Leigh Smith (Mohawk Nation, Turtle Clan) Talking Earth Pottery
Title: ” Winged Harmony ”
Size: 6″ Height
Signed: Inscribed to base: “Winged Harmony, Talking Earth, Leigh, 2-43-2001”
Provenance: Private Collection, Ontario
Price: $1,250.00 CAD
An exceptional, 360 degree museum-grade showcase of modern Haudenosaunee ceramic art, “Winged Harmony” is a masterfully executed sgraffito vessel created by renowned Mohawk ceramicist Leigh Smith. Hand-crafted on February 14, 2001, at the historic Talking Earth Pottery studio on the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, this 6-inch tall globe vase showcases the incredible narrative precision that defines the upper tier of contemporary Indigenous studio craft.
The upper shoulder of the vessel features a brilliantly texturized, cream-coloured stippled background that plays host to a deeply narrative polychrome scene. Multiple highly detailed hummingbirds are captured mid-flight, feeding upon blooming honeysuckle vines. The movement of the wings and the delicate organic linework are achieved through expert freehand sgraffito—meticulously scratching through layers of colored clay slips before firing to expose the contrasting body beneath. The base of the composition transitions into a heavy, dramatic sequence of traditional, hand-incised geometric bands and rolling wave borders.
Unlike common production-line native tourist pottery, “Winged Harmony” represents a dedicated exhibition piece by one of the studio’s primary matriarchs. Possessing stunning structural integrity and complete 360-degree storytelling, this landmark 2001 pot serves as a significant investment piece for collectors of elite Canadian studio ceramics and historic Indigenous artistry.
About Leigh Smith & Talking Earth Pottery
Founded by the iconic, Order of Canada-appointed potter Elda “Bun” Smith alongside her family, Talking Earth Pottery has been the global epicenter for the revitalization of traditional Iroquois pottery since the mid-20th century. Leigh Smith, marrying into this legendary multi-generational lineage alongside her husband Steve Smith, became a celebrated force within the studio.
Representing the Turtle Clan of the Mohawk Nation, Leigh’s personal style brilliantly infuses traditional Haudenosaunee symbolism and cosmological stories with vibrant, naturalistic renderings of regional flora and fauna. Masterworks from the Smith family are highly coveted internationally and reside in permanent institutional collections across North America, including the Royal Ontario Museum and the Canadian Museum of History.
Copyright of the artist and or the artist estate.