Dot & Emerson Ami: Carrying Clay, Culture, and Community at the Museum
- MIP Author
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
An Ongoing Relationship with the Museum
Award-winning Hopi/Tewa master potters Dorothy “Dot” Ami and Emerson Ami have become familiar and welcomed voices at the Museum of Indigenous People returning across multiple Artist Weekends to share their work, their process, and their story.
Each visit builds on the last.
From earlier Guest Artist Series appearances to more recent demonstrations and talks, their presence reflects something deeper than a single event it reflects an ongoing relationship between artist, community, and place.
A Community Shaped in Clay Culture
Dot Ami, born into the Hopi-Tewa Tobacco clan, developed her craft through observation, family practice, and formal apprenticeship under her cousin, respected potter Mark Tahbo. Her work is recognized for its precision and discipline.
Where many traditional potters use a chewed yucca leaf as a brush, Dot creates her own tools from strands of her hair allowing for finer lines and a level of control that defines her signature style.
“History and tradition are what I am trying to keep alive,... Each piece I create is spiritual and creativity all put into one.”
Emerson Ami complements that practice with his own depth of experience, and together they represent a living continuation of Hopi and Tewa pottery traditions.
Recognition Beyond the Museum
The couple’s work has been widely recognized, including exhibitions at the Museum of Northern Arizona and distinction as Top 10 Artists by Native Peoples Magazine. Their pottery reflects both adherence to tradition and a refined personal approach developed over decades.
Yet within the Museum setting, the focus remains grounded not on accolades, but on sharing.
Building on Past Gatherings
Past events featuring Dot and Emerson Ami have consistently drawn strong attendance and engagement. Visitors return not only to see the work, but to reconnect with the artists, with the process, and with the cultural continuity their work represents.
Expressions of gratitude shared after previous visits both from the artists and attendees highlight the mutual respect that defines these gatherings.
It is this consistency that strengthens the Museum’s Guest Artist and Indian Education Series, turning individual events into a sustained cultural exchange.
MIP Mission Close
At the Museum of Indigenous People, returning artists like Dot and Emerson Ami help bridge past and present offering opportunities to experience Indigenous culture as something living, practiced, and shared. Their continued presence reinforces the Museum’s role as a space for learning, connection, and respect for the cultures of the Southwest.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Come and experience the special exhibit at the Museum of Indigenous People runs from February 13th to July 31st, 2026
For more about the exhibit:
Sources
Flagstaff Business News – Clay and Courage: Officer Emerson Ami Finds Peace in Pottery https://www.flagstaffbusinessnews.com/clay-and-courage-officer-emerson-ami-finds-peace-in-pottery/
Museum of Indigenous People – Event Information https://www.museumofindigenouspeople.org/events-1/emerson-dot-ami-pottery-demo
The Daily Courier – Museum of Indigenous People reopens with pottery firing https://www.dcourier.com/news/museum-of-indigenous-people-reopens-with-pottery-firing/article_23f9801d-88a0-5100-87c1-f5e619dd1bc3.html
Grand Canyon National Park's Cultural Demonstration Series – Dorothy & Emerson Ami - Hopi Potters https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=1879EB95-C18D-4BDD-B0CD-85EB2468646B
