Polychrome Large Owl by Lucy Lewis [SOLD]

Lucy Lewis was one of the most widely respected potters from her pueblo. She was the last of the Acoma matriarchs. She followed pueblo tradition in every step of pottery production—offering prayers of thanks to Mother Earth for the clay, taking only as much clay as she needed, working the clay with only her hands, forming the vessel from coils of clay, scraping the walls with tools fashioned from gourds, painting the vessel with slips and paints made from clay and vegetal sources and, finally, firing the finished pieces in an outdoor handmade kiln.

This lovely owl was made in this manner. It is well balanced and symmetrical, beautifully polished to a warm velvety finish and painted in a simple and carefully executed design. It was purchased from Lewis at the 1963 Acoma Feast Day at Acoma Pueblo by Ray and Judy Dewey, formerly of Dewey Galleries in Santa Fe. It has been in their collection until now.

The figurine is in excellent original condition. There have been no repairs or restoration. It is signed with the artist’s name on the underside of the figurine.