Faye Tso Explained

Faye Tso
Birth Date:	1933
Birth Place:	Coal Mine Mesa, Arizona
Death Place:	Tuba City, Navajo Nation, Arizona
Nationality:	Navajo
Field:	Ceramics, herbal medicine

Faye Tso (1933–2004) was a Navajo potter and herbal medicine healer.^[1] Her pieces are known for their nontraditional imagery of corn maidens, warriors, and dancers, whereas Navajo pottery typically has little decoration. Born in Coal Mine Mesa, Arizona, Tso was relocated with other Navajos to Tuba City, Arizona in 1974 because of a land dispute between the Navajo and Hopi tribes.^[2] She returned to dig her clay at Coal Mine Mesa, where she also gathered pinon from which she extracted the pitch resin used to coat and seal her Dineh pottery. In 1990, the Arizona Indian Living Treasures Association designated Tso as a living treasure.^{[3] [4]} Her husband and son are medicine men and use Tso's pots in their ceremonies.^{[5] [6]}

Noted works

Tso's works have sold for over $1,000,^[7] and several of her pieces are held in the Smithsonian American Art Museum:

• Head of Emmett, c. 1985, fired clay with piñon pitch, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 1997.124.175^[8]
• Bean Pot with Incised Corn Maiden Figures, 1987, fired clay with piñon pitch, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 1997.124.176^[9]
• Pot with Dancers with Headdresses and Rattles, c. 1985, fired clay with piñon pitch, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 1997.124.177^[10]
• Pot with Figurative Decoration, c. 1992, fired clay with piñon pitch, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 1997.124.178^[11]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Halberstadt. Carol Snyder. Faye Tso, Coal Mine Mesa Community (1934-2004). 2 February 2014.
2. News: Pasztor. David. Frozen in time the 20-year war between Navajos and Hopis over homelands leaves them cold. 4 February 2014. Phoenix New Times. 12 Aug 1992. 21 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140221184035/http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1992-08-12/news/frozen-in-time/full/. dead.
3. Web site: 2018-09-03 . AILTA Living Treasures Arizona Indian Living Treasures Awards . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180903091534/http://ailta.org/ailta-living-treasures . 3 September 2018 . Arizona Indian Living Treasures Awards.
4. News: Norrell . Brenda . 11 October 2000 . Yavapai-Apache Nation honors Arizona Indian Living Treasures . C1 . Indian Country Today .
5. Web site: Faye Tso . 11 April 2022 . Smithsonian American Art Museum .
6. Book: Rosenak, Chuck. The people speak : Navajo folk art. 1994. Northland Pub.. Flagstaff, Ariz.. 0873585658. 1st. Rosenak. Jan. registration.
7. Web site: Tso, Faye (1933-2004) . 2022-04-12 . King Galleries . en-US.
8. Web site: Head of Emmett. Smithsonian American Art Museum Collections Search. Smithsonian American Art Museum. 2013-03-29.
9. Web site: Bean Pot with Incised Corn Maiden Figures. Smithsonian American Art Museum Collections Search. Smithsonian American Art Museum. 2013-03-29.
10. Web site: Pot with Dancers with Headdresses and Rattles. Smithsonian American Art Museum Collections Search. Smithsonian American Art Museum. 2013-03-29.
11. Web site: Pot with Figurative Decoration. Smithsonian American Art Museum Collections Search. Smithsonian American Art Museum. 2015-12-20.