| Stella Chavarria | |
 4 1/2" high by 6 1/4" wide $650 Sale! New reduced price is 30% off: $455
plus shipping & insurance |
Stella
Naranjo Chavarria is the daughter of the famed Santa
Clara potter, Teresita Naranjo. Stella was born in 1939 and has been actively potting since 1955. Stella has been
exhibiting her work since 1974. She learned potting from watching her mother
Teresita, who is one of the shining
lights in Santa Clara pottery. Stella incorporates most of her mother's traditional designs and those of her grandmother,
Christina Naranjo. Stella pots full time and makes small to medium sized carved pots. Her carving and polishing
is outstanding. Although Stella's work is reminiscent of her mother and grandmother's, she does have her own style. Stella still forms her pottery in the traditional Tewa way...that is that the pot is formed from the clay found on tribal lands. The pot must then be hand shaped by coiling and the pottery must be fired in an open-air outdoor fire pit using only wood or manure as fuel. Manure is used to smother the fire at the last stage of firing, and it is this technique that causes the pottery to turn black. The high gloss on this pot is achieved by polishing the surface with a smooth stone...a very tedious process. Three and sometimes as many as five layers of slip are applied to the smooth dried work, allowing time between coats to dry, and then followed by a lubricating coat of animal fat. The fat serves two purposes, one, it allows the stone to slide smoothly over the surface and two, it keeps the slip damp. Polishing stones are highly treasured and are usually passed on to descendants. The carving technique is straight and sharp. The depth of the carving is completely uniform...the most important factor of Santa Clara pottery. The carved design features a traditional Avanyu. The Avanyu is known for guarding and protecting water, rivers and streams on the Pueblo. The polish of the pot is very even and very deep in color. Stella is featured in Stephan Trimble's "Talking With the Clay" on page 46-47, in Allan Hayes "Southwestern Pottery" on page 138, in Lillian Peaster's "Pueblo Pottery Families" on page 118, in Rick Dillingham's "Fourteen Families" on page 228 and in Gregory Schaff's new book, "Pueblo Indian Pottery" on page 17. This pottery is from an estate and was collected in 1981. The pot is in pristine condition with no cracks, crazing or restoration. The pot is signed on the bottom: "Stella Chavarria, Santa Clara." |
| If you are interested in this
collectible,
please call 602-769-9190 or e-mail: tim@tribalcollectors.com |
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