Marianne Navasie

Artist Profile

Marianne Navasie is the daughter of famed Joy Navasie and the granddaughter of world renowned Paqua Naha, the original Frog Woman. Marianne was born in 1951 and has been making pottery since she was 18 years old. Although Marianne was only three years old when her grandmother died, she does recall her grandmother and her mother always working with clay. Marianne has mastered the white ware look pioneered by Paqua and carried on by her mother. Now, Marianne is continuing the family tradition. “My mother always pushed us to stay with traditional hand coiled pottery making methods and to carry on the frog style” Navasie said. One look at Marianne’s pottery and it is evident that she has mastered the art which was created by her ancestors. Marianne signs her pottery with the “Paqua” (frog symbol), but does put a tadpole next to it so it indicates her place within her family tree. Marianne is left handed so her work will move in the opposite direction of her mother’s.