Cherokee Traditional Orange Matte Pot, 5", by Joel Queen (Eastern Cherokee)

This graceful small traditional vase by Joel Queen is an unusual orange color that contrasts with the dark fire clouds that are the result of its being fired outdoors in a pit. The pot was made as a work of art but fired to a temperature of 1500°, making it waterproof.

A founding member of the Cherokee Potters Guild in North Carolina that was established to preserve and promote high quality traditional pottery, Joel digs and prepares the clay, coils the thin-walled pots with folded-down rims, stamps them with carved wooden paddles or other natural objects, and fires them in an open pit.  Joel, who also makes blackware, raku, wood carvings and baskets, is a member of the Bigmeat family, who have been making pottery for eight generations.

Height 5", width 5"