Posted 5 years ago
shareurpas…
(318 items)
Calling on CanyonRoad for help with this piece! (And crossing my fingers)
A few months back I found this piece of pottery that was a sand painting. Until then, I had only seen them as pictures, mostly in frames, so with this technique on pottery being new to me, I just had to pick it up. I do not know the age of it and when I looked at the bottom signature, I wondered, could this be made by Charles Loloma? I know his signature varied quite a bit throughout time but the scribble that resembles mountains, I know he used on jewelry pieces.
I knew he was an American artist of Hopi ancestry. He was arguably the most influential Native American, if not North American, jeweler of the twentieth century.
So tonight I looked him up as I did not remember him having anything to do with pottery. When I looked him up before was because I had a pendant that if not made by him, was definitely influenced by him, so my focus was on the jewelry and to my surprise, I found the info below;
1949: Charles Loloma
He and his wife Otellie both earned a Certificate in Pottery, which was presented on August 15, 1949.
1954:
In 1954 he opened a pottery shop in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Charles Loloma was also one of the original Windtalker from 1943-1945. He was an amazing man, well loved and respected by
many.
I can only hope this piece was made by him. It would be an honor to own one of his pieces.
Below is a quote by him:
A piece of art should be full of surprises, like a person. When you look inside, you should find excitement. If there is beauty in a piece of art, a person can absorb it and become more beautiful. --Charles Loloma.
Nice collection, love the one with wolf faces
Sorry, but no, definitely not the work of Charles Loloma. First, sandpainting is a Navajo practice. Charles Loloma was Hopi. The two tribes are totally unrelated.
Traditional sandpainting is a part of the Navajo religious/cultural ceremonial healing practices. The sandpainting designs were adapted for the Navajo commercial/souvenir market, first on weavings, then in the 1960s/1970s on sand-coated wood for wall decorations, and recently (last 10-15 years or so) on souvenir pottery. The emphasis has gone from the patterns to the medium, with the items being "painted" with sand, and not necessarily depicting a sandpainting design, as is evident on this piece.
Loloma was a studio potter first (he studied at Alfred University, on the G.I. Bill, in the late 1940s), before turning to making jewelry in the 1960s. When he made pottery, it was studio/art pottery, not souvenir items. His pottery, and signature, looked nothing like this.
He passed away in 1991, long before the first Navajo "sandpainting" pottery appeared on the market.
Newfld thanks for your love and comment. The pot with the wolves head are (I had 2, different shapes) but anyway, those are newer. In fact, all the pieces there are newer, I would say even late 90's. I've pretty much sold most of my older ones but will come across more that will be keepers!
CanyonRoad that's kind of what I figured but hey... nothing wrong with wishful thinking! I didn't allow myself to think it was a true Loloma piece but that would have completely made my day!
As far as the pendant goes, it was given to me by my niece, we actually traded a couple pieces and I have not been able to ID the signature on it. Maybe you may know. I'm sure that's not Loloma either but it was definitely inspired by him with the use of materials. I will also try and post that later tonight.
Thanks so much for your time... much appreciated!
Thanks for the loves fort, Thomas, iggy, Phil and Vet!!! Greatly appreciated! xoxo
Thanks hunterqlee for the love! Much appreciated!
Thanks for the love aura!
Thanks for the love CWW, Vynil and of course my bud racer!!!