Polished Black Jar with Bear Paw Impressions [SOLD]

Greg Garcia’s mother was from Santa Clara and his father from Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo). He began to make pottery at the age of 14. Taught by his maternal grandmother, Severa Tafoya, he learned the traditional Tewa ways to gather, prepare, shape, polish and fire pottery. Garcia was a very talented potter, his work distinguished by excellent symmetry and high, even polish.

Greg Garcia molded and polished this elegant small jar to perfection. He placed three bear paw impressions on the upper body just below the shoulder of the jar. The bear paw symbol comes from an old Santa Clara legend stating that during a time of drought a bear led the people to a fresh water spring and saved them. When Tewa potters created jars or ollas to hold water, the bear paw design was added to honor the bear because, “The bear always knows where the water is.” The use of the design continues to the present day, even though the vessels are no longer used to hold water.

As the world around the pueblo people changes, the creation of pottery using traditional methods and designs connects them to their past. This pot is a beautiful example of how Greg Garcia used traditional methods to create a modern work of art in the spirit of his ancestors.

Condition: The Polished Black Jar with Bear Paw Impressions is in excellent condition

Provenance: From the collection of a New York resident

Recommended Reading: Santa Clara Pottery Today by Betty LeFree

Relative Links: Southwest Indian Pottery, Contemporary Pottery, Greg Garcia, Santa Clara Pueblo, Severa Tafoya, Ohkay Owingeh - San Juan Pueblo