Wedding
Vase with Turtle relief on front.
To the Cherokee, the turtle represents
long life and prosperity. The braided handle represents the intertwining of the
newly married couple. The Wedding Vase is polished by hand using a smooth stone.
The color variations are achieved by burning the vase with dried leaves and
grasses. Each vase is hand-crafted and unique.
Turtle Figurine
Again .. long life and prosperity.
PJ Gilliam Stewart About the Artist 
-- Biographical Information
Born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma (the youngest of nine children), PJ Gilliam
Stewart was raised in rural Cherokee Nation on her grandmother's original Indian
land allotment. It is on this same land that PJ has located her studio and home
where she lives with her husband and children.
Through research (and
lots of trial and error) PJ has developed a blending ofthe traditional methods
and designs of her ancestors with the contemporary. Creating a style of her own,
her work clearly reflects and is deeply rooted in her culture.
All of PJ
s works are signed -- beside her signature she also inscribes a turtle. To the
Cherokee (as well as many other Indian tribes) the turtle has a prominent place
in stories and culture. The turtle represents long life and prosperity -- a good
luck symbol. The turtle also holds personal importance to PJ because she is a
fifth generation descendant of the Terrapins. Hercules Terrapin Martin was
active in assisting Cherokee leaders in the settlement of the Cherokee in
Oklahoma after the "Trail of Tears" and through the Civil War. 
PJ Gilliam Stewart is a Tribal Member of the Cherokee Nation.~~
She holds a BA in Fine Art from Northeastern State University / Tahlequah,
Oklahoma.
I like designs that are balanced and simple.
To me
life should be lived this way and I want
my work to relfect that ... Pottery
amazes me
because you can use four basic elements -- earth,
fire, water,
and air -- to create a work of art.
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