Louise Goodman

Navajo

Born in 1937, Louise Goodman was a Navajo potter who seems to have produced primarily bear figures, of all sizes. They are hand-coiled, formed, carved, fired and coated in piñon pitch. The bears are in all kinds of stances, some holding pots or beehives, most with slots cut in their backs to look like a piggy bank. But they are not cooked hard enough to bear coins going in and out... And I have come across a couple regular pots made by Louise (and one award earner with legs) but she probably did better financially with the bears, and she had no competition.

Louise died in early April, 2015.