Polacca, Thomas

Thomas Polacca was born in 1935 and died in 2003. He was the son of Hopi-Tewa potter Fannie Nampeyo and Vinton Polacca, the grandson of Nampeyo of Hano. Among his siblings were Elva Tewaguna Nampeyo, Leah Garcia Nampeyo, Iris Youvella Nampeyo and Tonita Hamilton Nampeyo. All of them became excellent potters because of their mother. Thomas, however, learned from his sisters. And when he got good at making jars, he was asked to make something different. He decided to do something very different and create a niche in the pottery world for himself.

Thomas carved most of his pieces, like a kachina carver would. His imagery was very like that of kachina carvers, except his medium was clay instead of wood. He also painted everything in an earth tone, saying nothing in his world is bright red.

Some Exhibits that Featured Works by Thomas

• Elegance from Earth: Hopi Pottery. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. March 24, 2012 – April 6, 2014
• Choices and Change: American Indian Artists in the Southwest. Heard Museum North. Scottsdale, Arizona. June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2008
• 5th Annual Hopi Show. Gallery 10. Scottsdale, Arizona. Opened March 24, 1988. Note: includes Al Qöyawayma, potter; Loren Phillips, carver; and potters of the Nampeyo Family, Thomas Polacca, Carla Nampeyo, and Gary Nampeyo
• Nampeyo of Hano and Five Generations of Her Descendants. Adobe Gallery. Albuquerque, New Mexico. August 14, 1983 – September 5, 1983. Note: accompanied by an exhibition catalog with essay by Joseph Traugott