5 Comments
User's avatar
Ellen Y. Swain's avatar

This is wonderful. I smile thinking of the pueblo pottery here in New Mexico, and I marvel at the beauty of this piece. I especially love "nothing happens in cultural isolation," and will marvel again at my storytellers and turtles and creches...thank you...

Rainey Knudson's avatar

Thank you Ellen!

Linda Dodge's avatar

A surprising and most inspiring selection!

I am reminded of the black-on-black pottery tradition of the pueblos which was re-discovered by Maria Martinez (1887 – 1980) and her husband Julian. The MFAH has ten magnificent examples, nine of which were gifts of Ima Hogg.

I found a wonderful lecture on the Caddo pottery tradition by Dr. Timothy K. Perttula of the Texas Historical Commission. At the end of the talk, he explains how its manufacture was lost until 1991, when it was revived by Jeri Redcom. One of her vessels was selected by Michelle Obama for display in the Oval Office and others are in the Smithsonian. Earles, her nephew, gives the tradition a place in our American mythology as in this wonderful R2-D2 shaped vessel with traditional Caddo incised designs.

Lecture: https://youtu.be/_4z_mGz43ok?si=cINGkk3L7E6lhfT5

Article from Smithsonian Magazine:

https://insider.si.edu/2010/04/three-clay-vessels-by-native-american-potter-jeri-redcorn-added-to-smithsonian-collections/

Patrick Kelly's avatar

Loved seeing this! Last year, the Old Jail art Center tried to arrange a future exhibit/installation of Chase Kahwinhut Earles' work, but his work is so popular he has no inventory! (That's a good thing for him.)

Rainey Knudson's avatar

I ran across his work last fall on a visit to the Dallas Museum of Art and I had so much fun digging into all of it. And just Indigenous Futurism generally, as a movement. Glad he’s on your radar.