Begaye, Nathan – Polychrome Jar with Rain Clouds, Mesas and Checkerboard Neck (1992)

WOW!  This is an exceptional polychrome jar by Nathan Begaye.  He was a unique innovator among Pueblo and Navajo potters.  His ethnic connection to both Hopi and Navajo let his clay art flow between the two distinctive styles and yet find its own unique space.  His work used traditional designs, forms, and techniques, yet somehow appeared very modern.  This jar has a high, round shoulder and a short neck. The jar is made from red Hopi clay but then slipped with a VERY deep red clay.   You can see the contrast of the two clays on the bottom of the jar.  The neck of the has a checkerboard pattern.  The sides have white terrace clouds.  Separating them are rain clouds with rain and rainbows.  First, take a look at the checkerboard section.  It is outlined in black (bee-wee) and then painted with green, blue, red, and orange clay slips.  Nathan would paint on each of the clays to each little square, and then stone polish each, one at a time!  The rain clouds on the side have purple, blue, orange, and lavender clays.  Again, each small section is not just the clay, but they are each stone-polished.  I remember watching him do this, and it was meticulous and time-consuming.  I didn’t realize at the time how it would become one of the distinctive and defining aspects of his pottery art.  The jar was traditionally fired giving it a very deep, rich coloration.  Amazingly, I think I count over TEN different clay colors on this jar. I remember going to Nathan’s apartment when he lived in Phoenix. I would watch him work on painting his pottery.  He would talk about each of the colors, and some were more difficult to source than others. The purple and blues, I remember, were the most difficult to find.  This amazing piece has all his complex colors, including purple and blue!  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  It is signed on the bottom, “Nathan Begaye”.  It is from 1992.  The last photo is a picture I took of Nathan when he was living in Phoenix.  He moved there for several years, and I would go to his apartment and see what he was working on and hear the stories about his pottery, the clays, and his firings.

Brand

Begaye, Nathan (1958-2010)

Nathan Begaye was a unique innovator among Pueblo and Navajo potters. His ethnic connection to both Hopi and Navajo let his work flow between the two distinctive styles and yet find their own unique space. His work used traditional designs, forms, and techniques, yet somehow appeared very modern. Nathan was one of the innovators of Native pottery and was featured in numerous books, including "Free Spirit: The New Native American Indian Potter", "Beyond Traditions" and others. His pottery can also be found in the permanent collection of the Heard and other museums.