This jar by Eric Lewis has a hummingbird and rain clouds as the design. The jar is round with a short neck.  The bird on this jar is white, which gives the piece a more contemporary appearance.  The remainder of the jar has boldly painted lines with rain and cloud patterns. Eric uses his designs to follow the shape of the jar and accentuate its form.  Eric has taken classic Acoma linear designs and made them both bolder and more graphic. The result is a striking jar with tightly painted imagery.  Eric remains one of the young Pueblo potters to watch!

Elizabeth Naranjo was known for her large carved intricately carved vessels.  She is a daughter of noted potter Pablita Chavarria and the sister of Clara Shije, Reycita Naranjo and Mary Singer.  This is one of her clay bear figures.  It is fully polished and fired a deep black in coloration.  The bear is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.   It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Elizabeth Naranjo”.

Toni Roller is known for her classic shapes and exquisite stone polished pottery.  She is a daughter of Margaret Tafoya and has developed her own distinctive style yet adhering to the traditional methods and techniques of her mother.  This bowl is from 1985 and it is a carved melon bowl with 16 ribs. Each rib is evenly spaced and carved into the clay.  The entire surface is fully polished to a high shine. It was traditionally fired and it is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Toni Roller”.

Daniel Lucario learned to make and paint pottery from his mother, Rebecca Lucario. This small seedpot is from 1993.  It is very tightly painted with 7 lizards. They are on the bottom, sides and even one going into the opening of the piece on the top!  They are each highlighted with additional clay slips for the color.  The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Diane Lewis is known for her tightly painted miniature pottery.  This is one of her very intricately painted seedpots.  The top is painted with intricate Mimbres inspired lizards on one half of the piece.  The opposite half has another lizard surrounded by classic Acoma designs.  Note the very finely painted lines on the top of this seedpot.  All the colors are from natural clay slips. The thin lines are very time consuming to paint!  The lizards are inspired by the Mimbres pottery of the 1100’s.  It is an exciting modern interpretation of classic Acoma imagery.  It is signed on the bottom, “D. Lewis”.

Madeline Sayneyha is a cousin of potter Mark Tahbo.  She learned to make pottery from Mark as well as Ivy Youwyha.  She is a daughter of Herman Sakyneyah and Ernestine Chaca.   In the 1990’s she began making elegant pottery.  Each piece was coil built, painted with native clay slips and traditionally fired.  She was quickly known for her thin painted lines and dynamic firing. This jar is a striking piece of her pottery.  It has a classic shape with a round shoulder and a slight neck. The jar is painted with a star pattern when looking down from the top. The designs on the inside of the star are cloud patterns.  The jar is traditionally fired to create the fire clouds.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “M. Sahneyah”.  While Madeline no longer makes pottery, her quality of her pottery and her painted designs remains strong.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Diane Lewis is known for her tightly painted miniature pottery.  This is one of her very intricately painted seedpots.  The top is painted with intricate Mimbres inspired fish and birds. The body of each animal is painted with classic Acoma designs and highlighted with various clay colors.  All the colors are from natural clay slips.  Surrounding the fish and birds are triangular shapes which are painted with very line lines.  The thin lines are very time consuming to paint!  Note as well there is a cut-out on the top of the piece in the shape of a fish! The animals are inspired by the Mimbres pottery of the 1100’s.  It is an exciting modern interpretation of classic Acoma imagery.  It is signed on the bottom, “D. Lewis”.

Diane Lewis is known for her tightly painted miniature pottery.  This is one of her distinctive oval seedpots.  The piece is painted on the top with a complex series of designs. The figures, as well as the birds, fish, rabbit, and turtle, are inspired by the Mimbres pottery of the 1100’s.  The surrounding areas are painted with classic Acoma patterns including rain and lightning designs.  Note the intricacy of the painting!   All the various colors are natural clay slips.  It is an exciting modern interpretation of classic Acoma imagery.  It is signed on the bottom, “D. Lewis”.

Frederica Antonio is renown for her intricately painted pottery. Each piece is coil built and then finely painted. Her designs are a series of fine vertical and horizontal lines which are then filled in to create larger images in the squares.  This jar is a classic olla shape with a high shoulder and a long neck.  Frederica has painted the Four Seasons in the black-and-white sections of the ajr.  Separating them are four bands of color, representing the four directions.  The neck is very intricately designed with a series of rectangles in color and triangles in black-and-white.  The neck represents the fall leaves.  The coloration is not only complex for painting various colors, but also that after she has painted each color, she has to go over the edges to repaint the black!  It is amazing how time consuming this can be in for her pottery art!  The result, however, is stunning with a dynamic appearance and movement to the designs.  The base of the jar is concave, reminiscent of historic Acoma jars which were carried on the head.  This combination of thin walls, classic shape, and tightly painted design create a piece which is visually stunning!  The jar is signed on the bottom.

This is an important figurative work by Virgil Ortiz.  It is thematically based on the historic Monos figures from Cochiti Pueblo which began in the 1880’s.  However, more importantly, it is part of his “Saints and Sinners” series from 2005.  This was the first major show the gallery did with him and the first where he began the process towards his now famous Pueblo Revolt series.  Virgil said of his series in the book, “Revolt”:

“One of the first series Ortiz created as he began to explore the idea of the Pueblo Revolt in his art was “Saints and Sinners” (2005). These figures brought form to various Catholic Saints. Virgil chose the particular saints for a variety of reasons, but most simply reflected the Spanish impact on Pueblo life and culture. It was this loss of Pueblo religion, one of the factors leading to the Pueblo Revolt, which gave this concept such power. As the series progressed Ortiz also believed that there needed to be a counterbalance to these saints. He decided to create a group of ‘sinners’. “You never really know who is the saint and who is the sinner in real life, or as the saying goes, ‘Every saint has a past and every sinner a future.’” Virgil Ortiz: Revlot 1680/2180 by Charles S. King

This figure is important in the series, as it was the first one when he called to tell me about how the show had changed from “Saints” to “Saints and Sinners”!  The figure was used on the gallery invitation and I also attached the inside of the invitation as the last image.  The figure is also published in the book, ‘Free Spirit”.  The figure is made with native clay and painted with wild spinach (black) and red clay slips.  The style is in his “S&M” figures which he first made around 2000.  Note the use of the sun design around the neck.  The pice feels dramatic with the upturned face.  The use of traditional and contemporary imagery has become a standard for Virgil’s pottery, continuing to push the boundaries of contemporary Native clay.  It is an exceptional piece and imbued with some amazing provenance and history.  This piece is signed on the bottom.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Included is a copy of the book, “Free Spirit”.

Nathan Youngblood is one of the few Pueblo potters who creates large and intricately carved plates.  In addition to the round and oval ones, he has also created his own distinctive form of the “tear drop” shape.  This piece is coil built, carved, stone polished and traditionally fired. He designed this plate so that it has a “shield-like” appearance with a central medallion and the designs emanating out from the center.  The imagery is all cloud and rain patterns.  The band extending out from the center are slipped with a micaceous clay, creating another visual contrast from the matte and polished surfaces.  The polished areas here are perfectly polished to a “glass-like” appearance.  The piece is signed on the back with his name and Tewa name hallmark meaning “Deer Path”.   The plate comes in a metal museum mount made specifically for this piece.

This jar by Dora Tse-Pe is from 1982.  It is a classic shape which was often used by her mother-in-law, Rose Gonzales.  The sharp shoulder and long neck create a delicate form.  Dora was renown not just for the shapes of her pottery, but especially her highly polished surfaces. The jar is fired black and the neck is two-tone making the piece “black and sienna”.   It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Dora Tse-Pe ’82”.

This jar by Dora Tse-Pe is from 1978.  It is a classic shape which can often be seen in the work of her mother-in-law, Rose Gonzales.  The jar has a sharp shouler and an elongated neck.  It is carved with a swirl cloud or water pattern around the shoulder.  The rim is sienna while the remainder of the jar is a dark black from the firing. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Dora Tse-Pe, 1978”.

Susan Folwell combines classic imagery with her own contemporary style of shape and design. This tall jar has carved birds in the center of the design.  They are polished tan and the bodies of the birds are carved at various levels, giving them a very distinctive appearance.  The color variation on the wings is from the traditional firing.  The jar itself is slipped with a pinkish colored clay and there are additional birds painted onto the surface.  The lid sits on the top of the jar and its shape is meant to evoke the classic Hopi style bird.  The various colors and use of the matte and polished surfaces works perfectly on this piece.  Susan’s pottery is meant to not only connect with us visually, but also with touch and meant to make us think.

This is a classic water jar by Samuel Manymules.  It is coil built and slipped with a red clay and then traditionally fired.  The jar neck which is fully polished.  The lower section has melon ribs which are pushed out into the clay.  The ribs are wide and sharp, narrowing down from the shoulder to the base.  There is an indented ridge where the neck ends and the melon ribs begin.  The entire jar is fully polished and traditionally fired to create the coloration.  It is how Samuel places the jar in the firing and the smoke which determine how the colors will range from black to red.  The color changes as the jar is turned.  After the firing the jar is the covered with pine pitch in the traditional way expected of Navajo pottery.  It is extraordinary vessels like this which keep Samuel among the top Navajo potters working today.

Laura Chapella Tomosie (1907-1977) was a daughter of Poui and Toby White and a sister of Grace Chapella, Dalee and Bert Youvella.  She began making pottery in the 1930’s but was never as famous as her sister Grace.  It is said that she only spoke Hopi-Tewa and would negotiate with by raising fingers to indicate the price of an object.  This plate is made with the Hopi red clay. It is painted with bee-weed (black) and the design is outlined in white. It is a classic Hopi-Tewa bird as the design. The plate itself has just a small rim.  It is signed on the back “Laura Tomosie”.  It is in good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair but some wear to the painted areas.

