Description
Inspiration for this piece came from the story of the daughter of the sun. Often overshadowed by the popular Uktena, the story holds lessons from the mistaken fate of the daughter of the sun and the sun's mercy upon us. I wanted to highlight her and remind people she is still with us, although in a different form now. I blended traditional-style pottery at the bottom with contemporary pottery using glaze and pit firing to achieve the look I wanted. It is a blend of old and new, just like us.
Materials
Earthenware and stoneware clay.
Dimensions
19" x 14" x 14"
Levi West
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
About the Artist
Levi West (Eastern Band Cherokee), an emerging traditional and contemporary Cherokee potter, employs coil and slab techniques in his work. West is a student of the renowned Cherokee artist Tara McCoy and has learned all aspects of the art form. Under her tutelage, West has gained insight into the traditional process of harvesting, processing, and firing his own clay. He uses multiple firing methods, preferring poplar and pine wood with reduction techniques to achieve color variations.
Drawing inspiration from those innovative artisans that came before him, West enjoys bringing a modern sensibility to older or more traditionally regarded Cherokee designs and patterns. He also derives inspiration from experimentation and reimagining the boundaries of what is considered Cherokee pottery.
West is a member of the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, and his work is featured currently at The Center for Craft in Asheville, North Carolina and in the This Land Calls Us Home exhibit at Emory University.
