Canteen with Bird Motif (#81)
Emma Lewis (b.1931) — Acoma Pueblo
In a relatively spare and small space on the round body of a canteen, Emma Lewis has combined abstract design iconography to create a more realistic bird. Pottery brilliance does seem to reside in families, it is clear that this daughter carefully watched her matriarch mother Lucy Lewis and was able to absorb some her creativity and vivacity. Lewis' beautifully formed canteen, fine painting, and imagination help us understand the centrality of pottery making families and legacies.