Small Oval Jar with Ovoid Form Bands by Robert Tenorio [SOLD]

In typical Robert Tenorio fashion, this jar is both creative and modern while retaining classic Kewa look, feel, and design. As one of the most well-known and revered Kewa potters of today, Tenorio uses symmetrical patterns and traditional colors to create a beautiful aesthetic all around the jar.

There are three distinct bands found on the jar, each with a different color tone, and design. Between cream, reddish/orange, and black, all the colors are particularly striking, but the reddish/orange stands out as being reminiscent of the rocks and dirt native to the Southwest and the Santo Domingo Pueblo from which Tenorio hails. This is an excellent example of Tenorio's paying homage to traditional roots while allowing room for innovation and peculiarity.

One noteworthy area of distinction is in the jar's shape, in which Tenorio deviates from the conventional large base and slender neck, offering a more uniform body with a slighter inward neck and rim at the top.

The bottom of the jar is signed Robert Tenorio, KEWA N.M. 2015.

Robert Tenorio (1950- ) is an artist from KEWA, or Santo Domingo Pueblo. Tenorio began his artistic career as a jeweler before moving into pottery making. At first, he created stoneware, and then he transitioned to traditional methods and materials. Tenorio has evolved into one of the most significant pueblo potters of today, creating works that have an attractively modern look while being made with ancestral designs and natural materials. He has exhibited widely and received many notable awards and accolades for his work.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: Small Oval Jar with Ovoid Form Bands by Robert Tenorio private collection of a client of the gallery

Recommended Reading: A RIVER APART, The Pottery of Cochiti & Santo Domingo Pueblos by Valerie Verzuh, et al.

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Kewa - Santo Domingo Pueblo, Contemporary Pottery, Robert Tenorio