This is a large straight shoulder Acoma jar by Robert Patricio. This jar has straight sides and a fluted rim. The jar is painted with an older Acoma design with a series of interlocking rainbirds.  Each bird has a little swirl representing the head.  Separating them are fineline rain designs.  It is a complicated and striking design.  The black is painted with bee-weed (a plant).  It is signed on the bottom, “R.  M.  Patricio”.  The jar is a striking extension of his artistry in clay and continuing the amazing Acoma legacy. 

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