The Dr. Samuel R. Poliakoff Collection of Western Art

Garcia began making pottery when she was eleven by watching her grandmother, mother and aunts. An exceptionally polished surface is a hallmark of Garcia’s work. She layers on many coats of slip, each applied just before the previous layer dries. Once the final coat of slip is applied she polishes the surface of pot using a polishing stone that smooths the surface by binding the layers together and to the pot’s surface. The pressure she applies while using the polished stone is exacting, otherwise the surface lifts off when completely dried or during firing. Once started, the polishing must be completed in the same sitting.