Samuel Manymules #020419

$1,000.00

This new beauty is hand coiled and fired outdoors. Samuel refers to it as a “Trough water jar” – the shoulder of the jar is the trough part – where on the side of a mountain water is collected. The shape is elegant. The bottom is 2” wide and then flairs out to a shoulder that is 5” wide. The neck becomes narrow again and moves up to the beautiful rim which is 3” wide. Samuel has been able to polish the pot inside for several inches down, a very difficult skill. The colors we see ranging from blacks to red browns are especially attractive. After Samuel fired the piece outdoors, he added pine pitch which was applied both inside and out while the pot was still warm. Afterwards, he polished it with a cotton cloth to help achieve that excellent shine. The jar has such grace…. simple and high styled.

5 1/16″ high by 5 3/16″ wide

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Samuel Manymules

Samuel Manymules was born August 30, 1963 of the Bitterwater Clan for the Red House Nakai Dine Clan. He writes for us, “Unemployment is extremely high on the Navajo Nation. Through my adult life, I have been employed sporadically among many trades: I once made jewelry for the late Herbert Taylor, drove a tow truck for several years, and worked at an auto dealership. After dabbling in making pottery for over a decade, it is only very recently that I considered myself a potter, I am self-taught, At the moment, I consider myself more serious and engaged with my pottery.

The vessels I make are of traditional natural materials. First, I gather moist pure clay from local riverbed sources, which is then dried three to four months in the sun. When dried, the resulting clumps are crushed, ground and sifted into fine powder. Temper is also gathered and processed; volcanic ash, silt, or pottery shards may be used. After hand mixing, the clay is set aside for curing. Finally, after many months of preparation, the clay mixture is ready for use. Firing is an all-day process. Cedar wood is used because it burns efficiently and high temperatures. Fire clouds happen by chance. When finished, debris, such as ash, is carefully removed. Refined pinion tree sap is then swabbed inside and out with a stick while the vessel cools. After the vessel cools, the pottery is polished with a cotton cloth to a high sheen.

Samuel has won numerous awards since 2002, including a recent Judges’ Choice Award at the 2008 Heard Museum and a Blue Ribbon at the 2009 Santa Fe Indian Market. He has been awarded Blue and red ribbons at both the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Market, and in both 2005 and 2006 won Best of Pottery at the Southwest Museum Indian Marketplace.

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