(1946- Present)
Pueblo: Zuni Pueblo
Lena Boone is the daughter of Edna Leki, who is believed to have been the first female fetish carver at Zuni, and the granddaughter of Teddy Weahkee. Weahkee became well known for a style of fetish carving that closely resembles historic Zuni forms. His descendants have carried on this tradition.
Lena and her sister, Dinah Gasper, have established reputations as superior carvers, producing both freestanding fetishes and finely crafted fetish necklaces. Lena has been carving for 40 years (the age of her daughter). Lena’s daughter Evalena and son Leland are also carvers. Beyond her extraordinary skills and artistry as a carver, Lena brings a huge sense of humanity to everything she does. Lena has provided shelter, comfort and guidance to numerous Zuni children.
Lena’s fetishes are simple and traditional. Lena is a major force in the movement to continue traditional carving. A large part of her fetishes’ beauty and uniqueness comes from the use of many different materials. One of the things that characterize Lena’s work is her use of new and unusual materials, from orthoceras fossils to gold slag and glass. Because Lena has some of the only water-cooled grinding equipment in Zuni, only she can carve fetishes from glass. The striking colors in slag glass and art glass could be unique additions to your collection.