Mark Tahbo

Hopi

Mark Tahbo was born into the Hopi-Tewa Spider Clan in 1958. His great-grandmother, Grace Chapella, inspired him to make pottery and, while he watched the women around him making pottery, he said he learned most of his skills on his own. He started making pottery around 1978 and continued until he passed on in 2018.

Mark's specialty was very thin-walled vessels with his trademark polish finish. He earned awards at Heard Museum and Santa Fe Indian Market consistently, beginning the early 1990s.

Turkey-fell-in-the-hole design on a polychrome flying-saucer jar
Polychrome flying-saucer jar with turkey-fell-in-the-hole design
3.5 in H by 7 in Dia
Four direction geometric design on a tan jar
Tan jar with four direction geometric design
3.25 in H by 5.5 in Dia
Ogre kachina desings on the outside and child design on the inside of a yellow ware jar
Yellow ware jar with ogre kachina designs on the outside and child design inside
5.25 in H by 10.25 in Dia
Red tulip design on the outside and bat shadow splatter design on the inside of a yellow ware bowl
Yellow ware bowl with red tulip design on the outside and bat shadow splatter design on the inside
3.25 in H by 9.5 in Dia
Red and black bird element designs on a yellow ware jar
Yellow ware jar with red and black bird element designs
4.25 in H by 6.25 in Dia
Shard, bird element and geometric designs on the body of a yellow ware jar with a red neck
Yellow ware jar with a red neck and shard, bird element and geometric designs on the body
5.25 in H by 5 in Dia
Hummingbird design on a polychrome jar with a flared neck
Polychrome jar with a flared neck decorated with hummingbird designs
4.75 in H by 5.25 in Dia
Large shard design on a Sikyatki-style jar
Polychrome Sikyatki-style jar decorated with large shard and geometric designs
4.5 in H by 6.5 in Dia
Hummingbirds and fish on a black on yellow jar
Black on yellow jar decorated with hummingbirds and fish
5 in H by 6 in Dia
Yellow bowl, plain and polished
Polished plain yellow bowl
2.5 in H by 5.25 in Dia
Night and day hummingbird design on a black on yellow jar
Black on yellow jar with a day and night hummingbird design
3.75 in H by 5.25 in Dia
Night and day hummingbird design on a polychrome jar
Polychrome jar with day and night hummingbird design
4.5 in H by 6 in Dia
Hummingbird design on a yellow ware jar
Yellow ware jar with hummingbird design
4.25 in H by 6 in Dia
Bird element and geometric design on a polychrome water jar
Polychrome water jar decorated with bird element and geometric design
6.5 in H by 9 in Dia
Niman eagle ceremony design on a yellow ware jar
Yellow ware jar decorated with a Niman eagle ceremony design
3.75 in H by 7.75 in Dia
Bird and butterfly design on a black on yellow jar
Black on yellow jar decorated with a bird and butterfly design
3 in H by 5.25 in Dia

Hopi Potters