Lester
and his wife, Denise, work together to create some beautiful Kachina doll
carvings. While he is the master at carving and painting, Denise uses her
skill for the fine detailed sanding of their carvings. A favorite subject
for them to create is the dancing Eagle Kachina.
Lester spent most of his young life in Tuba
City, Arizona. In 1970, he went to school in Riverside, California where he
met Denise. They have been together ever since.
After his high school graduation in 1971, Lester
returned to Tuba City, where he would watch his father-in-law carve Kachina
dolls. Lester would sit with him from very early in the morning and would
ask many questions. After finally deciding to try carving for himself, he
sold his very first doll for only $36.
Today, Lester and
Denise live in the small Hopi village called Moenkopi, one mile east of Tuba
City, Arizona. As is traditional with most Native American families, the
couple is sharing their skills and talents in various art forms with their
five children. Tyrone, Larissa, Lester III, Jed, and Zane all carve kachina
dolls. Beyond kachina carving, Larissa and Zane have both branched out into
making pottery and basketry.
While Lester was born
to a Havasupai mother and a Hopi Father, Denise is full-blooded Hopi. He
uses his knowledge of Hopi dances and traditions to make his dolls
realistic, and he feels his life experiences have made the creation of his
carvings successful.
