This is a striking and fully carved tall water jar by Daniel Begay.  The piece is coil-built, carved, stone-polished, and traditionally fired.  The jar is tall with a short neck.  Around the top of the neck are four bears, and each one is different!  Below the bears, there are clouds, lighting, water, or kiva step designs.  All the carving is deep and consistent.  Daniel contrasts both polished and matte surfaces on his pieces.  This creates a flow of design and draws the viewer’s eye across the piece.  Believe it or not, but it takes time to consider what needs to be polished and what should be matte to best reveal the designs.  The designs below the bears are also a contrast of angular and circular designs.  Each is a different skill to create but they add to the overall complexity of the jar.  The style of carving has a beveled appearance to the angle of the cuts into the clay.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Daniel Begay”.  We are pleased to exclusively represent the clay art of Daniel Begay in both our Scottsdale and Santa Fe galleries.