This is a complex designed water jar by Robert Patricio.  This jar with a high shoulder and a short neck.  It was inspired by a black-and-white jar by Marie Z. Chino (see last photo). Robert created his own interpretation using various clay slips. The jar is painted with 2 different colors of red clay and bee-weed (black). The jar has large old-style clouds extending from the rim to the base. They have large fine-line sections and the checkerboard pattern represents a cornfield.  Separating them are large circular flower designs.  The red and orange clay add to the dramatic appearance of the piece.  The base is painted with red clay.  It is signed on the bottom, “R.  M.  Patricio”.  The jar is an exciting extension of his artistry in clay and continuing the amazing Acoma legacy.   The second to the last photo is one of the jar before it was fired. 

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