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Andy P. Abeita, Carver
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About Andy & Roberta Abeita ◊ Corn Maiden Story ◊ List of Awards
Work Created by Andy
Andy and Roberta Abeita call the Pueblo of Isleta home. For over twenty years this talented couple have been grinding, cutting and shaping stone sculpture. Often inlaying beautiful turquoise, coral, jet and shell in to their art work and or handcrafting beads to adorn their Corn Maiden sculptures. Each stone carving is hand carved, sanded and cloth buffed by hand. Having won many awards in the last twenty years their pueblo fetish carvings are renowned for having individual character and are in several private and museum collections around the world.Andy is a seed descendant of the Parrot clan from his mother and Eagle clan member from his father. Roberta is a member of the Ramah band of Navajo, the daughter of the Tall House clan and Edge Water clan from her father’s side. They are both fluent in their language and traditions and have raised their teenage son Laboraex (Turtle) in the same manner.
Andy had been carving stone since 1977 when he was 14 he pursued the arts as a career right out of high school. With no formal training (even to this day) Andy began carving stone and bone with a rasp and a grinding wheel attached to an old air conditioner motor wired to a fence post. But, the real influence came from his wife Roberta, where at age 19 the comfort of their love and trust for each other allowed them to sacrifice real jobs for a chance at a career in the arts. Twenty three years later they are well established with collectors such as Presidents Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford the honorable Sandra Day O’conner, Madeline Albright, Anthony Quinn, Mike Ditka, Shirley Maclaine, Michael Douglas. The Orion studios commissioned the Abeita’s to create a large marble sculpture of seven buffalo as a gift for Kevin Costner for the movie Dances with Wolves. Ambassadors from Holland, France, Japan, Algeria, Laos and Norway are among their many collectors.
“ I began to carve to express my understanding and love of our traditional life and my appreciation for our natural surroundings. Our carvings are a way to share with others beautiful memories captured forever in stone. A simple ear of corn reminds us to cherish and protect the beautiful gifts from nature. The bear represents the power of spirit and truth as was that embodied by my grandfather.”
Andy is also known as a prominent advocate for artisan rights both here in the US and abroad. Specializing in intellectual properties and cultural arts preservation he has represented the US as a US delegate to the United Nations / ITC for many years and is a permanent member of the registry of consultant for the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Pueblo Corn Maiden Story by Andy P. Abieta
In the pueblo Indian culture there are a number of fascinating versions our worldly beginnings. But one story I always held close in my heart is the one about the Corn Maidens. I have made many friends over the years along the pueblo chain with my favorites being the elders of our villages. They are always eager to share stories of our ancient ways and beliefs. So in my eagerness to learn more about the Corn Maidens my friends (fathers) from Isleta, Hopi,, Santo Domingo and Jemez villages shared with me this nearly identical version of this same story.
Corn Maidens
The Corn Maidens were said to have been made out of necessity. Created by God from the earth and heavens in the palm of his hand, God blew life and spirit into them and sent them on a mission to assist man. Whom in the beginnings of time would need guidance on the road to a good life. The Great Spirit dictated to the Maidens to bring into the midst of each clan a single seed of corn as a gift. And to tell man that that one seed is all that will be needed to sustain the whole clanship with their spirit and bodies in faith. So, each Maiden flew out of Gods hands and thru the stars came down upon man. After arriving the Maidens instructed man to put the seed in the earth and cover it. Though skeptical at first man did as was instructed. It is said that when this took place many stood around a small mound made for the seed. As they all looked on the Maidens began to sing their song of faith and love. As the people looked on their tears of faith began to fall on to the mound and watered the seed. The love from their hearts, their tears and the gentle caress of the people’s hands on the mound around the seed brought life from the seed.
Soon the seed emerged from the soil- at first slender and fragile, much like an infant. Then slowly as the people’s hearts and synchronistic singing began the seedlings leaves began to grow. With love, beauty and strength of family the seedling grew into a stock like a child nurtured with love and reassurance. With love comes trust and guidance to a child and from man’s prayers a healthy stock. It grew even stronger as man sang and touched it’s leaves while above the Maiden’s continued to sing their song.
As the spirit began to open peoples hearts so to did the large strong pockets of corn created in the cradle of the stock, as they matured before their eyes the Maidens told man to use this bounty as a reminder of Gods gift of life, to use it wisely as an intricate part of their lives survival, but most of all as reminder of the ultimate lesson the precious circle of life.
