Louise Amos Acoma Pueblo New Mexico Native American Pottery Olla Vase With Heartline Deer Motif, Smithsonian American Indian Museum

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This is a stunning hand-coiled pottery vase by renowned Acoma Pueblo artist Louise Amos (New Mexico), featuring a beautifully balanced … Read more This is a stunning hand-coiled pottery vase by renowned Acoma Pueblo artist Louise Amos (New Mexico), featuring a beautifully balanced heartline deer motif framed by bold geometric and floral forms.

The heartline is the line—often painted from the deer’s mouth to its heart—that represents:
Breath or life force
Spirit or inner being
The connection between the animal and the natural world

In Pueblo art, animals are frequently shown with this heartline to emphasize that they are living, spiritual beings, not just decorative forms. The deer itself commonly symbolizes gentleness, balance, awareness, and harmony with nature.

Louise Amos was born in 1946 and was a potter from Acoma Pueblo. She was the younger sister of Jennie Laate, from whom she learned to make Zuni pottery. On some of her pieces she included "Zuni" in the signature but most were signed with "Acoma." Her work is currently held by the Smithsonian American Indian Museum and in numerous private collections.

Signed on the bottom "Acoma Pueblo New Mexico Louise Amos." See less