Steve T. Smith (STS) (Mohawk Nation) Early Talking Earth Pottery PeriodTitle: ” Turtle Island & The Great Tree of Peace ”
Size: 5 ½″ Height
Signed: Inscribed to base: “Talking Earth” (Note: Features a clean, single-studio signature, lacking the secondary “Mohawk Pottery” name found on earlier transitional works).
Provenance: Private Collection, Ontario
Price: $850.00 CAD
This exceptional 5 ½-inch ovoid vase is an important early work by Mohawk master artist Steve T. Smith (STS), dating to the foundational period of Talking Earth Pottery. Hand-thrown from solid red-brown terracotta clay, the vessel features a powerful, continuous 360-degree sgraffito narrative. One face depicts the Haudenosaunee Great Tree of Peace—complete with the protective Eagle soaring above the canopy and the Four White Roots of Peace spreading below. The reverse features a meticulously carved Great Turtle emerging from fluid cosmic water ripples, representing the creation of Turtle Island (North America).
Linking these two iconic scenes are geometric V-panels representing traditional Longhouse rafters and agricultural motifs alongside classic notched wampum border patterns. The raw, textured matte lines of the carving stand out in elegant contrast against the finely hand-burnished chocolate-brown exterior surface, while the interior features a striking, high-gloss powder-blue glazed finish. The base is finished with the artist’s authentic early freehand “Talking Earth” signature.
About Steve Smith & Talking Earth Pottery
Founded by Elda “Bun” Smith and continued by her son, Steve, Talking Earth Pottery has been central to Haudenosaunee pottery revitalization since the mid-20th century. Steve Smith’s work, which merges traditional symbolism with distinctive, masterful form, is highly collectible and featured in major museum collections, including the Royal Ontario Museum and the Canadian Museum of History.
Founded by Elda “Bun” Smith and continued by her son, Steve, Talking Earth Pottery has been central to Haudenosaunee pottery revitalization since the mid-20th century. Steve Smith’s work, which merges traditional symbolism with distinctive, masterful form, is highly collectible and featured in major museum collections, including the Royal Ontario Museum and the Canadian Museum of History.