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.  The bear is fully polished with a deep red clay slip and highlighted in areas with a black micaceous clay.  Russell has brought back the deep red clay slip which was used at San Ildefonso in the 1920’s and 30’s.  It is an extraordinary coloration!  The back of the bear has four bands of hei-shi beads made from jet and turquoise.  The sides of the bear each have a section with a rain drop pattern and inset with a piece of turquoise.  It is the top of the bear which is so striking, with a hatch-work pattern, which is always difficult to achieve (especially in carving!) on a round surface and to get such straight lines.  The hatchwork pattern reflects back to the early San Ildefonso potters Tonita & Juan Roybal and Rosalie & Joe Aguilar, who used that style of painting on their pottery in the 1920’s.  The bears are symbolic of good luck and in many of the pueblos are carved from stone.  The bear is hollow as the piece is coil built.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.  Stunning!

Click here to read: Russell Sanchez: Contemporizing the Pueblo Pottery Past

Russell Sanchez: Contemporizing the Pueblo Pottery Past