Lonewolf, Joseph – Black-and-Red Seed Bowl with Mimbres Fish (1973)
$ 1,600.00
This is a red-and-black polished bowl by Joseph Lonewolf from 1973. It is very early in his career, as he only began making pottery full-time in 1971. Interestingly, 1973 was one of his most creative years as he was experimenting with color as well as background designs. This bowl is fully polished. The central medallion is a Mimbres fish that was incised into the clay before it was fired. Note the matte background area, which is deeply incised with linear designs. The piece was traditionally fired “black-and-red”. This was a signature firing created by Joseph so that at the end of the firing, before the manure was put on to turn it black, the design was covered. That would leave the design red, while the remainder would turn black. This amazing coloration remains one that only Joseph and his family ever used and today, there is nobody who knows how to replicate it in the same manner! The piece is signed, “Joseph Lonewolf” on the bottom. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.
“Art was a hobby, including clay sculpting I learned from my father, the potting I learned from my mother, and the beadwork I learned from my grandparents. I became a full-time potter only this spring. Before that, I had an 8-to-5 job in Colorado Springs as a journeyman mechanic. “It gives me a funny feeling when people tell me I’ve done something brand new and different. I’ve just figured out all over again what potters did centuries ago. But it is NOT new as people like to say it is. Such colors were achieved in pre-history times by my ancestors.” Joseph Lonewolf, Spoken Through Clay, 1972
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This is a red-and-black polished bowl by Joseph Lonewolf from 1973. It is very early in his career, as he only began making pottery full-time in 1971. Interestingly, 1973 was one of his most creative years as he was experimenting with color as well as background designs. This bowl is fully polished. The central medallion is a Mimbres fish that was incised into the clay before it was fired. Note the matte background area, which is deeply incised with linear designs. The piece was traditionally fired “black-and-red”. This was a signature firing created by Joseph so that at the end of the firing, before the manure was put on to turn it black, the design was covered. That would leave the design red, while the remainder would turn black. This amazing coloration remains one that only Joseph and his family ever used and today, there is nobody who knows how to replicate it in the same manner! The piece is signed, “Joseph Lonewolf” on the bottom. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.
“Art was a hobby, including clay sculpting I learned from my father, the potting I learned from my mother, and the beadwork I learned from my grandparents. I became a full-time potter only this spring. Before that, I had an 8-to-5 job in Colorado Springs as a journeyman mechanic. “It gives me a funny feeling when people tell me I’ve done something brand new and different. I’ve just figured out all over again what potters did centuries ago. But it is NOT new as people like to say it is. Such colors were achieved in pre-history times by my ancestors.” Joseph Lonewolf, Spoken Through Clay, 1972
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Lonewolf, Joseph (1932-2014)
Joseph Lonewolf
Joseph Lonewolf was a son of noted potters Camilio and Agapita Tafoya and the brother of Grace Medicine Flower. In the early 1970s, Joseph revolutionized the world of Santa Clara pottery by incorporating his sgraffito (lightly etching the surface of the clay) and incised (more deeply cut into the clay) designs in his work.
When Joseph and his family gather clay, they do it with the utmost respect. Before the clay can be taken from Mother Earth, they must say a prayer, asking to take the clay and tell the clay mother that they will take her and make her into a beautiful pot. The clay is brought home, and water is added to turn the clay into a liquid form known as slip. The slip is then strained to take out any rocks or debris, and then the clay can be dried, kneaded, and used.
Joseph was awarded numerous awards throughout his career, and his work can be found in museums worldwide. He has been featured in multiple books, including "The Art of Clay." He received the prestigious New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2009 and the SWAIA Lifetime Achievement Award.