Bear

Louise Goodman, Bear, 1990, fired clay with piñon pitch, 22 ¹⁄₄ x 10 ⁵⁄₈ x 10 ⁷⁄₈ in. (56.5 x 27.0 x 27.6 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase made possible by Mrs. Gibson Fahnestock, 1997.124.154

Artwork Details

Title: Bear
Artist: Louise Goodman
Date: 1990
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
/
Luce Foundation Center
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3rd Floor
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25A
Dimensions: 22 ¹⁄₄ x 10 ⁵⁄₈ x 10 ⁷⁄₈ in. (56.5 x 27.0 x 27.6 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase made possible by Mrs. Gibson Fahnestock
Mediums: plant material
clay
Mediums Description: fired clay with piñon pitch
Classifications: Decorative Arts
Subjects: Animal — bear
Object Number: 1997.124.154
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1997.124.154

Artwork Description

Ceramist Louise Goodman started making animals and other decorative pieces in the 1980s when she noticed a decline in demand for her functional clay objects. Creating animal figures was common among Navajo potters at the time and Goodman became well known for her playful bears. The bears, with their stubby limbs and exaggerated torsos, became Goodman's most popular pieces. She often added an unexpected detail—a slot in the back to make the bear into a piggy bank. This transformation from figurine to piggy bank is especially fitting as the bear often represents power and plenitude in the Navajo culture.