This is an exceptionally detailed large seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf.  In the early 1970s, he 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.  This seedpot is from 1979 and it is fully designed.  The design starts with a flute player standing on a “rock” and everything comes from this point.  Below the figures are three small Mimbres birds and to the right are Mimbres insects.  As the piece is turned there are three Mimbres figures and note the vertical incised lines behind them.  Below the figures is a fish and tadpole.  There are three Mimbres quail along with three dragonflies.  Near the base is a classic “walking bear paw design” that encircles the piece.  The seedpot is not just significant for its size, but the number of figures and animals, and the variations of etching techniques.  The tiny lines and circles in the background are as time-consuming as the figures. They give the piece added depth and dimension.  This is certainly among the more complex designed pieces we have seen of his pottery.  This piece is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  It is signed, “Joseph Lonewolf” on the bottom, and dated 1979.  

“I regard the Mimbres as my ancestors. Though I refine their designs, each design must have meaning for me. In my dreams I see how to use the design, how to make the pot happen. Then when I work the clay, everything flows. Some people wonder why I keep changing styles, colors, forms. But I can’t just sit there and make pots. Like any artist, I must try different things, different techniques. I must meet the challenge with my hands. The patterns and the methods I see in my mind during my dreams.” —Joseph Lonewolf, 1974, Spoken Through Clay