Judy and Lincoln Tafoya (1954-2005) worked together for twenty years making pottery.  Lincoln learned to make pottery from his sister-in-law Sharon Naranjo Garcia.  He was a son o Dan Tafoya and Billie Rose Lee.  Judy is a daughter of Cecilia Naranjo and learned to make pottery from her grandmother Christina Naranjo.  Judy began making pottery in 1982 and married Lincoln in 1984. This water jar has a fluted rim and four bear paws. The jar is stone polished and fired a brown coloration.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Judy and Lincoln Tafoya”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This large jar by Les Namingha is a striking combination of Hopi designs along with contemporary textured designs.  The shape of the jar has a round shoulder and an asymmetrical neck and opening.  The jar is painted with a variety of designs.  There are stripes of Hopi-Tewa designs.  They are painted in a manner as if they are being painted over by the other designs.  There are larger white bird swirls and multi-color bands of rain patterns.  The pointilism sections are areas which are inspired by Zuni katsina figures and which Les has often painted on his pottery.  The fascinating part of this jar is the sections which are painted with a more textural feel.  These areas are the deep blue and red with the white rain patterns.  As well, the various large gray geometric forms also have a textural feel.  For Les’s pottery, adding a textural dimension is not something new but it intensifies the layering aspect of the work.   There is something distinctive about this jar and the layers over older style of designs, as if Les is moving on to another new direction in his art.  It is a simple, provocative and powerful jar.  The jar is signed on the bottom.

This jar by Alice Cling is a very classic Navajo shape with the high shoulder and the elongated neck.  The jar has a raised “braid” encircling the piece.  It is incised with cloud designs.  It is an interesting addition to her pottery and certainly adds a”jewel-like” feel to the shoulder of the piece.  There is one small “gap” in the design, which is the “spirit line”.  The jar is traditionally fired and there are beautiful colorations from deep black to dark red.  The jar was covered in pine-pitch after the firing, a continuation of the traditional Navajo pottery when pitch was used to make the pottery waterproof.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Alice Cling”.  Alice has won numerous awards for her pottery and been featured in books such as “Legacy of Generations.”  She remains one of the great names in the revival of Navajo pottery in the 1980’s

Jean Sahme is a daughter of noted potter Priscilla Nampeyo and a descendant of Nampeyo of Hano. This is one of her intricately painted tiles.  The design is a classic Hopi-Tewa Butterfly Maiden Katsina.  The figure is very intricately painted with bee-weed and the red is a clay slip.  The tile is traditionally fired.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the back with her hallmark (a fish) and a corn plant (for Corn Clan).  While Jean no longer makes pottery, there is a wonderful creativity in each of her pieces!

Juanita Healing was from the Hopi village of Sichomovi at First Mesa. She married Dewey Healing, son of Annie Healing Nampeyo, oldest daughter of Nampeyo of Hano. This tile is made from traditional Hopi-Tewa clay and painted with a rabbit stick design. The rabbit sticks seen in Hopi katsinas with the Left Hand Katisina.  They are somewhat like a boomerang.  The sticks are painted in the center with stripes and there geometric red patterns next to them. The tile is signed on the back, “Juanita Healing”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a creative jar by Nathan Youngblood which is part of his series, “The Space Between”.  These pieces are inspired by the early carved work of Sarafina Tafoya (1863-1949) and Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001).  This jar is a shape with high sides.  Nathan has carved around the shoulder of the piece with a rain and walking bear paw design.  Note the depth of the carving!  The section is very highly polished.  The remainder of the jar is slipped with mica.  This designs on the jar are inspired by the impressed designs on Sarafina Tafoya’s early work.   There is an impressed owl, moon, star, and Nighthawk.  Each of these images can be found on several of Sarafina’s original twelve carved vessels. The last photos show a group of these pieces.  The surrounding area has a mica clay slip over the impressed designs.  It is a very creative and inspired jar!  It is signed on the bottom in the clay with his name and deer tracks, which represent his name in Tewa, which means “Deer Path”.

“The Space Between”: Santa Clara Carved Pottery 1920-Present

This bowl by Nathan Youngblood which is deeply carved with a design inspired by the work of his grandmother, Margaret Tafoya.  The central design is two stylized birds.  As the jar is turned there are cloud and mesa designs.  The bowl is deeply carved and there are two sections which are slipped with mica. The remainder of the jar is fully polished.  It is fired a glassy black coloration.  Check out the last image and you can see the plate from which Nathan took this design.  It is a painted piece by Margaret Tafoya from the 1930’s.  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay with his name and deer tracks, which represent his name in Tewa, which means “Deer Path”.

This is a striking jar by Nathan Youngblood which is part of his series, “The Space Between”.  These pieces are inspired by the early carved work of Sarafina Tafoya (1863-1949) and Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001).  This jar is a shape which is reminiscent of the work of Margaret Tafoya with the low shoulder and sloping side.  It is a great shape for Nathan’s deeply carved designs.  The jar has a central medallion which is impressed with a bear paw in the style of Sarafina Tafoya.  Note the elongated fingers of the paw.  As I wrote in “Born of Fire”:

“The symbol most directly associated with Sara Fina is the bear paw, which has been used on Santa Clara pottery since at least 1200 ad (Peterson 1997, 55). Its use comes from an old legend: during a time of drought at the pueblo, a bear led the people to a freshwater spring and saved them.  As Margaret explained it, “The bear always knows where the water is, and this is a design we put on the water jar, the storage jar”.

Below the medallion is an impressed avanyu.  This is one of the designs used by Sarafina in 1922 on some of her first “carved” vessels.  Nathan said that he wanted to explore this idea and try an impressed design.  He said there was an unexpected difficulty in polishing so many angles in the impressed pattern.  The result is quite stunning.  Take a look at the photo of the bottom of the jar and you can get a great view of the avanyu from a different angle!  The remainder of the jar is carved with a mountain and cloud pattern which encircles the piece.  It is a complex design yet ties together the imagery of the bear paw and the avanyu.

The red clay slip is deep and rich in coloration and the jar was traditionally fired.  The polishing is spectacular on this jar with an amazing shine from the stone polished surface!  While the shape, carving, and designing might seem like enough, Nathan also takes his pottery one step further. After it is fired, he uses small screwdrivers and scrapes the sides of the carved designs and the recessed areas, to create a visually striking contrast.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay with his name and deer tracks, which represent his name in Tewa, which means “Deer Path”.

“The Space Between”: Santa Clara Carved Pottery 1920-Present

Adelle Nampeyo is known for her stylistic use of traditional Hopi designs.  This jar has a migration pattern encircling the shoulder of the piece.  Note how she has used the lines for the migration pattern above the shoulder and the bird wings below.  The design is painted with bee-weed (black) and a red clay.  The migration design is a classic Hopi-Tewa pattern revived by Nampeyo of Hano and tells the story of the migration of the people around the world.  The jar is traditionally fired to create the coloration on the surface of the jar.  The coloration works beautifully with this piece with shades from white to orange.  It is signed on the bottom.

Elizabeth Medina is known for traditional style of Zia pottery.  Each piece is coil built, painted with native clays and native fired.  This jar was made by Elizabeth and painted by her husband, Marcellus Medina.  The jar is wonderfully designed with a more realistic butterfly on one side.  Note all the various colors of clay for the wings!  As the jar is turned there are three additional birds. They are each surrounded by flowers.  Note that the petals of some flowers are polished and some are matte.  There are rain clouds around the neck of the jar.  The lid is polished red and there is a turtle on top.  The top of the turtle is painted with a bird design and flowers on the sides.  It is a wonderful combination of old style Zia designs.  The jar is signed on the side “Elizabeth + Marcellus Medina, Zia”.

Preston Duwyenie is renown for his elegant pottery which is often highlighted with silver medallions.  This seedpot is made from micaceous clay and fired black.  The sparkle on the surface comes from the mica clay slip.  The lid is designed in the shape of a crescent moon.  It is cast from cuttlefish bone so there is a “shifting sand” design on both sides. Preston makes the lid to fit perfectly into the seedpot.  Both the lid and the seedpot are signed on the bottom with Preston’s hallmark.  It is a woman carrying a child on her back, which is also Preston’s Hopi name, which means “carried in beauty”.  Preston is from Third Mesa at Hopi and taught ceramics for years at Institute of American Indian Art (IAIA) in Santa Fe.  He is married to pottery Debra Duwyenie and now resides in Santa Clara Pueblo.  Preston has won numerous awards for pottery, including “Best of Show” at the Heard Indian Market.

Preston Duwyenie is renown for his elegant pottery which is often highlighted with silver medallions.  This seedpot is made from micaceous clay and fired black.  The sparkle on the surface comes from the mica clay slip.  The lid is designed in the shape of a corn plant.  It is cast from cuttlefish bone so there is a “shifting sand” design on both sides. Preston makes the lid to fit perfectly into the seedpot.  Both the lid and the seedpot are signed on the bottom with Preston’s hallmark.  It is a woman carrying a child on her back, which is also Preston’s Hopi name, which means “carried in beauty”. Preston is from Third Mesa at Hopi and taught ceramics for years at Institute of American Indian Art (IAIA) in Santa Fe.  He is married to pottery Debra Duwyenie and now resides in Santa Clara Pueblo.  Preston has won numerous awards for pottery, including “Best of Show” at the Heard Indian Market.

Frederica Antonio is renown for her intricately painted pottery. Each piece is coil built and then finely painted. Her designs are a series of fine vertical and horizontal lines which are then filled in to create larger images in the squares.  This jar is a classic olla shape with a high shoulder and a long neck.  Frederica has used eight different designs on  this jar.  The patterns are painted vertically and there are square cloud pattern descending from rim to base.  Separating them are various patterns of corn, rain, snow, lighting, stars and other designs.  There are additional bands of clay slip which create the rainbow colors. The result is a piece which is varied as it is turned.  The neck is painted with a classic Acoma triangular mountain designs.  The level of complexity and time involved on the painting of this piece is extraordinary!  The result, however, is stunning with a dynamic appearance and movement to the designs.  The base of the jar is concave, reminiscent of historic Acoma jars which were carried on the head.  This combination of thin walls, classic shape, and tightly painted design create a piece which is visually stunning!  The jar is signed on the bottom.

