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 slab-built, to create the flat sides. The piece is entitled, “Horizon“.  Jeff wrote about this piece:

“Standing at 10 inches tall, Horizon is an emphatic statement in contemporary Cochiti Pueblo pottery. Angular and mountainous, this piece is the epitome of my work in Geometric Design. Additionally, this piece is a deep exploration of the relationship between positive and negative space.  There are identical reflecting designs dominating the facade. Horizon is named after the concept of black holes and event horizons, where the gravitational forces are so great that even the laws of physics break down, and new possibilities emerge, such as parallel universes. I gathered and prepared the materials, including processing the clay and slip and cooking the native spinach to produce the black paint. This piece was fired outdoors traditionally.”

Take a closer look at the painted designs.  They are all variations of classic Cochit geometric cloud and sun patterns.  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!  I think it makes a statement about traditional firing and the ensuing results in place of electric kiln firing.  There is something enchanting about the modern angular shape in complement with traditional materials and firing.  It is part of the movement forward 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”.