Wilfred Garcia
White Mesa
11 1/2"
H x 9 1/2" D
Wilfred Garcia was born and
raised at Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico. He is in his 40's and has
been potting for about 17 years. Wilfred was self-taught with
some help from his former mother-in-law, Stella Shutiva.
When he was married to Sandra
Shutiva, he and Sandra collaborated on some of their pottery.
He continues with the same smooth-lined, pristine white pottery
for which he is so well-known.
His work can be seen in Pueblo
and Navajo Contemporary Pottery by Guy Berger and Nancy Schiffer
and in Southwestern Pottery, Anasazi to Zuni by Allan Hayes and
John Blom, who stated therein that Wilfred ranked "at the
top of the Acoma prestige ladder" and that his white jar
shown represented "the pure elegance of Acoma pottery at
its finest."
His work is unique and distinct.
It is one of our favorite pieces here in the gallery - very reminiscient
of Al Qoyawayma's carved village scenes, as well as that of Nolan
Youvella's.
With a pueblo built in the
wall of the neck, this outstanding, long-necked vase is done
in the Mesa Verde design, the artist's favorite. The top of the
neck is cut away with kiva steps, and a wooden ladder is set
down inside the neck as if the vase itself was the kiva.
This piece was traditionally
hand-coiled from native clay and polished by hand using smooth
stones. The building of its pueblo required the use of some very
small hand tools, especially for the intricate detail in the
openings, as well as the textured front of each structure.
