Ms. Paty Ortiz - Artist
Width - 5.25 inches (corner to corner)
Height - 8.25 inches
Weight - 1 pound 6 ounces
Ms. Paty Ortiz pottery is supremely popular. She is one of the few masters of mixed media clay. Ms. Ortiz works in two different types of clay. Merging by hand this lighter and darker beige to brown material creates patterns and swirls, resembling cream being poured into coffee. Why this is particularly impressive is these two clay types harden at different temperatures when fired. Successfully firing one type without damaging the other is nearly impossible. Yet this master artist has perfected the skill needed to perform this.
This is a four sided vase with opposing tortoises and rabbits. The tortoises are centered within a symbolic sun design with radiant red triangles. The rabbits dance in a nighttime atmosphere in a circular movement.
Ms. Ortiz dresses the entire piece with designs and shapes which originated with her ancestors a thousand years ago. The Paquime culture and its designs are well established. The shoulder and neck of the pottery is encircled with repeating feather-like shapes. The square designs, as with all the images, are hand painted using only homemade tools.
Paty Ortiz signs her pottery.
A pottery ring is included.