Pottery Bear Figurine in Red and Green Slip [SOLD]

Russell Sanchez is constantly experimenting and innovating.  In this large pottery bear figurine, he applied a red slip to the front of the bear and a green slip to the rear.  Dividing the two colors are 7 rows of brown hieshe—dark brown in the center and lighter on the outer rows.  The hieshe is interspersed with a few beads of turquoise spread at intervals.  Small domed blue Kingman turquoise cabs are inserted in parallel rows framing the rows of hieshe.  A zigzag line goes from the mouth of the bear to the hind legs on each side.  Small dots outline these lines and outline the arch of the bear’s legs.

This well-nourished bear has his head in a downward position as if looking in the river for another fish.  He stands firmly on his four legs and is in no danger of toppling over.  The contrast of the highly-polished red and green slips with the matte finish beige of the arch of the legs is very compatible.  The San Ildefonso Pueblo figurine is signed Russell on two of the legs on the underside.  The bear pottery figurine was completed on January 20, 2015.

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

Condition: new

Provenance: from the artist