Lonewolf, Joseph – “Mimbres Dancers” Black Seedpot with Six Figures (1987)
$ 2,200.00
This seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf is from 1987, and it is highly polished and fired black. The design has six Mimbres figures. They are depicted in the style of Pueblo dancers with a drummer and the other men holding rattles and pine branches. Each figure is captured in a different point of motion. Note as well the background which has been more deeply incised and has a textural feel. The base of the seedpot is fully polished. There is the 1987 symbol, the Propeller of Life, along with a realistic butterfly. All the additional colorations are from natural clay slips. It is signed on the bottom, “Joseph Lonewolf”. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Joseph Lonewolf said of his use of Mimbres imagery in his pottery:
“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
In stock
This seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf is from 1987, and it is highly polished and fired black. The design has six Mimbres figures. They are depicted in the style of Pueblo dancers with a drummer and the other men holding rattles and pine branches. Each figure is captured in a different point of motion. Note as well the background which has been more deeply incised and has a textural feel. The base of the seedpot is fully polished. There is the 1987 symbol, the Propeller of Life, along with a realistic butterfly. All the additional colorations are from natural clay slips. It is signed on the bottom, “Joseph Lonewolf”. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Joseph Lonewolf said of his use of Mimbres imagery in his pottery:
“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
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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.