This is a striking new sculptural jar by Jared Tso.  The jar is part of his “Blanket Series”, as he is creating coil-built pieces that have the folds and look of a blanket.  The jar is entitled, “Stronghold”.  Each piece is coil-built from traditional native Navajo clay and traditionally fired.  This was Jared’s first piece in this series where he created vessels with folds and motion to feel like a blanket. However, it also created a personal story for him, hence the name.

“When I finished “Stronghold”, the way the fold overlapped looked like an enclosure.  It reminded me of a story about my family.  There is a natural stone fortress on the Navajo Reservation.  That is the place were my ancestors hid-out to remain on our land, so that didn’t get taken with the Long Walk in the 1860s.”

this jar was created to feel like a folded blanket.  Jared incised classic mountain terrace designs into the clay. It’s hard to tell in the photos, but the terrace design almost appear more “impressed” than incised, that there is a rounded edge to them, which adds to their fluidity on the jar.  The inside of the piece is also fully polished with Jared’s signature swirling style.  The piece was was traditionally fired red and then covered in pinon pitch after the firing in a traditional Navajo style. It is amazing he was able to create such a dynamic sense of motion in clay!  It is exceptional in person.  It is exciting to see an artist find inspiration in the historic work and, using the same clays, refine them in a modernistic manner.  The jar is signed, “Jared Tso”.   There is a blue ribbon from the 2026 Gallup Ceremonials.