Coolidge Roy, Jr. and his wife Juanita live on Third Mesa in Oraibi, Arizona. Coolidge has long been famous for his magnificently beautiful Eagle Dancer Kachina dolls. Coolidge's father was a carver as are his brothers and sons. Fine examples of Coolidge's work can be found in most books on Hopi art including Hopi Kachina Dolls and their carvers by Theda Bassman, and Erik Bromberg's The Hopi Approach to the Art of Kachina Doll Carving.
Coolidge was born on August 4, 1950 and has been carving for well over 30 years. His work is well-known and can be recognized easily because of his unique style. One of the most noticeable aspects of his carvings is the "natural" coloration that he achieves by using only very faint pigments. He likens his expertise unto a professor or doctor who has spent their whole life learning their profession, and it shows in his work.
Coolidge has a lot of respect for his tradition and is extremely sensitive to it. He will not carve certain figure that "the elders" have warned against--concerned that it might bring misfortune to a friend or family member. "Most of the time, when I am carving," he said, "I sing a song, a special song for each carving. The songs that I sing are the songs the Kachinas dance to. It's their song." He also has a tradition of gathering up his shavings and taking them to a special place where he leaves them and lets the wind carry them away.
