This is a very intricately painted large water jar by Robert Patricio.  This jar with a high shoulder and a short neck.  The jar is painted with bee-weed and different clay slips.  The jar has large heartline deer surrounded by flowers and under a two-color rainbow.  Note the complexity in the leaves of the flowers!  Near the base, as the jar is turned are smaller red heartline deer along with more plant designs!  The heartline deer are symbolic in Acoma potter.  It was borrowed from Zuni pottery around 1910 and the heartline is said to represent life itself. Above the small red deer are large parrots.  The parrots are painted with two different colors of clay and are next to a large plant.  Note the intricate hatchwork in the leaves!  There are rectangular clouds above the birds and the rainbow is below.  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