Navajo Hand-Etched Horsehair Pottery Vase by Ben Billy

This compact vase brings together two distinct Navajo techniques in one piece. The middle band is hand-etched with tight geometric patterns, each line carved by hand into the clay before firing. Then, at the peak of the kiln's heat, strands of real horsehair are laid across the surface, burning instantly into dark, branching veins that spread organically across the form. The result is a piece where precision and chance meet in the same object.

The coloring moves through turquoise, sunset red, and forest green, a palette that reflects the landscape of the Four Corners region. Signed on the bottom by Ben Billy, a Navajo artist known for his geometric work and rich use of earth tone pigments. No two pieces from a horsehair firing are ever the same.

• Artist: Ben Billy (Navajo)
• Dimensions: 3.40" H x 3.92" W
• Weight: Approx. 7 oz
• Technique: Hand-etched clay with horsehair firing
• Materials: Natural clay, mineral pigments

Display away from direct sunlight to preserve the pigments. Handle with dry hands and avoid moisture on the surface.

Ben Billy is a Navajo potter whose work combines hand-etching and horsehair firing techniques rooted in Southwest tradition. His pieces are artist signed and collected for their geometric detail and distinctive earth tone coloring.