Original Watercolor “Sun Snake” [R]

José Angela Aguilar, sometimes known as Joe Aguilar, was the son of Susana Aguilar—a well-known potter—and is known to have painted pottery for his mom.  He was the husband of Rosalie Simbola Aguilar, originally from Picuris Pueblo, and also a potter, for whom he also painted pottery.  He was an exceptional painter.  Kenneth Chapman included him on a list of fifteen men who painted pottery at San Ildefonso before 1940.  His son, Alfred Aguilar, said that his father formed pots, as well as painting them.

There is no mention of him in either Clara Lee Tanner's book or in Dorothy Dunn's book as a painter of paintings; however, there are other references that indicate he was.  Snodgrass, in her book, stated "The artist has been actively engaged in art and related subjects since 1944.  In 1949, he began painting experiments in new directions."  His new direction was the influence of another painter, Joe Herrera, son of Tonita Peña.  Seymour stated that in 1987, Aguilar was working in the California aerospace industry doing technical drawings and only an occasional painting for friends.

The artist named this painting “Sun Snake” and it is a serpent-like figure coiled around the sun.  It appears in the same form as the Avanyu (water serpent) or plumed serpent seen on San Ildefonso pottery.  The U-shape black line with small circles is a design seen on early 20^th-century San Ildefonso Polychrome pottery, the meaning of which remains unknown.

The painting is signed in lower right and has recently been framed using archival materials.  The paper has darkened slightly on the far right out of the area of the design

Condition: In very good condition with two what may be water spots in lower left directly under the abstract plant design.

References:

Tanner, Clara Lee. Southwest Indian Painting, a Changing Art, 1957.

Dunn, Dorothy.  American Indian Painting of the Southwest and Plains Areas, 1968.

Stewart, Kathryn. Portfolio II Eleven American Indian Artists, 1988.

Seymour, Tryntje Van Ness. When the Rainbow Touches Down, 1988

Snodgrass, Jeanne O. American Indian Painters: A Biographical Directory, 1968.

Provenance: from a gentleman in Florida