Patricio, Robert – Large 4 Color Rain Bird and Feathers Jar

12"w x 13"h

$ 2,600.00

WOW!  This is an impressive large water jar by Robert Patricio.  Robert is known for his classic forms and use of both traditional and pre-historic imagery.  This jar is coil built and thin-walled. It has a classic water jar shape with a high shoulder and a short neck.  The jar is intricately painted with large bird and feather motifs around the neck and the base.  The feathers are painted with red clay and bee-weed (black) and using thin lines.  The checkerboard pattern used on the rim, shoulder, and near the base combines a tan-colored clay with the black.  Around the center of the jar are classic rainbirds. The swirls are the birds, bringing rain to the pueblo.  The complex hatchwork fine-line patterns are the rain and are technically complex to paint! The design was inspired by a historic Acoma jar (see the last photo).  The interior rim and base of the jar are painted with a red clay slip.  Robert is certainly one of the leading traditional Acoma potters working today which is evidenced by his stunning forms and complementary designs.  The jar is signed on the bottom, “R. M. Patricio”.  The last photo is of the jar in the process before it was fired.  There is also a photo of Robert holding the jar.  The final photo is of the jar in the gallery and the dynamic coloration against our red wall.

Robert said recently of his pottery:

““The pottery inspires me to keep going.  Keeping the tradition alive in making pottery, that’s how we were brought up.  Our ancestors started making pottery.  It’s amazing what comes of a piece of clay. When you come to Acoma it’s peacuful and quite.  When you look a piece of pottery, you see the same peacefulness.”   Robert Patricio, 2020