Contemporary San Ildefonso Tall Elegant Lidded Jar [SOLD]

Russell Sanchez has mastered the techniques of producing black pottery with sienna and/or green highlights, with added turquoise and shell hieshe imbedded into the vessel wall, and, additionally, fashioning a lid that fits perfectly.  None of these tasks individually is easy to accomplish, but put them all together into one vessel, and it is an amazing accomplishment. 

Russell does not rush his pottery to completion.  He seriously takes time for it to develop to maturity.  Jars such as this one take a year from start to finish.  Building the jar from clay is only a portion of the work.  Polishing the slip to such a brilliant burnish itself is a laborious task.  Imagining a design to fit the jar is a talent of a true artist. 

This jar is a masterpiece of perfection.  It starts with a traditional Tewa vessel shape and then explodes with wonderment.  The deep black highly polished surface is flawless.  The design pendant from the rim onto the neck represents clouds, the mid-body design is an Avanyu, representing the mythological creature who brings water to the crops, and the underbody design represents clouds. The overall design concept is that of water, a fitting design for a water jar vessel.

The edge of the flared rim is a natural green slip which is complimented by the green and brown shell hieshe wrapped around the neck below the rim.  A beautiful oval Kingman turquoise cab serves as the eye of the Avanyu.  The lid is black, highlighted with sienna, and topped with a row of shell hieshe.

Russell Sanchez is certainly the 21^st Century master artist at San Ildefonso Pueblo.  His work if flawless and beautiful to view.  It will certainly stand the scrutiny of time and be classed as a true work of art for decades to come.  Now is the time to add his pottery to one’s collection while the prices are still very reasonable.

Condition: new condition

Provenance: from the artist

Recommended Reading:  Art of Clay: Timeless Pottery of the Southwest by Lee Cohen.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery.