Tammy Garcia

Tammy Garcia is a renowned Pueblo potter and sculptor whose work embodies both classic design and modern iconography. Her highly prized ceramic works encompass a progressive evolution of forms that include traditional effigies, water jars, and storage jars to non-traditional and modernized asymmetrical shapes. Given the dedication and attention to detail lavished on these singular works, it is understandable that she only produces a limited number of new ceramic pieces each year which can be seen at her annual Blue Rain Gallery show in August.

Throughout Garcia's artistic career, she has explored sweeping and breathtaking designs that are identifiable as time-honored beacons rising up across her work. Such designs incorporate ancient and historic Puebloan motifs including elements of nature, bird abstractions, and bands of repeating feathers, at once recognizable yet composed in manners that defy convention. She also explores fresh design sets that are not exactly prescribed themes found on Pueblo pottery—scallop shells, skulls and cross bones, graffiti lettering and a diverse repertoire of Chinese imagery. A new and rather timely example of her ability to push the design aesthetic, includes use of imagery from pulp magazine covers that reached their peak of popularity in the 1920s and 1930s, offering an inexpensive, yet titillating escape from the troubles of the day. Her unique ability to create highly refined ceramic works with such rare variety and depth, remain the cornerstone of her success--earning her the reputation as one of the most collectible living Pueblo potters of our day.

Pushing beyond the limits of natural clay and the "vessel" form, Garcia also forges new and exciting paths in bronze and glass which mark a distinct change of direction within the larger contemporary Native American sculpture arena. Often referencing modernist aesthetic movements, such as Art Deco and Bauhaus, Garcia has constructed a Neo-Pueblo design vernacular that continually captures new beholders--as seen on twisting, totem-like, architectural forms that shoot up to the ceiling with high and low relief carvings reminiscent of her pottery. Her sculptures can act as two-dimensional canvases as well, evidenced on life-size bronze and glass panels whose surfaces aptly relay detailed narratives. Garcia's exploration of bronze as a medium is best described in her own words, "I love working in bronze because I'm able to create on a much larger scale than I can with pottery. It gives me a sense of freedom, allowing me to experiment. I also love the variety of colors and patinas available to me--I'm always looking for new ways to use them."

Tammy Garcia's courageous artistic journey in mastering a variety of mediums is unparalleled in innovation, imaginative design, and flawless execution. Each piece she crafts is elevated to inspired levels of original expression. She is the very definition of artistic genius: she is a risk taker, a discoverer, and she will forever exceed what it expected.