Lonewolf, Joseph – Red Mimbres Rabbit and 32 Feathers Seedpot (1975)
$ 1,600.00
This red polished seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf is from 1975. It is round and has the hole on the top. The main design is a Mimbres-inspired rabbit. The center of the rabbit has cloud and rain designs. Surrounding the rabbit are 32 feathers. Note the precision of the feathers etched into the clay at an angle around the rabbit! The rabbit and the feathers were etched into the clay before the piece was fired. The seedpot is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair. It is signed, “Joseph Lonewolf” on the bottom in the clay.
“Art was a hobby, including clay sculpting I learned from my father, the potting I learned from my mother, and the beadwork I learned from my grandparents. I became a full-time potter only this spring. Before that, I had an 8-to-5 job in Colorado Springs as a journeyman mechanic. “It gives me a funny feeling when people tell me I’ve done something brand new and different. I’ve just figured out all over again what potters did centuries ago. But it is NOT new as people like to say it is. Such colors were achieved in pre-history times by my ancestors.” Joseph Lonewolf, Spoken Through Clay, 1972
In stock
This red polished seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf is from 1975. It is round and has the hole on the top. The main design is a Mimbres-inspired rabbit. The center of the rabbit has cloud and rain designs. Surrounding the rabbit are 32 feathers. Note the precision of the feathers etched into the clay at an angle around the rabbit! The rabbit and the feathers were etched into the clay before the piece was fired. The seedpot is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair. It is signed, “Joseph Lonewolf” on the bottom in the clay.
“Art was a hobby, including clay sculpting I learned from my father, the potting I learned from my mother, and the beadwork I learned from my grandparents. I became a full-time potter only this spring. Before that, I had an 8-to-5 job in Colorado Springs as a journeyman mechanic. “It gives me a funny feeling when people tell me I’ve done something brand new and different. I’ve just figured out all over again what potters did centuries ago. But it is NOT new as people like to say it is. Such colors were achieved in pre-history times by my ancestors.” Joseph Lonewolf, Spoken Through Clay, 1972
Brand
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.