Hopi Pueblo Tewa Hochani Chief Kachina Doll By Sandra Suhu

Sandra Suhu (born 1971) is a Hopi artist from Third Mesa (Hotevilla, Arizona), a member of the Rabbit/Tobacco Clan, and one of the few recognized female Hopi kachina carvers. She began carving in 1995, encouraged by her grandfather despite traditional gender roles in the craft (typically performed by men). She carves primarily from cottonwood root, which is the classic material for katsina dolls. Suhu lives in Phoenix, where she balances carving with work as a computer electronics assembler, while raising twin daughters. Her pieces are highly collectible and have been exhibited at venues like the Heard Museum's Kachina Doll Market Place. She has work in institutional collections, including the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma.