Bountiful Harvest Jar by Lonnie Vigil, Nambe Pueblo

Bountiful Harvest Jar, 1997 by Lonnie Vigil, Nambe Pueblo 14.5" high x 14" diameter hand formed micaceous clay Renowned micaceous clay potter Lonnie Vigil was born at Nambe Pueblo, NM in 1949. This style of pottery is distinguished by the sparkling mica flecks in the clay and by its traditional use for cooking and storage. Often overlooked by collectors in the past, micaceous pottery is enjoying a new wave of interest and appreciation. Vigil is singularly credited with reviving unpainted, micaceous pottery and establishing its credibility as a contemporary art form. Vigil had no conscious desire to become an artist when he was growing up at Nambe Pueblo. Instead, after earning a degree in business administration from Eastern New Mexico University, he pursued a career as a financial and business consultant in New Mexico and subsequently in Washington, D.C. By the early 1980s, Vigil was becoming aware that his work and life in Washington "gave me nothing to feed my soul." A performance at the Kennedy Center called "Night of the First Americans" inspired Vigil to return to Nambe, where he began working with clay. "I prayed for direction from the Clay Mother, and slowly the…