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 small, wide-shoulder bowl shape and note how deeply indented it is at the bottom.  It is an early piece from 1972.  The top half of the bowl is etched with an avanyu.  Joseph always had a feathered avanyu as his design.  Behind the avanyu are matte incised lines that are rounded and swirling around the bowl.  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.

The feathered water serpent was transmitted to Joseph in the form of dreams and visions by his ancestors of centuries ago.  A feathered water serpent breathing a bolt of life from his mouth, the avanyu ensures that all living forms will take in food, get energy, grow, and adapt themselves to their surroundings.” Joseph Lonewolf