Roller, Ryan – 16″ Tall “Two-Tone” Jar with Mountains, Avanyu and Walking Bear Paw Designs (2023)

WOW!  This is an amazing, large jar by Ryan Roller.  He is a son of Jeff Roller and a grandson of noted potter Toni Roller.  Each piece is made from native clay, coil-built, carved, polished, and traditionally fired. This jar has a somewhat cylindrical shape, with a high shoulder and elongated form.  The neck of the jar has carved mountains. Below is a walking bear paw design and an avanyu in the center.  Below the avanyu is another set of walking bear paws and the base has terraced clouds and kiva steps.The entire surface is fully polished and the jar was traditionally fired red and black.  This “two-tone” piece incorporates a traditional red firing with aspects of the black firing and the reduction technique using manure to make a piece black.  Here, he has just made the area from the shoulder to the neck black, while the remainder is a dark, almost purplish-brown.  The coloration is striking, and the carving is deep and precise.  It is signed, “Ryan Roller”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.

Brand

Roller, Ryan (b. 1982)

Ryan Roller is certainly one of the young potters to watch. He learned to make pottery from his grandmother, Toni Roller, and his father, Jeff Roller. While he has been making pottery since he was a child it is his recent work which has risen to a new level of sophistication in form, polish, carving and firing techniques. Ryan has created very distinctive forms for his pottery which are inspired by more traditional shapes.