Charles Loloma Original Hopi Pen and Ink Drawing of Stylized Corn Maidens

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An exceptionally fine Charles Loloma pen and ink on paper drawing of stylized Hopi “Corn Maiden” Kachina figures, c.1980

ex: Charles Loloma personal collection, Hotevilla, AZ

Charles Loloma (1921-1991) was an extraordinary Modern-day artistic prodigy and polymath in the mold of the great historic European Renaissance artists, Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Loloma, who began his artistic career in the 1930’s as a young teenager painting murals under the supervision of the great Hopi artist and educator, Fred Kabotie (1900-1986) was equally proficient in painting, drawing, pottery-making and, of course, jewelry.

Little known to anyone including some of his closest associates until quite recently, Loloma drew constantly over the course of his entire career. He did it not to sell, not to show, but purely for his own pleasure. As a result, the drawings are exceptionally personal in nature, done only to satisfy himself with no commercial pressure or sales or recognition expectations at all. They are as a whole remarkably fresh, intensely vibrant, fluid and just downright spectacular in their overall beauty, detail and quality.

This lovely, superbly accomplished pen and ink drawing of three Hopi “Corn Maiden” figures is a perfect case in point. The drawing is done in fine black India ink on textured art paper and it shows a group of three main Corn Maiden figures in wonderfully complex and fantastically detailed curvilinear designs, both realistic and abstract depictions of the female Corn Maiden figures with their flowing hair becoming corn plant tassels intertwined with positive and negative designs symbolizing corn ears and corn kernels. The overall effect is alive, phantasmagoric, almost psychedelic. The graphic interplay and visual contrast between the alternating positive and negative spaces in the drawing is astounding and unique. The fluidity of Loloma’s line is masterful and perfectly controlled.

Top row left and right, ears of Hopi corn in several different colors; blue, yellow and white. The various Hopi Corn Maiden kachinas are known by their colors, Blue Corn Maiden, Yellow Corn Maiden, Red Corn Maiden etc. Top row center, Charles Loloma, c. 1970.

Middle row above left to right, three "Corn Maiden" works by Charles Loloma, an unfinished carved opal Corn Maiden pendant,

c. 1980's, a different Corn Maiden pen and ink drawing, c. 1980 and a Corn Maiden pottery lamp base, c. 1950's. Below, Charles Loloma planting corn in his Hopi cornfield, c. 1970's

The drawing measures 8" in height by 5 1/2" in width (sight) and its framed dimensions are 16" in height by 12" in width. The drawing has been most beautifully framed by Santa Fe’s premier fine art framers, Goldleaf Framemakers of Santa Fe and it is framed to the highest conservation and aesthetic standards. The drawing is archivally matted and framed in a custom hand-carved and beveled light maple wood frame under 99% UV-Light resistant “TruVue Conservation Clear” Museum-grade acrylic glass. This type of framing treatment is quite understandably not inexpensive and costs around $1,000. The drawing is beautifully and very artfully signed “Loloma” at the lower center right in the artist’s customary signature and it is in thoroughly excellent original condition.

The drawing also has a perfect and most excellent provenance. Charles Loloma kept it in his own personal collection from the time he created it until his death in 1991 after which it passed to his widow and estate heir, Georgia Voisard Loloma, who in turn kept it until her death in 2021 after which it was purchased from her estate by the renowned Navajo artist, Tony Abeyta of Santa Fe who subsequently and recently sold it to us.

This drawing is a true and pure artistic jewel, made by one the world’s great artists completely and purely

for the private personal enjoyment and pleasure of one of the world’s great artists, a piece undoubtedly worthy

of any collection, public or private, anywhere in the world.

Price $4,450

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PROVENANCE

ex: Charles Loloma Personal Collection, Hotevilla, AZ, 1980’s-1991

ex: Charles and Georgia Loloma Estate Collection,

Phoenix, AZ and Santa Fe, NM, 1991-2021

ex: Tony Abeyta Personal Collection, Santa Fe, NM, 2021-2026

Fine Arts of the Southwest, Santa Fe, NM, 2026

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EXHIBITION HISTORY

“Loloma: Expressions in Metal, Ink and Clay” Exhibition,

Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ, February-October, 2015

The Corn Maiden is an extremely important mythical figure to the Hopi underscoring the critical importance of corn to the people. A "Corn Mother”, a perfect ear of white corn, is traditionally given to Hopi infants and stays with them always, symbolizing life and sustenance. Charles Loloma was particularly taken with the Corn Maiden imagery and idea and he explored various expressions of Hopi Corn Maidens in both his drawings, pottery and jewelry throughout his career a number of which are shown here.

Twenty-four years after Charles Loloma’s 1991 death, in 2015, the Heard Museum in Phoenix in conjunction with Loloma’s widow and estate heir, Georgia Voisard Loloma (1934-2021), mounted an excellent exhibition of many of his personal drawings. We were extremely proud to have been lenders to this exhibition ourselves and we were very pleased to attend. As can be seen in the photos below, this Corn Maiden drawing was exhibited in this exhibition and

it was also prominently featured in the exhibition catalog. An original copy of the Heard Museum’s 2015 exhibition catalog will be included along with the sale of the drawing.

“The Hopi Corn Maiden (Katsinmana or Qocha Mana) is a revered figure representing fertility, abundance and prayers for a bountiful harvest, often appearing in ceremonies like Soyal to mark the start of the katsina season. She appears in various colors (Blue, Yellow) to symbolize different corn types, acting as a spiritual messenger to bring rain and growth.”

“If there is beauty in a piece of art, a person

can absorb it and become more beautiful.”

-Charles Loloma

Above left, the drawing on display at The 2015 Heard Museum "Loloma: Expressions in Metal, Ink and Clay" exhibition. Above center, The Heard Museum's catalog of the exhibition. Above right, the exhibition catalog page showing the drawing along with examples of Charles Loloma "Corn Maiden" jewelry and pottery pieces also in the exhibition.

Above left and right, Hopi inlaid silver "Corn Maiden" jewelry pendants by Charles Loloma, c. 1970's-80's.