Kewa Pueblo Stoneware Pictorial Bowl by Harold Littlebird

This small stoneware bowl by Harold Littlebird is a rare and intimate work, measuring 2-½ inches high by 6 inches in diameter. Crafted in 1984 and signed on the bottom, it features a pictorial design of a deer rendered with quiet elegance on the interior — an image that connects deeply with the natural world and Pueblo visual language.

Stoneware is an uncommon medium in Pueblo pottery, and Littlebird's use of it here sets the piece apart. The bowl's tactile quality is enhanced by the contrast of smooth and rough surfaces, inviting the viewer to experience it both visually and physically — a true work of art that fits comfortably in the hand.

A similar piece by the artist is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, underscoring the importance of Littlebird's work in the broader narrative of contemporary Native ceramics.

Harold Littlebird, of Kewa (formerly Santo Domingo) and Laguna Pueblo heritage, was born in 1951 and now resides in Florida. He began working in clay under Ralph A. Pardington and graduated from the Institute of American Indian Arts in 1969. His work blends traditional roots with a contemporary sensibility, and this bowl is a beautiful example of that fusion.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: This Kewa Pueblo Stoneware Pictorial Bowl by Harold Littlebird is from the collection of a client of Adobe Gallery.

Recommended Reading: THE POTTERY OF SANTO DOMINGO PUEBLO A Detailed Study of its Decoration by Kenneth M. Chapman

TAGS: Kewa (Santo Domingo) Pueblo, Laguna Pueblo, Southwest Indian Pottery, Harold Littlebird