – Canteens: First Place
• 1991 Hopi Artists’ Exhibition: Best of Show. Museum of Northern Arizona
• 1991 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Category 1413 – Miscellaneous: Third Place
• 1991 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Category 1406 – Canteens: First Place
• 1990 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Traditional pottery, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, all forms but jars: Best of Division
• 1990 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Traditional pottery, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, all forms but jars, Category 1211 – Canteen: First Place
• 1990 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Traditional pottery, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, all forms but jars, Category 1210 – Wedding vases: Third Place
• 1990 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Traditional pottery, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, all forms but jars, Category 1206 – Seed bowls: Third Place