This is a large iconic shaped jar by Dorothy Torivio.  She was among the first to utilize and then refine the “op-art” style in her Acoma pottery. She took classic Acoma patterns and then repeated them on a vessel, ranging the size from small to large and then small again, in accordance with the shape of the vessel.  The shape of the jar is one which Dorothy created to emphasize her painted designs.  The jar has an unusual high shoulder, which of course creates a wide spread of design as it decreases in size near up the neck.  It is a dynamic piece and perfeclty painted with a  yucca leaf pattern.  The leaves vary in size from small to large to small across the surface of the jar.  Why yucca leaves? They are used by the potters to paint the designs onto the clay surface.  The open space of the white and the contrasting black give the jar a very modern appearance.  The jar is signed on the bottom, “Dorothy Torivio” and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.