Lonewolf, Joseph – Red and Black Bowl with Mimbres Lizard (1972)
$ 1,200.00
Joseph Lonewolf began making pottery in 1970-1. This is a classic piece of his pottery in the black and red style. It is a wide shaped bowl shape that is fully polished and indented on the bottom. It is an early piece from 1972. The bowl is etched on the top with a Mimbres lizard. The matte area behind the lizard is etched in a swirl with sharp angles to create a “sand-like” appearance. The top is red while the bottom is black. Joseph created the “red and black” coloration. At the end of the firing process, before the manure was added to turn the piece black. The bowl is polished, incised, and etched before it is fired. The bowl is signed on the bottom “Joseph Lonewolf”. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.
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Joseph Lonewolf began making pottery in 1970-1. This is a classic piece of his pottery in the black and red style. It is a round bowl shape that is fully polished and indented on the bottom. It is an early piece from 1972. The bowl has a single medallion. There is a Mimbres Quail under a cloud with a flower in the center. Note the background design, which are deeply incised lines extending outward from the deer. The medallion is red, while the bowl is black. Joseph created the “red and black” coloration. At the end of the firing process, before the manure was added to turn the piece black. The bowl is polished, incised, and etched before it is fired. What you can’t see with this piece in the photos is that it is VERY thin-walled. It also has a spectacular silvery coloration to the black area of the bowl. The bowl is signed on the bottom “Joseph Lonewolf”. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.
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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.