San Ildefonso Pueblo Pottery Masterpiece by Russell Sanchez

Russell Sanchez has once again created a masterpiece. The mid-body of the jar features the traditional San Ildefonso interpretation of the Avanyu (water serpent) but executed in shallow carved form rather than in painted style. The serpent has an elaborate plume on his head and lightning from his mouth. His eye is a beautiful Kingman turquoise cab with the finest copper matrix. The background of the Avanyu is presented in textured matte finish.

What are Avanyu? a deity of the Tewa Pueblos—San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Ohkay Owingeh, Santa Clara, Nambe, and Pojoaque—and is the guardian of water. He is represented as a horned or plumed serpent with curves suggestive of flowing water or the zigzag of lightning. He appears on the walls of caves located high above canyon rivers in New Mexico and Arizona and may be related to the feathered serpent of Mesoamerica—Quetzalcoatl and related deities.

Below the mid-body decoration was stone polished to a highly burnished black down to and including the footed base, below which is the artist's signature. Above the mid-body decoration is a row of the finest hieshe and turquoise embedded into the clay. Russell says that he only purchased heishi from Joe and Mary Calabaza of Kewa Pueblo because they made the absolute finest heishi available. The area from the rim down to the hieshe is covered in all natural green slip into which are carved cloud elements.

The green slip is from a source high in copper content and is applied just like any slip would be to a jar. It burnishes beautifully. The jar body is burnished to an extremely fine mirror-like finish. Russell fires his pottery to an extremely red hot temperature which greatly increases the hardness. Most black pottery will disintegrate if water is stored in it but Russell says his pottery will hold water, but I cannot imagine anyone wanting to store water in such a masterpiece.

The accompanying lid was finished in black and sienna and has a bear perched on top. Embedded into the clay are two beautiful all-natural Kingman turquoise cabs. A dot pattern outlines the edge of the lid. The jar is equally beautiful with or without the lid and could be displayed with the lid in place or placed next to the jar.

Russell is the grandson of Abel Sanchez (Oqwa Pi) and nephew of Rose Gonzales. He was born at San Ildefonso Pueblo and attended Pojoaque High School and the College of Santa Fe. Rose Gonzales, Dora Tse•Pe, and Santa Fe ceramicist Rick Dillingham were instrumental in his career. Russell has accepted guidance from experts but forged his own techniques and style. He is recognized as one of the finest of today's potters. Every item he makes is exceptional.

Condition: new condition

Provenance: This San Ildefonso Pueblo Pottery Masterpiece by Russell Sanchez was completed in 2014, and purchased from the artist by Adobe Gallery. It was sold to a client in 2014, and is now back to us from the estate of that client.

Recommended Reading: Art of Clay: Timeless Pottery of the Southwest by Lee Cohen

TAGS: Abel Sanchez, Rose Gonzales, Southwest Indian Pottery, San Ildefonso Pueblo, Contemporary Pottery, Tony Da, Popovi Da, Ignacia Sanchez, Russell Sanchez