Acoma Pueblo Large Traditional Olla [SOLD]

Joseph Cerno, Jr. is the 42-year-old son of Barbara and Joe Cerno, Sr. of Acoma Pueblo.  Joseph learned the art of pottery making from his grandmother, Santana Cimmeron Cerno, and his father, Joseph Cerno, Sr.  Joseph is an outstanding potter and painter of pottery as well demonstrated by this jar.

The jar is the traditional globular shape of 19^th-century ollas from Acoma with the widest diameter being at the mid-point of the vessel.  The mid-body design of heartline deer and birds is framed by a beautiful display of orange zigzag maze-like elements outlined in black lines.  These two large design elements at the neck and base take command of the design concept. 

The heartline deer each have their head turned looking behind them and their horns are stylized.  The birds, some in light orange and others in burnt orange, cling to the floral elements.  In the area of the birds and deer are double cloud elements, the lower pairs on which the deer stand. The underside is concave and is signed Joseph Cerno, Jr. Acoma New Mexico 2014. 

The jar is extremely thin-walled in traditional Acoma Pueblo manner and it was fired in an outdoor traditional technique.

Condition: new

Provenance: from the artist

Recommended Reading: Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2,000 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf.