Juan de la Cruz creates complex painted polychrome pottery.  He is a son of noted potter Lois Gutierrez.  Lois made the jar and Juan, who is noted for his illustrations, painted the design using natural clay slips. The jar is fully designed with imagery across the surface.  There are a series of horses and riders encircling the piece.  The jar has some amazing detail that Juan paints with clay onto the clay vessel!   Juan wrote of the scene he painted as follows:

“WHen thinking abou tthe shape of this piece, it occurred to me that a horse motif was perfect for it.  I like to think that the Navajo horse riders that I’ve depicted are going along, the women discussing the day’s events whiel the man has told his dog that they’re going on ahead”.

The jar is truly polychrome (more than three colors of clay).  Note the intricacy and detail in the various designs.  While Juan is new to the pottery world, he recently won “Best of Pottery” at Gallup Ceremonials in 2017 and again in 2019.  He has been featured in articles in Cowboys & Indians Magazine and Native Art Magazine in 2018.