5224-1868 Mata Ortiz Lizard Jar Pottery By Roberto Baniulos
Late 20th Century
Size 5.75" H X 6.875" D
Hand Coiled from Local Clays, Stone Polished, Painted with Natural Mineral Pigments, and Fired in an Open Pit using Dung or Cottonwood Bark for a Subtle, Smoky Finish with 2 Painted Lizards
In Very Good Condition with a Chip on the Rim as Pictured
Roberto Bañuelos (sometimes spelled Banuelos) is a prominent Mata Ortiz potter from the Barrio Iglesia neighborhood, working collaboratively with his wife, Angela Bañuelos. They divide labor traditionally: Angela coils and forms the vessels, sands and polishes them using black, yellow, red, white, and mixed clays; Roberto applies intricate designs in multiple layers of paint, often starting with spattered color drops for texture. He signs all their work and occasionally fills in details or creates plates (platos). Their style draws heavily from Mimbres influences, featuring stylized animals like fish, rabbits, lizards, feathers, and imaginative creatures alongside geometric patterns. Bañuelos' pieces are celebrated for their polychrome vibrancy and storytelling quality, and they've been featured in books like The Potters of Mata Ortiz (1995) and The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz (1999).