12 Nov NOV 17 – The Art of Keith Torres
Patience shaped by lineage, rhythm learned from the land.
Each carving begins where memory and motion meet.
For nearly half a century, Keith Torres—known to many simply as Kisty—has been bringing spirit to form. A member of the Hopi Tribe from the Massaw-fire clan of Sichomovi, Keith learned by watching his uncles, VJ (Edward Poleahla) and Kee-ki (Nicholas Poleahla), each with their own distinct grace of line and gesture. His work carries both—precision from one, vitality from the other.
Best known for his kachina carvings, Keith moves easily between tradition and invention: full-figure sculptures, bow and arrow making, ornaments, paintings, and seasonal craftwork. His pieces reveal not only skill but the endurance of attention—a steady faith in the materials and the meanings they hold.
Forty-seven years of carving have taught him what cannot be hurried. The grain of the wood decides its own pace; the hands only follow.
Keith’s art reminds us that the sacred lives in repetition—the patient act of shaping, again and again, until it feels like breath.
