Santa Clara Pueblo Highly Polished Red Jar [SOLD]

Tina Garcia was a granddaughter of Severa Tafoya (1890-1973) who was a sister of Van Gutierrez of Lela and Van fame.  Tina’s mom, Lydia Tafoya, was from Santa Clara Pueblo and her father, Santiago Garcia, from Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo.  Tina sometimes signed her pottery with the names of both pueblos.

This jar is dated 12-86 and is signed Tina Garcia Trujillo, Santa Clara Pueblo, a signature she used when married.  Then, she signed her pottery only Tina Garcia.

This jar is in the shape of the 19^th century Santa Clara jars referred to as a Tewa shape.  It is widest at mid-point and gracefully curved upward to the rim which rolls out slightly.  It is covered from top to bottom with a beautiful red slip which was polished and burnished to a very high luster.  The polished red slip continues inside the rim down into the jar about 1-1/2 inches.

Condition: original condition

Provenance: from an Albuquerque family collection

Recommended Reading:  Pueblo Indian Pottery: 750 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf