Cochiti Pueblo Golfing Bear Figurine

Cochiti Pueblo has a long history of producing figurative pottery. It reached its prime in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first quarter of the 20th century, although there was a strong revival in the early 1970s with the production of storyteller figurines. Some potters at Cochiti expanded beyond the traditional storyteller figurines, Seferina Ortiz being one of the most prominent and talented of these potters.

This is a highly unique figurine made by Ortiz, in which she expresses humor and creativity. The figurine is a black bear holding a golf club, wearing a baseball cap that says "GOLF" on the front. It's a whimsical and endearing piece, and one can't help but smile and chuckle when viewing the bear. It says a lot about Ortiz's good nature that she made a piece like this.

The figurine is in very good condition and is signed Seferina Ortiz, Cochiti NM on the underside.  The bear pottery figurine is held securely within a hand-made stand.

Artist Seferina Ortiz (1931-2007) is one of the most respected potters of Cochiti Pueblo. She learned pottery making from her mother, Laurencita Herrera. She is represented in many museum and private collections. The Peabody Museum of Harvard University has 32 pieces of her pottery in its collection.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Cochiti Pueblo Golfing Bear Figurine is from the collection of a client of Adobe Gallery

Recommended Reading: Pueblo Pottery Figurines: The expression of Cultural Perceptions in Clay by Patricia Fogelman Lange

TAGS: Laurencita Herrera, Southwest Indian Pottery, Cochiti Pueblo, Contemporary Pottery, Seferina Ortiz