Zuni carver Sandra Quandelacy is known for her Corn Maidens. This dolomite carving is 5 ½” x1¾”. It is reversible with a Corn Maiden on one side and a Zuni Maiden on the other side.
The Corn Maiden is part of a Zuni legend in which she saved the Zuni's from starvation.
Sandra Quandelacy and her sister Faye are known for their Corn Maiden fetish carvings. They created the design of this Corn Maiden, which is often copied by other carvers. Their fetishes are collected worldwide.
About the artist
Sandra Quandelacy
1955-present
Daughter of Ellen and Dixie Quandelacy, Sandra started carving as a child and then turned to making jewelry as an adult. Learning from her mother and father, she produced raised channel inlay work in the Quandelacy family style, often using the double hummingbird design that her mother originated. More recently, Sandra has returned to fetish carving, specializing in the corn maiden fetish, a form that her sister Faye created.
Sandra Quandelacy is also a maiden specialist. She does not carve the large fetishes that Faye once carved. Sandra achieves consistent fine quality in the detail work on her maidens. Every maiden collector should have one or two maidens by Sandra in addition to what he/she has collected by Faye. Sandra does some unique fetish necklaces with ears of corn.
