This is a large old-style four-color painted water jar by Robert Patricio.  It is a classic Acoma water jar shape with a wide shoulder and short sloping neck.  The design is complex with a large heartline deer on each side and a rainbow over them.  There is a complex plant next to the deer with tightly painted hatchwork areas on the leaves.  Separating the larger sections are smaller deer with plant, rain and checkerboard designs.  Note the use of the red and tan clay colorations throughout the piece!  As well, the use of so many various painting styles, thin lines, and colors gives the jar a dynamic appearance.  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.  The last photo is 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