Robert Cleto Nichols is known for his deep carved pottery.  Each piece is coil built, carved and stone polished.  This bowl has a large fish chasing a smaller fish.  As the bowl is turned, the body of the larger fish is made up of kiva step and melon rib designs.  Note the depth fo the carving!  The bowl is traditionally fired black and signed on the bottom in the clay.

This is seedpot by Rosemary Lonewolf is from the late 1990’s.  It is fully polished and there is an etched wolf on the top along with stars and a full moon.  On the sides are basket designs.  The contrast of the matte and polished areas accentuates her imagery.  The piece is signed on the bottom “Apple Blossom”, which is her name in Tewa.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Harrison Begay, Jr. has won numerous awards over the years for his deep carved pottery.  This jar is from 1999.  It is a classic shape with a high shoulder and short neck. The jar deeply carved and there is an amazing amount of design on the surface.  Around the top of the shoulder, there is a star pattern (polished) with matte carved rain designs.  Around the side of the jar, there is a bear and Yei figure along with cloud, rain, hand and other designs.  They are each deeply polished and carved. An unusual addition to the design is the incised imagery.  Take a closer look at the matte areas of the jar and they are fully designed with incised lines to create cloud, swirls, star and other designs!  The polished sections stand out more in contrast to the black matte areas.  Note as well the style of carving, which has a beveled appearance to the angle of the cuts into the clay. This is a very distinctive style of carving for his pottery.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a striking original clay piece by Roxanne Swentzell.  It is entitled “Admiration”.  It is one of the classic style pieces by Roxanne.  Here the potter is holding two of her pieces of pottery.  There is something so endearing about the look on her face as she is looking at her pottery.  The two bowls are part of the figure so this is all one piece.  It is equally remarkable that both bowls are Mimbres in styles.  This harkens back to the early Mimbres pre-historic pottery, considered some of the best and most refined ancient art in the world.  The connection of the past with this innovative artist of the present and her impact on the future certainly reads throughout this wold piece.  Note as well feet, the movement of the hands, the face, are all perfectly scuplted.  Roxanne is able to achieve such a sense of emotion in the faces of her figures!  This piece is in perfect condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  There is a monumental bronze similar in style to this piece in clay which is located at Roxanne’s studio in Pojoaque (see last photo).  This piece is from early 2000 and signed in the clay, “ROX”.

Susie Crank is a daughter of Rose Williams and a sister of Alice Cling.  Each piece is coil built, stone polished and amazingly, she says he may burnish a piece over and over as many as 15 times to get a high shine!  This water jar is an elegant shape with a sharp shoulder and short neck.  The jar is stone polished and even the inside of the neck is polished to the shoulder!  The jar is then traditionally fired to create the fire-clouds on the surface.  The colorations on this jar range from black to a deep red.  The jar was covered in pine-pitch after the firing, a continuation of the traditional Navajo pottery when pitch was used to make the pottery waterproof.  Today, the pine pitch seals the vessel and gives it the shine.  This jar has a stunning shine and a great feel to the surface!  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Susie Crank”.

Anderson Peynetsa is known for his vessels as well as his figurative pottery.  This duck figure is one of his technically amazing pieces.  The figure is opened at the top and has extended pieces of clay at the head and tail.  It is fully painted but it is the use of the heartline deer around the body of the piece which is so striking.  They are painted in his own style with the elongated necks.  Anderson has an elegant and modern stylization of the heartline deer on his pottery.  It is fascinating how a piece can appear both modern and yet reflect cultural history and charm.  The area above and below the deer painted with a mottled red and black over the white.  The piece is complex in both form and design.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.

This is a traditional jar by Lorriane Williams.  It is a round bowl and there are bands of star designs etched into the surface.  The style of the stars are similar to those seen on Navajo rugs.  The bowl is traditionally fired to create the coloration to the surface.  After the piece is fired it is covered in pine pitch, which is typical of all traditional Navajo pottery harkening back to when it was utilitarian.  Lorraine has won numerous awards for her pottery and been featured in books such as “A Legacy of Generations”.

This is a figurative seedpot by Anderson Peynetsa.  The seedpot has a lizard in relief with its head extending up over the top of the piece. The tail swirls around the piece and the white dots on the back are a white clay and are raised.  There is also a painted dragonfly on the piece.  Dragonflies are significant as prayer messengers. The seedpot is striking both in shape and design.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.

Sharon Lewis has developed her own very distinctive style of painted design.  Her pieces are beautifully formed, thin-walled and then tightly painted.  This jar is a more classic Acoma form with the high shoulder and short neck.  It is fully painted with large star patterns.  Separating the large stars are very delicately painted hatchwork lines.  The black is from bee-weed. The jar is signed on the bottom, “Sharon Lewis”.

This is an exceptional large lidded bowl by Grace Medicine Flower.  She began her career making miniature pottery with incised designs.  This large piece is from 1985, the beginning period when she was deeply carving her pottery along with utilizing sgraffito designs.  The jar itself is deeply carved with a feathered water serpent (avanyu).  This style of avanyu was used by her father, Camilio Tafoya and also her brother, Joseph Lonewolf.  As the jar is turned there is a small feather medallion with butterflies, There is a second, larger medallion, which also has butterflies and flowers.  The lid of the jar is fully polished and also etched with butterflies. Grace said of her carved pottery:

One distinctive aspect of this piece is the additional colored clay slips which highlight the design.  There was a very brief period when she used clay slips of various colors for her pottery.  This one has white, green and blue additional colors added to the butterflies.  Grace said that Joseph Lonewolf (her brother) gave her the clay colors and then when she ran out she didn’t get any more.  The jar is highly polished and fired a deep red.  It is certainly a classic and of her few pieces at this size and with a lid!  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Grace Medicine Flower”.  Note for the signature on the base, there is an incised butterfly along with a flower extending up the side.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Mary Ester Archuleta is the second youngest daughter of Margaret Tafoya.  She has never prolific and most her pottery was made in the 1970’s and 1980’s.  This canteen is a striking piece and fully polished a deep red. There are bear paws on both sides.  The entire piece is fully polished. The bear paws represent a story of how the Pueblo people were led to water during a drought by a bear.  This particular style of canteen is one which is very reminiscent of the work of her mother, Margaret Tafoya.  The stopper is hand carved and there are leather straps.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Mary E. Archuleta”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a striking bowl by Jeff Roller.  Jeff is a grandson of Margaret Tafoya and continues a family legacy of extraordinary traditional pottery.  This bowl is deeply carved with a cloud pattern around the shoulder.  In space of one of the clouds, he etched small stars.  Below the shoulder Jeff carved four turkey feathers coming up from the base of the bowl. They are etched with intricate detail.  The bowl was fired to a brownish-red coloration.  It is a striking and complex piece.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Jeff Roller”.  The bowl is from 1998 and originally came through our gallery.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a striking but smaller jar by Virgil Ortiz.  The piece is coil built and painted with native clay slips and wild spinach (a plant) for the black.  The jar is painted with one of Virgi’s iconic images. It is that of Tahu, the Blind Archer, with a rose in her mouth.  The story for this image is part of the Pueblo Revolt 1680/2180 series.

“The various characters that make up the Pueblo Revolt series are all inspired by names and words in Keres and other Puebloan languages.  “Tahu” is a word used as a sign of respect for older Pueblo women.  ”  The story of the blind archers is about a young Tahu who is blinded by one of the Conquistadors during an archery contest.  Years later she becomes the leader of the Blind Archers and part of the Pueblo Revolt.  Ortiz imbues the storyline with the importance of survival, courage, hope, and determination.” Revolt 1680/2180, Charles S. King

Separating the two Tahu images are wildflowers, which curl and swirl up from the base of the jar.  Note as well the “spirit line” which is a space in the painting on the rim.   Virgil has also incorporated his signature “x”, which is the turkey track, onto the jar. The piece is signed on the bottom.  It is from 2013 and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.   The use of traditional and contemporary imagery has become a standard for Virgil’s pottery as he pushes the boundaries of contemporary Native clay. His work can be found in museums worldwide, including the Fondation Cartier in Paris, the Heard Museum, the Denver Art Museum and more.

Steve Lucas is one of the leading Hopi-Tewa potters working today.  Each piece is coil built, stone polished, painted with native clay slips and bee-weed (black) and traditionally fired.  Steve has won “Best of Show” at Santa Fe Indian Market and his work remains some of the most refined and creative.  This large jar is from 1995 and won a Second Place Ribbon at Santa Fe Indian Market.  The shape, with the wide shoulder and the short neck, is perfect for his design.  The design is an interesting deconstruction of Katsina faces.  There is a Longhair face a Chakwaina half-moon design.  The other patterns are various Hopi-Tewa eagle tail and rain designs.  The deep red is stone polished and it is a striking contrast to the black areas.  Note the very finely painted lines and the hatchwork designs.  These add to the overall impact of the jar. The piece was traditionally fired and has slight blushes on the surface.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “S. Lucas” and a mudhead (koyemsi) and an ear of corn (corn clan).  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or reapir.

Jennifer Moquino is known for her clay vessels and exceptional realistic animals. This jar is coil built and fully polished.  It is a wonderful shape which is square on the sides and VERY flat on the top. Technically that is always difficult to achieve with native clay. The flat area has four large bumblebees as the design.  They are each a different type of bee.  Note the wings, which somehow Jennifer etched and slipped to make the almost appear transparent!  It is quite exceptional.  The neck of the jar has small dots of pollen which swirl around the opening.  The detail on each bee is simply fantastic.  Around the edges are stylized designs which are reminiscent of those by her father, Ray Tafoya.  The bottom is also fully polished.  All the colors are all from natural clay slips.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Jennifer Tafoya”.  Jennifer continues to be one of the leading innovative potters working today!

This is a colorful and striking jar by Frederica Antonio.  She has won numerous awards for renown for her intricately painted pottery.  The shape of this jar with the low shoulder and tall sides shows off the complex designs.  On two sides it is painted with a four-color rug pattern.  Each of the various clay colors are painted onto the piece and then the black bee-weed is painted over the edges a second time to create a stronger visual delineation.  There is definitely a lot of time and patience in painting this jar.  Separating the two colorful sections are two sections with snow designs.  To create these patterns she paints the vertical lines first, then the horizonatal and then fills in the squares to create the designs.  The base of the jar is concave, reminiscent of historic Acoma jars which were carried on the head.  This combination of thin walls, classic shape, and tightly painted design create a piece which is visually stunning!  The jar is signed on the bottom.