Treat your seeds (children) your blessings (gifts) with the up most respect know that the love and affection you give them now will allow them to harvest powerful bounty and allow us all to give back the gift God has given us, over and over again, love…
It was said that the Corn Maidens were made in the likeness of beautiful women, and that their beauty was stunning to men who witnessed them. Many of the men aspired to have the Corn Maidens for themselves, but to no avail of course. When the Corn Maidens recognized that there maybe trouble because of this they asked the Great Spirit what they should do. He instructed them each to travel amongst man in the form of the natures Spirits, also referred to as Kachina Spirits. So each Corn Maiden dawned a different image as she returned representing a Kachina spirit. Once they did this man could no longer long for a particular Maiden and as they traveled among the different clanships and villages they were no longer troubled. Perhaps you will notice that in different pueblo art forms portraying Corn Maidens they will always vary in the facial portrayals. This is probably one of the stories that explains that.
Copyright 1996, Andy P. Abieta, Laborex Enterprises reprinted with permission from the author
List of Awards
1981
-- 1st Place New Mexico State Fair Indian Arts Sculpture Division
1982
-- 1st Place New Mexico State Fair Indian Arts Sculpture Division
-- 1st and 2nd Place New Mexico State Fair Fine Arts Sculpture Division and Mixed Media
1983
-- 1st Place Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Assoc. Sculpture Division
1985
-- 1st Place / Best of Division New Mexico State Fair Indian Arts Sculpture Division
1986
-- 3rd Place Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Assoc. Sculpture Division
-- 2nd Place Eight Northern Pueblo Arts and Crafts Show Sculpture Division
1987
-- 2nd Place Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Assoc. Sculpture Division
1988
-- 1st Place and 3rd Place Red Earth Arts and Crafts Show
-- 1st Place / Best of Show New Mexico State Fair Creative Arts Sculpture Division
-- 1st Place and 3rd Place Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Assoc. Sculpture Division
1989
-- 1st Place Pasadena Indian Market Sculpture Division
-- 1st Place Arizona State Fair Fine Arts Division
1991
-- 2nd Place Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Assoc. Sculpture Division
-- 1st Place Red Earth Arts and Crafts Show Sculpture Division
-- 3rd Place New Mexico State Fair Creative Arts Sculpture Division
-- Honorable Mention Red Earth Arts and Crafts Show
1992
-- 1st Place American Indian Arts Council Show Dallas Texas
-- 1st Place / Best of Show (2 time Best of Show winner) New Mexico State Fair Creative Arts Sculpture Division
-- 2nd Place Eight Northern Pueblo Arts and Crafts Show Sculpture Division
1994
-- 2nd Place and 3rd Place Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Assoc. Sculpture Division
-- 1st Place / Best of Division Arizona State Fair Fine Arts Division
1995
-- 2nd Place Eight Northern Pueblo Arts and Crafts Show Sculpture Division
-- 1st Place / Best of Division American Indian Arts Council Show Dallas Texas
1996
-- 2nd Place Red Rocks Arts and Crafts Show Jemez Pueblo Sculpture 1997
-- 2nd Place New Mexico State Fair Creative Arts Sculpture Division
-- Honorable Mention Eight Northern Pueblo Arts and Crafts Show Sculpture Division
-- 1st Place / Best of Show (3 time Best of Show winner) New Mexico State Fair Creative Arts Sculpture Division
1998
-- 1st Place Santa Fe Indian Market Mixed Media Division (chess set)
-- 2nd Place Santa Fe Indian Market Sculpture Division
-- 1st Place / Best of Show Red Rocks Arts and Crafts Show Jemez Pueblo Sculpture Division
1999
-- 1st Place New Mexico State Fair Indian Arts Sculpture Division
-- 1st Place Santa Fe Indian Market
2000
-- 1st Place Red Rocks Arts and Crafts Show Jemez Pueblo Sculpture Division
-- 2nd Place Zuni Cultural Arts Council Show Fetishes Division
2001
-- 1st Place Sculpture Division and 3rd Place Fetishes Division Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Assoc.
2002
-- 1st Place Kachina Division (Best of Sculpture Award) and 2nd Place Sculpture Division Red Rocks Arts and Crafts
Show Jemez Pueblo
-- 2nd Place Fetishes Division Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Assoc.
-- 1st Place / Best of Show (4 time Best of Show winner) New Mexico State Fair Creative Arts Sculpture Division
-- 1st Place American Indian Arts Council Show Dallas Texas
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