Spectacular!  This is a large, iconic jar by Jody Folwell.   She is known for her creative pottery shapes and designs.  This jar has a cylindrical form with an asymmetric rim.  The neck of the jar is fully polished.  The remainder is matte and deeply carved with five lizards in relief.  They are raised on the surface, and their bodies are rag-polished for a smoother texture.  The piece was fired a deep brownish black coloration.  It is the shape, color, and design that make this such an iconic vessel. The deeply carved ridges seem to give purchase to the lizards in various directions.  Jody has captured a moment in nature.  It is incredible for a jar this large to be so perfectly built, but not so uncommon for Jody, who is an extraordinary potter.  It is signed on the bottom, “Jody”.   It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  It also includes a copy of the new book, “”O’Powa O’Meng: The Art and Legacy of Jody Folwell”.

“For the asymmetrical shape, I early on thought about how everything was so symmetrical in the Indian world. How far can I go to make a change?  It was a little tiny change of not having everything so symmetrical. Once that became a part of Pueblo tradition, I went on to something else. With the half-polished areas, again, being very observant of other cultures and their artwork. I had seen a bamboo pottery show where only part of the vessel was polished. I called these the Japanese Volcanic pieces.”  Jody Folwell, Spoken Through Clay