Lonewolf, Joseph – Mini Red Dragonfly Seedpot (1974)

1"w x .75"h

$ 750.00

Joseph Lonewolf began making pottery in 1970-1.  This is a classic piece of his pottery from 1974-5.  It is etched with a dragonfly as the design.  The dragonfly is designed so the wings extend around much of the piece.  What is a signature for Joseph’s early work is the matte area.  He has etched rounded lines emanating outwards from the dragonfly.  They are rounded out and make the polished area stand out!  The back is fully polished.  Joseph was fascinated with Mimbres from the 1100’s, as was Tony Da from San Ildefonso.  Joseph once said of the Mimbres 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.” —Jospeh Lonewolf (1974), Spoken Through Clay

This piece is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Joseph Lonewolf”.  It is dated 1974-5,w which means that he started it in 1974 and finished it in 1975. The number on the bottom “4E” means that this was the 4th piece he finished in 1975.