Artist Media Series
Contemporary
King Galleries - Indian Market 2023
Tammy Garcia
Susan Folwell
Autumn Borts
Les Namingha
Nathan Youngblood
Robert Patricio
Al Qoyawayma
Andrea Vargas
Steve Lucas
Jennifer Tafoya
Arthur Lopez
Historic
$ 675.00
This is one of the few miniatures we have ever had from LuAnn Tafoya. She is a daughter of Margaret Tafoya and known for her large, highly polished pottery. This jar is a classic shape for Santa Clara pottery with the round body and the elongated neck. The jar is deeply carved with a water serpent encircling the piece. The water serpent (avanyu) is part of a story where it saves the village from a flood. That is why as the jar is turned the body of the avanyu consists of cloud and rain pattern. However, that also gives the jar a distinctive appearance as it is turned beyond just the one design. The jar is very highly polished and traditionally fired. The color is a striking deep red. The recessed area surrounding the carving is filled in using a white or cream-colored clay. This creates a striking visual contrast between the tan and red areas. The coloration is beautiful and the shape of his piece is a great example of her skill, creativity, and commitment to traditional Santa Clara pottery. The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay. There is a photo of it with the larger vessels here in the gallery for scale.