Description

This very large olla has been beautifully created and depicts corn stalks, birds, feathers and geometric designs surrounded by two bands of polished red clay on the rim and bottom of the jar. The polychrome sections are beautifully polished, while the natural clay sections are left with a matte finish. The red bands are each a different hue of the natural red Jemez clay. There is also an arrow on the inner top part of the pot.

Juanita Fragua is one of the foremost potters responsible for the renaissance of Jemez pottery.  She decided to be a potter at a time when the Jemez pottery tradition had essentially collapsed. Movement toward a revival was happening, but no specific design or shape was yet identifiable as Jemez.   Juanita felt free to exercise her creativity. As a true innovator, she made many different shapes and forms using different designs.

Juanita Fragua is of the Corn Clan and has been an active potter since the 1950s. She began winning awards at the Santa Fe Indian Market in 1980.

Condition: Excellent – original condition.
Provenance: Acquired from a New Mexico private collector.