This is a figurative clay red fox by Jennifer Moquino.  The entire figure is fully polished and etched.  There is great detail on the back with cloud and water designs on one side and a feather a cloud design on the other.  The top of the back has a wolf track slipped with a green clay. Note there are even tracks etched onto the feet!  The ears, legs and tail are matte clay.  The piece is signed on the bottom.  The colors are all derived from natural clay slips.

Dena Suina (b. 1961) learned to make pottery from her mother-in-law, Louise Suina and she began making her own pieces around 1991.  Dena’s unique style of storytellers is of a traditional Cochiti storyteller, but with crisply painted detailed lines, very small children and exquisite painting.   This storyteller is a larger piece and there are 28 kids.  Note as well the very intricate painting on the necklace and the dress.  On the back of the piece, there is a painted Thunderbird. Dena has won numerous awards for her storytellers over the years at Santa Fe Indian Market and other events.  The piece is signed on the bottom “Dena Suina”.

This is a figurative clay walleye by Jennifer Moquino.  The entire figure is fully polished and etched.  There is great detail on the sides of the piece and the shape of the fins.  The piece is signed on the bottom.  The colors are all derived from natural clay slips.

Jennifer Moquino is known for her clay vessels and exceptional realistic animals.  This is one of her smaller tiles.  It is fully polished and etched.  The piece has a Pueblo girl and butterflies.  The girl is designed in an “anime” style.  As figurative work on pottery is often discouraged at some of the Pueblos, this style of figure is less realistic and more imaginary.  The young girl here is surrounded by butterflies. Each one is a different style of butterfly.  The border on the side has a cloud and rain motif.  It is a contemporary and creative piece!  The tile is framed so that it can be mounted on a wall.  It is signed on the side.  Jennifer continues to be one of the leading innovative potters working today!

Jennifer Moquino is known for her clay vessels and exceptional realistic animals.  This is one of her largest tiles she has made.  It is fully polished and etched.  The piece is the Pueblo story of the “Turkey Girl”.  The story is considered the Pueblo version of “Cinderella”.  The story below is one written by Juan de la Cruz, for his Turkey Girl jar.

“Turkey Girl’s tattered and worn clothing was taken and transformed into beautiful garments: a dazzling necklace and intricately woven mantle were draped upon her arms.  The turkeys that she tended to presented these gifts: for they knew her heart’s desire was to participate in the festivities being held in the neighboring village. In exchange for this and the kindness she always showed towards them, they were given freedom and traversed into the narrow mountain pass where they reside to this day”. Juan de la Cruz

On this tile, the girl is being given new mocassins as she is surrounded by the turkeys.  Check out the amazing use of detail in the feathers of the birds!  All the various colors are derived from natural clay slips.  Jennifer has included a mica slip for the ground.  In the left corner is a stylized set of turkey feathers etched in the style of her father, Ray Tafoya. The tile is framed so that it can be mounted on a wall.  It is signed on the side.  Jennifer continues to be one of the leading innovative potters working today!

This is a classic form of water jar by Russell Sanchez.  The shape is a very traditional form with a wide round shoulder and straight rim.  The edge of the rim is flat, but the inside of the neck is carved and polished with 16 melon ribs creating the “waterfall” effect!  The neck of the jar has four bear paws and the shoulder has a micaceous clay slip which, when fired, is a mettalic coloration.  Above and below the mica band are jet hei-shi beads.  The base of the jar is carved or indented with a “gourd” design. The way the light hits is perfect creating a sort of “shimmer” when the piece is turned!  The entire surface is stone polished and it is always amazing that when Russell polishes the inside of the neck, the jar doesn’t crack.  It is fascinating how Russell has gone back to revive old style and create their modern versions.  Russell continues to creatively revive historic San Ildefonso designs with his innovative style of pottery.  The bottom of the jar has the classic indention of traditional San Ildefonso water jars. Russell uses these historic elements to keep them alive on his contemporary pottery.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, ‘Russell”.

Click here to read: Russell Sanchez: Contemporizing the Pueblo Pottery Past

This bowl  by Gloria Garcia is fully polished  and etched with one of her more realistic scenes.  There are nine quail on the bowl. There is also an eagle landing.  Around the neck is a sky pattern and a Tewa sun.  Note the detail in the wings of the eagle and quail.  The bowl is very highly polished and fired a deep red. It is signed on the bottom with her Tewa name “GoldenRod”.

This is a charming jar by Anderson Peynetsa. It has tall shoulders and a short neck. There are two dragonflies painted on the jar.  Separating them are tadpoles.  The white clay slip has a raised, textural feel.  Anderson has signed the jar on the bottom.

