Juan Cruz is creating some beautifully 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.  This jar is a wonderful water jar shape with a wide shoulder and slightly turned out neck.  Juan wrote of the scene he painted as follows:

“As the corn is being winnowed, Jia Wa’gwijo sends her mischivious children out to play.  Sprialing and circling about the chaff, they carry it away.”

The jar is truly polychrome (more than three colors of clay).  Note the intricacy of the painted designs and especially the figures.  They are each distinctive instance or dress. The figures tell the story across the jar as the Wind Woman sends the wind to the woman holding the basket.  There is a panel with a more stylized figure surrounded by the wind.  It is signed on the indented bottom of the jar by both Juan and Lois.  The description is written on the back of a hand-painted graphic of a Pueblo woman holding a basket with the grain.  What a phenomenal addition to this piece and the painting helps to better understand how exceptional Juan is with his art.   While Juan is new to the pottery world, he most recently won “Best of Pottery” at Gallup Ceremonials in 2017!