Pahponee

Barbara McKinney-Elston received her Indian name Pahponee or Snow Woman from the elders of her Kickapoo tribe when she turned 21. Her Native American heritage is primarily from the Kickapoo and Potawatomi Nations, originally a Great Lakes people from Wisconsin.

Pahponee lives in the rural countryside of Colorado where she works full time creating clay vessels. She is self-taught and has been working with her art since 1982.

"The inspiration for each vessel comes from dreams, visions and personal life experiences, images of my family, my teachers and animals," Pahponee said.

Pahponee has taken some of her favorite clay pieces and had a mold made directly from the piece and produced these pieces in bronze limited edition sculptures.

Many awards have been given to Pahponee for her work. One honor was to be the recipient of the IACA Artist of the Year in 1999