Alvin James
Sr. (Makya)
Kaisale Clown
22 1/2"
H total height
Kaisale is one of the beautiful
clowns, so-called because of the many colors that stripe his
body.
His actions, however, are
those of the Tsuku - the Hopi clown. He engages in any outrageous
act that will tickle the fancy of the audience.
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artist's Documentary (243)
Alvin was born May 7, 1936
at the Hopi Village of Old Oraibi, Arizona. He was a forerunner
in carving fine, all wood kachinas and sculptures. The life-like
features made his kachinas unique. He started carving as a small
boy, but it wasn't until he got out of the military that he took
a real interest in carving.
Today he is remembered as
one of the foremost pioneers of modern kachina carving. His work
has been represented in nearly every major publication on kachina
carvings and is shown in major museums and collections around
the world.