This is a striking jar by Russell Sanchez.  The piece is a classic water jar shape but with the traditional “gourd” indentions on the shoulder of the piece.  This is the first time he has made a gourd jar and fired it red!  Firing the jar red is more difficult in terms of the actual firing.  However, there is also a very different aesthetic with the overall coloration and the way the light plays off the surface.  Russell has also fully polished the neck as far as he can reach.  The difficulty in a jar like this comes from polishing the gourd indentions and getting a high shine.  There are also three rows of  shell and jet hei-shi beads around the neck of the jar.  Russell chose the coloration of the beads to give the jar ar more contemporary appearance.  Russell continues to revive historic San Ildefonso designs with his innovative style of pottery.  The bottom of the jar has the classic indention of traditional San Ildefonso water jars.  It’s exciting how Russell uses these historic elements to keep them alive on his contemporary pottery.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, ‘Russell”.