Jeff Suina works in clay and multi-media.  Each piece is made from native clay, painted with bee-weed (a plant) for the design, and traditionally fired.  This is one of his creative sculptural pieces. The jar is coil-built with a low shoulder angular additions on the neck. The piece is entitled, “Empress“.  Jeff wrote about this piece:

I created this jar in November of 2023.  “Empress” is a expression in contemporary and traditional Cochiti Pueblo pottery. This vase features a narrow body bisected by 8 elegant winglets. The painted elements are based on traditional Cochiti Pueblo designs, with a contemporary twist added out of my imagination.  My intention was to create a powerful tribute to all Pueblo women and the roles they have in Native culture. I gathered and prepared the materials myself, including processing the clay and slip, and cooking the native spinach to produce the black paint. This piece was traditionally fired outdoors.“

Take a closer look at the painted designs.  They are all variations of classic Cochit wild spinach plant designs on the neck and clouds below the shoulder.  Jeff has used the angles of the shape to match the lines of the imagery across the surface.  The contrasting positive and negative spaces are visually striking to the eye.  The traditional firing gives the black a bit of “bleed” into the white areas.  It creates these amazing shadows!  This jar is part of the continual evolution in Native pottery.  One thing you can’t see, but can feel, is how smooth Jeff sanded and polished the surface.  It has a suede-like feel!  The piece is signed, “Jeff Suina”.