Chase “Kahwinhut” Earles is one of the few Caddo potters working today.  Lately, his work has found inspiration in the world of Indigenous Futurism, Star Wars, and historic Caddo vessels and designs.  Each piece is hand-built and then incised with complex designs.  This piece is entitled, “Ba’:  The Arrowhead”.  The piece is inspired by the Star Wars Imperial Cruiser.  There is a museum mount made for the piece.  The ship has the shape of an arrowhead with sculpted edges.  When looking straight on, Chas has added a variety of traditional design to the surface of the piece.  Yes, it is that spectacular in person!  It is a creative bridge between Caddo art and the world of Indigenous Futurisms.  It is signed on the bottom.

The Caddo were a tribal group throughout the Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana areas.  Chase draws inspiration from the ancient Caddo pieces and yet they are not replicas.  The connection in the ancient work is in the clay, firing, and shapes.  He is primarily self-taught both as a potter and in his research of the Caddo ceramic past.  He has sought out the clay sources and each piece is coil built.  They are then slipped with a clay and mussel shell mixture and then burnished three times.  The result is a shiny surface with flecks of shell reflecting light.  Each piece is then pit-fired, which not only hardens the clay but gives them fire clouds and color variations on the surface. After they are fired Chase etches into the surface of the clay to create the intricate designs.  The delicate designs are almost a surprise, considering the hardness of the clay after the firing.