Fred Kabotie Sold at Auction Prices

Painter, Illustrator, b. 1900 - d. 1986

Fred Kabotie (c. 1900–1986) was a celebrated Hopi painter, silversmith, illustrator, potter, author, curator and educator.

Fred Kabotie was born into a highly traditional Hopi family at Songo`opavi, Second Mesa, Arizona.[citation needed] His family founded Hotevilla, a community faithful to preserving Hopi traditions that were disappearing.[citation needed] He belonged to the Bluebird Clan, and his father belonged to the Sun Clan. Kabotie's Hopi name was Naaqavo'ma, meaning "the sun coming up day after day."[citation needed] His paternal grandfather gave him the nickname Qaavotay, meaning "tomorrow." His teacher at Toreva Day School spelled his nickname "Kabotie", which stuck with him for the rest of his life.

As a child he drew images of Hopi Katsinas with bits of coal and earth pigments onto rock surfaces near his home.

Kabotie wasn't the best student with his spotty attendance at the local day school. He was eventually forced to attend Santa Fe Indian School in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where, he says, "I was supposed to discard all my Hopi belief, all my Hopi way of life, and become a white man and become a Christian." English was the only language students were allowed to speak. John DeHuff became superintendent of the school and went against the prevailing government policy of suppressing Native cultures. DeHuff's wife Elizabeth Willis DeHuff taught painting to the students. She encouraged her students to embrace their culture within their paintings. Kabotie painted Katsinas because he missed home, and sold his first painting for 50 cents to the school's carpentry teacher.

DeHuff was demoted and forced to leave the school because of his encouragement of Native cultures. He convinced Kabotie to continue his education at Santa Fe Public High School. During his summer vacations Kabotie worked with artists Velino Shije Herrera (Zia Pueblo) and Alfonso Roybal (San Ildefonso Pueblo) on archaeological excavations for the Museum of New Mexico. He commenced a long association with local archaeologist Edgar Lee Hewett, joining him at archaeological excavations at Jemez Springs, New Mexico and Gran Quivira

Death and legacy: Kabotie died on February 28, 1986 after a long illness.[citation needed] "The Hopi believe that when you pass away," he said, "your breath, your soul, becomes into the natural life, into the powers of the deity.[citation needed] Then you will become mingled with all this nature again, such as clouds... That way you will come back to your people..."

He was best known for his painting, and is estimated to have finished 500 paintings. His paintings can be seen at gift shops, resorts, cultural centers, and museums all over New Mexico and Arizona.

His son Michael Kabotie (1942–2009) was also a well-known artist.