Bear Fetish Carving by Corwin Yamutewa, Zuni

Bear Fetish Carving by Corwin Yamutewa, Zuni Pueblogasppeite, jet inlays1 1/8” high x 1 3/4” long x 1/2” wide ARTIST STATEMENT: “My name is Corwin Yamutewa, I am an enrolled tribal member of the Pueblo of Zuni. My clans are Frog Clan and Child of the Crow clan. I first picked up fetish carving in the summer of 2003, from the well known Master Carver, Brian Yatsattie. I would watch him carve in his workshop, from sun up to sun down. One day, he asked me if I would like to give it a try. Then as the saying goes "the rest is history”. A few years passed and I started to develop my own style. Inlaying my bears with black jet and rabbits with pink mussel shell, then eventually doing inlay work on other animals I carve. I am now well known for my bears and bunnies. I carve traditional animals such as bears, mountain lions, badgers, wolves/coyotes and on occasion, moles and eagles (our six directional animals). I also carve some non traditional animals such as armadillos, swans, snakes and pa