Russell Sanchez continues to be one of the true innovators in Pueblo pottery.  Each piece is perfectly coil built, stone polished and etched.  This bear is one of his classic shapes.  This bear is stone polished and traditionally fired outside. The result is a coloration that is nearly metallic in appearance.   Note how the back of the bear has a more “metallic” appearance than the sides.  The back is the deep red clay and this is how it fired black.  There are two bands of jet hei-shi beads around the back and the eyes are hemitite.  There is an etched heartline on the sides.  The heartline which extends out from the mouth of the bear. The bear is a symbol of strength and the heartline is a traditional image used to symbolize the heart as the center of power in the animal.  The bear is hollow as the piece is coil built.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.