Leno, Juana – Large Wedding Vase with Interlocking Stars (1968)

8.5"w x 12"h

$ 1,400.00

Spectacular!  This is one of the most exceptional pieces we have had from Juana Leno.  She is one of the four revivalist matriarchs of contemporary Acoma pottery (including Marie Z. Chino, Lucy Lewis, and Jessie Garcia). She was a daughter of Lupita and Jose Vallo and learned to make pottery from her grandmother Eulilia Vallo.  This wedding vase is from 1968.  It is thin-walled and intricately painted. The shape is elegant with a wide shoulder and proportional spouts. The handle is twisted. The entire piece is very thin-walled. The jar has interlocking stars painted across the entire surface of the piece!  They extend around the side and over the top of the jar.  She left the spouts and handle white, which emphasizes the shape and the design.  Look closely at the lines, which are thin and even.  Note how each star connects to the one below and to the side!  The bowl was traditionally fired, which gives it the coloration on the surface. It is signed on the bottom, “Mrs. Juana Leno”. It is in excellent condition and a creative piece of pottery by this important Acoma Pueblo potter!