This is a large four-color painted water jar by Robert Patricio.  It is a classic Acoma water jar shape with a high shoulder and an elongated neck.  The design combines various traditional Acoma designs into one piece.  There are traditional Acoma-style birds next to plants. Above them are double rainbows painted with two different colors of clay.  Separating the birds are large corn plants.  Above the corn plants are additional rainbows and below are cloud design.  It is a very colorful and detailed jar!  The use of the various colors is dynamic on this jar.  The jar is made from traditional Acoma clay and then painted with bee-weed (black) and two different red clay slips. 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. 

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