This is a striking jar by Tammy Garcia.  The jar is carved on numerous levels with contrasting polished and matte surfaces.  The focal point of the jar is a large heartline deer on each side. Each deer has a carved heartline,  which is also polished.  One of the deer has a flower design on its flank.  Separating them are large carved areas which are both stippled and have carved flowers.  The flowers are polished.  It is a complex combination of designs, textures, and imagery.  The neck of the jar carved with a series of rectangular patterns.  Tammy said the idea was to have it look like “coral” inlay around the neck but in clay.  It gives the jar a jeweled appearance.  Tammy has won numerous awards for her pottery and been the recipient of the New Mexico Governor’s award.  It’s not surprising that with the intricate nature of her pottery she makes only about ten pieces of pottery a year.  Yet each piece is unique and expands on her distinctive style and voice in the clay.  Tammy says of her new evolving art in clay:

“About 10 years ago I began Incorporating stones in my work.    Today, instead of adding stones, I’ve used the clay as the gem itself!   Now a “stone” in my pottery is really just an area of highly polished clay.  The central section in a carved thunderbird may look like a large stone, or small polished squares resemble heishi beads around the neck of the jar.  I can polish the red clay to represent coral or burnish an area and fire it black to represent a jet or onyx.”