Jared Tso is one of the rising stars of Native pottery.  He is a grandson of potter Faye Tso and his pottery is exceptionally refined in technique and traditional in style.  Each piece is coil-built from traditional native Navajo clay and traditionally fired.  This canteen is stone polished and traditionally fired.  There are great blushes on the surface of the piece and an incised design on the front.  There is inset silver in the neck and also a turquoise tab. The strap has sterling silver beads.  The coloration of the clay and the dynamic appearance of the strap create a piece that finds it history in the utilitarian and yet the appearance of something modern and artistic. The jar is signed, “Jared Tso”.

Why the silver? Jared says,”Of course, there is the primary connection of the metal to Navajo jewelry.  The silver I use is a high purity silver used in electronics so it won’t tarnish.  I guess finding that comes from my electrical engineering background.  I added it to pieces to look like the top views of the water as it is running off the vessel or lightning in the night sky.  I like to think of it as adding a “sliver lining” to the work and the process of making pottery in a stressful time.”

Tó ałtaashchíín is a collection of stories and conversations that took place between my father and I. This body of work comes into frame at a time when I feel most vulnerable during the loss of my father, and yet equally aware of the power that is induced by my own transition into fatherhood.” Jared Tso, 2021