Abstract Painting

Thrown Vase, 1968

Artist Christine Nofchissey McHorse
(Diné, 1948 - 2021)
 
Medium Stoneware, glaze
 
Dimensions 7.25” x 4.5” x 4.5”
 
 

Overview

Christine Nofchissey McHorse attended IAIA from 1963 to 1968, studying ceramics with Ralph Pardington, foundry arts with Allan Houser, and design with Fritz Scholder. Her early works are characterized by organic shapes, abstract symbols, and textured surfaces, reminiscent of Abstract Expressionist ceramics. The first-generation Diné ceramic artist became best known for her elegant, black organic abstractions that blend ceramic art and sculpture. Her 1960s print, Who Knows, displays some of McHorse’s iconic enigmatic style, despite being a work on paper. McHorse exhibited at Santa Fe Indian Market for 23 years, winning 38 awards for both pottery and sculpture and her work can be found in the permanent collections of the Heard Museum, the Denver Art Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, Navajo Nation Museum, and more.