Jessie Garcia made major pottery in large scale, especially large ollas, with magnificent painted designs.  She, like other potters, also made smaller items such as this owl figurine.  Quite often, a potter found that she had a small amount of clay left over after finishing a major vessel and it was then used to make a smaller jar, bowl or figurine.  This owl was painted in vegetal black paint and orange slip over a cream slip.

Garcia was considered by Rick Dillingham (author of Acoma and Laguna Pottery) as one of the three most important 20^th century potters from Acoma Pueblo, along with Lucy Lewis and Marie Z. Chino.  She was the mother of Anita Lowden and Stella Shutiva and the mother-in-law of Sarah Garcia, all three of whom are recognized as outstanding potters.

Condition:  The tip of one wing has a small chip, the beak has been broken off and glued on and the left eye has a very small chip, but none is of major significance.

Provenance: ex. coll. British Columbia Canada collector of pueblo pottery