Black and Sienna Seed Jar with Avanyu Design [SOLD]

Juan Tafoya was a well-known San Ildefosno potter who passed away prematurely at age 57 years.  He specialized in sgraffito designs where he would chip away at the polished slip to form a textured background for his design, in this instance for the design of the Avanyu (water serpent).  After firing the jar in a reduction firing to achieve a black finish, he then re-oxidized the designed area to bring the black color to sienna, after which he inserted the turquoise cab. 

Juan Tafoya lived at San Ildefonso Pueblo his whole life.  He learned southwest Indian pottery techniques from his mother, Donicia Tafoya, who was originally from Santa Clara Pueblo but moved to San Ildefonso when she married.  Juan credited Maria Martinez for sharing the techniques of pottery design and credited her with benefiting all members of the pueblo by doing so. 

Juan was awarded prizes at Santa Fe Indian Market as early as 1975 and continued receiving them year after year.  He displayed his pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market and Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Arts and Crafts Shows for over 20 years.  He produced pottery of exceptional quality with a beautiful burnish and a balanced design.

Condition:  original condition

Recommended Reading: Pueblo Indian Pottery 750 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery.

Provenance: from a family collection from California