Garcia, Tammy – “Stop and Smell the Flowers” Mountain Lion and Flowers Jar

4.5"w x 4.5"h

$ 4,400.00

This is a classic sharp shoulder jar by Tammy Garcia.  The jar is carved on numerous levels with contrasting polished and matte surfaces.  The piece is entitled, “Stop and Smell the Flowers”.  The neck of the jar has carved flowers.  Down one side is a carved mountain lion track and the other has carved flowers. Around the side of the jar are two mountain lions.  Why mountain lions?  Tammy said:

“I was gifted a mountain lion pendant made of sterling silver.  When I’m making pottery I think about shapes and also the design. Animals have a symbolic place in storytelling, it’s these stories that inspire me.”

On this piece, Tammy has carved and polished the mountain lions as if they have stopped to smell the leaves and flowers on the side of the jar.  She is an amazing visual storyteller in her pottery designs.  At the sharp shoulder, she has carved half-circle clouds.  Overall, the jar has layers of design and depth with polished, matte, and stippled areas.  Tammy says of her current work:

“I am inspired by the forms and designs of historical Pueblo pottery.  When making pottery, there is intentional placement of every coil.  Once I have a design in mind I’ll make proportions on graph paper.  Clouds on the shoulder will look scalloped after I have them carved.  When the clay is dry I send then polish with a smooth stone over a clay slip.”

Each of Tammy’s pieces tells a story about family, culture, tradition, and personal creativity.  The jar was fired red and is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Tammy Garcia”.

In stock