Sanchez, Russell – Polychrome Jar with Avanyu, Lid w/ Bear Paws & 84 Inset Stone

4"w x 5.75"h (w/ lid)

$ 5,800.00

This is a creative polychrome jar by Russell Sanchez.   He continues to be one of the true innovators and revivalists in Pueblo pottery.  Each piece is perfectly coil-built, stone polished, and etched.  This jar has a red polished neck.  The body of the jar is polished white and is etched with an avanyu.  The avanyu encircles the bowl and the background area has been slipped red for a striking visual contrast.  The bottom of the jar is also white. There is a black band above and below the avanyu and these are surrounded by brass hei-shi beads.  In the black area on the neck, there are 21 turquoise stones inset into the clay.  The avanyu has 58 stones, both turquoise and jet, including a larger stone for the eye of the avanyu.  The lid is polished black clay and has a creative angular shape. There are two bear paws etched into clay and more inset turquoise stones.  So why this coloration?  The colorations of black, red, and white clay are all seen in San Ildefonso’s pottery from the 1880s to about 1920.  Russell has been using the same clays as on the historic pottery, but refining it so it can be polished, giving them a more modern appearance.  Even the deep red clay is another recent addition to his clay art starting around 2005.  As Russell continues to innovate from historic designs, he says, “Tradition means moving forward and adding to it. You keep moving forward.  If we stayed stagnant we would no longer exist.”  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Russell”.  It is exciting to see how this imagery is not new but Russell’s reinterpretation of it both modernizes and revives.  Congrats to Russell who won “Best of Show” and “Best of Pottery” at the 2022 Santa Fe Indian Market.