San Ildefonso Pueblo Polychrome Pottery Jar By Cavan Gonzales

Late 20th/Early 21st Century

6.5" H x 7.5" D

Hand Coiled with a Bulbous Form with Painted Eagle Tail Geometric Design and Accented with Tad Poles Signed Cavan Gonzales "Eagle Tail"

In Very Good Condition

Cavan Gonzales (Tse-whang, or "Eagle Tail," born 1970) is a respected potter from San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico. He is the great-great-grandson of the legendary potter Maria Martinez and the son of potter Barbara Gonzales. He learned traditional pottery-making from his mother and has been creating award-winning work since childhood.

Gonzales initially gained recognition as a painter before focusing on pottery. He studied ceramics at Alfred University and received the Presidential Scholar Award from the White House in 1988. He is widely regarded as a key figure in the revival of traditional San Ildefonso polychrome pottery, a style that uses three or more colors of clay slips for intricate painted designs on a light base, often featuring geometric patterns, feathers, clouds, tadpoles, and motifs inspired by both historic Pueblo traditions and contemporary life.