$865.00
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ca 1970-1980
1 3/4" h x 3 3/8"
Estate Collection
Alice Leekya Homer (1923–1988) was a prominent Zuni artist from Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, celebrated for her fetish carvings and jewelry. Born to the legendary Zuni jeweler and fetish carver Leekya Deyuse, Alice learned carving techniques in her twenties using hand-operated drills, mastering the traditional Zuni style of creating small animal fetishes imbued with spiritual significance. Her carvings, often bears, wolves, and birds, were crafted from materials like azurite, serpentine, travertine, and turquoise, featuring inlaid turquoise or coral eyes and medicine bundles with pearl or coral arrowheads. Her work closely resembled her father’s, with subtle differences like squared faces and forward-pointing arrowheads, reflecting a refined, tidy aesthetic.
Alice also excelled in jewelry, specializing in channel inlay and mosaic overlay with her husband, Bernard Homer Sr. Her jewelry, including bolo ties, rings, and necklaces, often featured mother-of-pearl, turquoise, and coral in designs like the Knifewing figure, showcasing vibrant Zuni artistry. She collaborated with family members, including her sister Sarah Leekya and brother Francis Leekya, and taught techniques to her children, Juana, Bernard Jr., and Patrick Homer, who continued the family’s carving and inlay traditions. Notable works include a rare 65-piece fetish necklace and azurite bear carvings, prized by collector
