Cheromiah, Evelyn – 11″ Wide Laguna Water Jar with Butterfly and Cloud Patterns (1970s)

11"w x 9"h

$ 2,200.00

Evelyn Cheromiah (1928-2013) was a daughter of Mariano Cheromiah and the mother of Lee Ann and Wendy Cheromiah. Evelyn is considered one of the early revivalists of Laguna Pueblo pottery and is known for her use of classic shapes and use of traditional designs.  In the 1970s, she received a federal grant to teach pottery making to others at the pueblo, thus sparking a revival in pottery production at Laguna Pueblo.  Evelyn collected her own clay, used potsherds for temper, mineral, and vegetal paints for the designs, and fired in the traditional outdoor firing technique.  Over the years she won numerous awards at Santa Fe Indian Market, Gallup Ceremonials, and the New Mexico State Fair.  This is one of her larger water jars and it has a round shoulder and a short neck.  It is coil-built from traditional clay and painted with bee-weed (black) and red clay slip.  The jar has butterfly designs in four sections, surrounded by a red border.  Separating them are cloud patterns.  There are fine-line rain designs around the neck and base.  The thin lines are also on the cloud patterns.  It was traditionally fired outdoors.  The jar has an indented base, and it is signed, “E. Cheromiah”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.