This is a creative long-neck water jar by Robert Patricio.  He is known for his classic forms and use of both traditional and pre-historic imagery.  This jar has a round body and an elongated neck.  The jar is painted with bee-weed (black) and clay slips. The jar has a variety of designs, inspired by the various clouds seen at Acoma Pueblo throughout the year.  The neck of the jar has elongated winter clouds, their shapes exaggerated by the winds, surrounded by stars.  The neck is black-and-white with a lot of thin lines.  Around the shoulder, there are spring and summer clouds.  They are circular with red above and below.  The lines are the rain coming down (Spring) and the lines coming up are the plants growing in summer.  The checkerboard center area is a field where the crops are planted.  Separating them are the angular fall cloud sections.  The lines are rain and the swirling clouds in the center with the oval falling leaves surrounding them.  It is a dynamic and highly detailed design.  This is one of those pieces where the complexity of the design accentuates the classic shape of the jar.  Robert said it was very time-consuming to paint all the thin lines and have them consistent and “connect” between each section. The result is an extraordinary jar with a complex pattern painted with native clays and bee-weed (black).  The jar has both an ancient and yet modern appearance.  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”.

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