This is classic lidded bowl by Richard Zane Smith.  The bowl is coil-built with the coils left exposed on the exterior. The coils are then incised to create the designs, and various colors of clay are added. This piece is inspired by classic Iroquois and Wyandot forms. There are larger flowers against a black background.  They are separated by bands of smaller flowers.  It is a striking design that captures the creative style of his pottery.  The lid is polished and etched with leaves.  The edge of the jar and the edge of the lid are polished to appear to be leather with stitching!  Amazing!   All the colors were applied before the piece was fired. It is signed, “Richard Zane Smith” and dated 2020.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  

“This style is a transitional piece from op art to Wyandot/Iroquois style. So many of the Wyandot necks have four points (castellation). Then there are a lot that are five or six and then nine. I don’t know if there is a significance. People wonder why. Theories? I have my own theory. People lived in longhouses and they had lots of dogs and they would run in and out of the longhouse all the time. To keep a cooking pot turned upside down, you would keep a dog from licking it. You could also get the pot to air out and dry, and you wouldn’t have to worry about mold.”  Richard Zane Smith, Spoken Through Clay

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Zane Smith, Richard (b. 1955)

Richard Zane Smith

Richard Zane Smith was born in Georgia and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri; he has a degree from the Kansas City Art Institute, where he studied ceramics. As a young man, he taught at a Navajo mission school, where he was exposed to native clay and Ancient Pueblo pottery.  These remnants and their coiled construction, as well as his Wyandot heritage, are what continue to inspire his work to this day. Richard Zane Smith's works can be found in museums nationwide and featured in numerous exhibits, including the Heard Museum's exhibit, "Breaking the Surface," the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the San Diego Museum of Man, and the Denver Art Museum.   Richard's work has been featured in numerous books and magazine articles, including "The Art of Clay." His corrugated basket style designs are similar to pre-historic corrugated pottery, but using delicate lines, coils, and colors in each layer, makes his pottery resemble Wyandot basketry.  He continues to work on breathing life into recreating his interpretations and presents each work with a naturalistic style, shape, and design story.