Lola Wilson "The People" Pyro-Etched Gourd Vessel with Pine Needle Coil Rim, 2002

A sculptural gourd vessel by New Mexico artist Lola Wilson of Daisy Fields Designs, Las Cruces, signed and dated 2002 on the underside and titled "The People." The gourd wall carries a mottled fire-and-earth surface — coppery oranges, deep aubergine, and smoky charcoal passages — built up through pyro-treatment and paint. Across one face, a procession of pale, ghostlike standing figures is brushed in white and grey, the painted "people" that give the work its name. The cut rim is finished with a thick coiled bundle of pine needles lashed in place with tan twine, with a trailing tassel of loose needles and a small cluster of brown beads at one shoulder.

Wilson worked across hand-dyed silks, painted wood and cloth, and gourd vessels, often pairing Indigenous-style coiled pine-needle basketry technique with painterly surface work. The lashed rim here echoes the traditional coiled gourd-and-basket forms of the Mesilla Valley region, while the spectral figures and rich pyro-coloring mark it as a one-off studio piece rather than a production item. A copy of the artist's Daisy Fields Designs card and the original handwritten title/signature tag accompany the lot.

CONDITION

Very Good as shown. Shelf wear with some paint transfer to the painted surface. Pine needle coil and twine wrapping are intact and secure; bead cluster present. Natural gourd character throughout.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Overall: 7 1/4" H × 10" W × 8" D
• Materials: Gourd, pine needles, beads, twine
• Signed and dated: Lola Wilson, 2002 (underside)
• Title: "The People"
• Includes: Daisy Fields Designs card and original handwritten title/signature tag