Artist Media Series
Living Artists
Historic
$ 4,800.00
This is a traditional water jar by Tammy Garcia. The jar is carved on numerous levels with contrasting polished and matte surfaces. The piece is entitled, “Turquosie Tracks”. The jar has mountain lions on the side and a large mountain lion track with a piece of turquoise inset into the center. 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.”
The neck of the jar has flowers and it is stippled. Each mountain lion has a mountain lion track carved at various levels as well. It is a complex piece in carving and design. There are clouds around the top of the shoulder and two deer carved and polished into the piece. 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