"Train Ride"
by Marilyn Ray, Acoma Pueblo
Alternate Views 
Marilyn Ray
Description: Five car train set with figurines. Wheels actually turn. Made with native clay and pigments for color.
About this Award: Awarded for high quality in craftsmanship and vision in the use of clay. All pottery and figurative clay are eligible.
Jurors'
Comments:
Kent McManus: (previous comments when this piece was a candidate for another award) I picked this one because it has great puppies and kitties climbing all over a train. Birds on the front, butterflies—the kids are clearly loving the animals they're with. It's just a scene of true joy from when you were a child. (Additional comments) Again the pure joy in this piece. But also the technical difficulty. To do a square or rectangle in pottery and have it come out halfway even is very difficult; and you have three train cars here that do that. Wheels look very good, too.
Jake Livingston: It's difficult to make it like Kent said. And then the wheels actually turn. Plus the figures: the little birds and cats and butterflies on the top of each part. The only thing they forgot was to put "Santa Fe" on the side!
Ruby Panana: (about the Runner-Up "Wedding Vase—Endless Love") It's just an unusual piece, I know it's hard to twist clay like that and keep it from cracking on you. The shape of the vase is really nice. And the hand stone-polishing is very nice.