Marquetry Magic
Artist ~ Ernest Mills ~

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Walpi Hopi Village
Walpi, (Navajo: Deezʼáahjįʼ), is a Hopi village established around 900 AD. It is located above Arizona State Route 264, east of the Grand Canyon in Navajo County, northern Arizona.  Walpi is an ancient stone pueblo complex located on the First Mesa (of three), 300 feet (91 m) above the canyon floor, on the Hopi Reservation. The villages of Sichomovi and Tewa (Hano) are also on First Mesa, both established after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 against the Spanish missions. It comprises a group of angular stone houses of two to three stories crowded on a narrow tip of the steep-walled mesa at an elevation of 6,225 feet (1,897 metres). Walpi Village is over 1100 years old and only has 13 year round residents. It is primarily used for ceremonies and dances. Overview: Walpi Village is one of the three Hopi pueblos located on First Mesa, on the Hopi Reservation. It is also fiercely proud of its heritage and allows visitors to tour through the ancient settlement perched on an isolated fin overlooking Polacca Wash.
I used some Artistic License to achieve the picture I wanted, which included inlaying 3 Walpi Hopi Bowls and one Wedding Vase. The wedding vase is a vintage pot beautifully made by Olive Toney, Eagle Clan. The left hand pot is unsigned, in the center we have a small bowl made by Alice Dashee, Eagle Clan.  The right hand bowl is by the late Josephine Zeena.
The piece was sanded using a 1/4 sheet sander with 120 grit up to 600 grit, then finished with 5 coats of water based sanding sealer and sanded again to 600 grit. A coat of satin polyurethane varnish to finish.
Finally rubbed with Renaissance wax polish.  10 weeks work period, 100% Scalpel cut.

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