Intricately Designed Acoma Pueblo Polychrome Pottery Jar by Barbara and Joseph Cerno [SOLD]

This small polychrome pottery jar was created by Barbara and Joseph Cerno of Acoma Pueblo.  It is always a treat to see a Cerno jar, and they never seem to spend much time on our shelves before being claimed by enthusiastic collectors.  Their strong, bright designs and graceful forms are consistently impressive. This piece, which is dated 1998, is no exception. Its form is a miniaturized version of a pueblo water jar, with shoulders and a rim that curves a bit more dramatically than what we’d expect of a functional vessel.

The jar features a wonderful design, which is repeated three times around the vessel.  The design’s primary element is a large orange bird. Each bird is perched on an intricate plant and surrounded by leaves and flowers.  An orange and red rainbow curves above each bird. Above each rainbow is a smaller red bird, which rests among its own colorful garden. All of this complex work was executed with style and skill.  Remarkably, the jar has no abrasions or scratches—it appears as though it just emerged from the fire. This is a fine example of contemporary Acoma Pueblo pottery.

The bottom of the jar is signed “Acoma, New Mexico, Barbara and Joseph Cerno, 98.”

Barbara Hayah Cerno (b.1951) and Merle Joseph Martin Cerno (b.1947) are a husband and wife pottery-making team.  Their pots are made from traditional materials, hand-coiled and fired outdoors. Barbara and Joe Cerno sign their pottery B. J. Cerno. There is now a Joseph Cerno, Jr. who is following in the footsteps of his parents.  Barbara’s mother, Esther Gunn Hayah, was of Acoma Pueblo and Barbara’s father, William David Hayah, was of the Hopi village of Polacca. Barbara and Joseph both learned pottery making from his Acoma mother, Santana Cimmeron Cerno.

Condition: this Intricately Designed Acoma Pueblo Polychrome Pottery Jar by Barbara and Joseph Cerno is in original condition

Provenance: private Utah collection

Recommended Reading: Acoma & Laguna Pottery by Rick Dillingham, Artist and Author

Relative Links: Joseph Cerno, Jr., Acoma Pueblo, Hopi Pueblo, pottery