This is a large wide jar by Robert Tenorio.  The jar is painted with bee-weed (black) and red and copper colored clay slips. The vessel is a striking shape with a wide, round shoulder, a slight indention at the bottom of the neck, which slopes gently upward.  The design on the outside of the jar is a very traditional Kewa (Santa Domingo) pattern with a sun and star motif.  However, it is the inside of the jar which is all Robert Tenorio!  Robert is known for the “surprise” of the painting inside his large vessels.  This jar has a handprint in the center, along with 7 birds!  Each bird is in the classic Kewa style, and yet each is different.  They are painted around the inside of the shoulder as well as the bottom.  I took a few photos to show off the various birds, the bird in the center and the subtlety of their appearance in the jar.  At the rim, the jar has a “spirit line” or a break in the painted pattern, which extends to the base of the bowl.  This goes back to historic Kewa pottery when the artist would use the spirit line to release their spirit or connection from the vessel.  The jar was traditionally fired and coloration is striking with an even tonality to the creame color and a deep black to the bee-weed.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Robert Tenorio, Kewa”.  Note the big dipper pattern, which Robert also etches into the designs of all his pottery as part of his signature.  Robert has won “Best of Show” at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market and remains one of the great names in Pueblo pottery.

Gaylon Westika is the son of noted potters Anderson and Avelia Peynetsa.  Each piece is coil built and painted with classic Zuni imagery.  This seedpot has a lizard painted with its head extending upward in relief.  The body of the lizard is painted with a white clay.  Each of the dots of white has a textural feel.  The remainder of the jar is painted with rainbird swirls and a large dragonfly.   Dragonflies are significant as prayer messengers. The seedpot is striking both in shape and design.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.  Gaylon says of his art:

“I work hard to develop pottery that speaks both to me and others about the beauty that exists here in Zuni. With the completion of each piece, I believe the breath of my ancestors live on, reminding us of the Zuni culture, traditional design and lifestyle we strive to preserve.” Gaylon Westika

This is a striking olla by Anderson Peynetsa. The jar is a beautiful shape with a wide shoulder, a slight indention before the neck and a slightly turned out rim.  The body of the jar is painted with painted with two rows of heartline deer. All together there are 12 of them on this jar!  Each deer is very tightly painted and they are stylized with thin legs. Each deer is surrounded by a prayer feather and cloud pattern.  The additional designs adds to the dynamic appearance of this jar.  The heartline deer is a classic image in Zuni pottery, with the heart representing the strength and spirit of the animal. Anderson has signed the bowl on the bottom.

This is a small owl figure Anderson Peynetsa.  The owl is a classic shaped figure for Zuni pottery.  The piece is charming with a round body with extended beak, tail and wings.  The piece is fully painted with the feathers and a cloud and rain design on the back of the head.  In Zuni culture, the owl is the protector of the home and the keeper of the night. He is able to see what others cannot see and is thought to be very observant and perceptive. He is thought to have true wisdom and patience.   Anderson has signed the bowl on the bottom.

Tonita Nampeyo is a daughter of Fannie Nampeyo and a granddaughter of Nampeyo of Hano.  She is known for her traditional pottery using natural clay slips and bee-weed for the black.  This large jar is an elegant shape with a low shoulder and a slightly turned out rim.  The design on the jar called the “Migration pattern” and it is one that was revived by Nampeyo of Hano in the late 1800’s from ancient Sikyatki pottery.  The design is meant to tell the story of the migration of people from the third to the fourth world in Hopi legends as well as the migration of people around the world.  This jar is delicately painted and note the exceptional thin lines!  It is traditionally fired for the amazing color.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom.

This is a complex jar by Rainy Naha.  She learned to make pottery from her mother, Helen “Featherwoman” Naha.  Rainy continues is a similar style using a white clay slip as the foundation for her work.  This jar is a classic Sikyatki style with a wide sloping shoulder.  The jar is slipped with a white clay and then painted with natural clay slips and bee-weed (black).  The design on the jar combines two of Rainy’s most famous patterns. There is the Awatovi Star in at the very top of the bowl.  Awatovi was a village near Hopi which created black-on-white pottery and it was revived by Rainy’s mother. The spikes of the star are the hatchwork designs in black-on-white.  Note to the side of them are four triangles with different colors, representing the four seasons.  Separating the spikes of the star are four of the solstice panels with the four phases of the moon.  Around the shoulder is a band of Hopi-Tewa designs including an eternity design, snow rain, and colors representing the four directions.  Some of the colors are polished and some are left matte, but there are over six different colors used on this piece!  The painting on the surface is wonderfully intricate and varied.  The jar is signed on the bottom with her name and feather hallmark.

The “interlocking” or “tumbling” parrots is a design originated by Rainy Naha. This piece has a very round shoulder and slight neck.  This shape allows both the top and bottom parrots to be easily seen. The bowl is fully polished with a white clay slip and then there are five sections of interlocking birds for a total of ten.  Each bird is painted with various Hopi-Tewa designs and then additional clay slips for the color.  Note the variety of designs in the birds with small hatchwork patterns and even four directional color sets.  Rainy uses bee-weed (black) and natural clay slips for her colors. The jar is traditionally fired.  Rainy learned to make pottery from her mother, Helen “Featherwoman” Naha.  The bowl is signed on the bottom with the feather hallmark and “Rainy”.  Rainy has won numerous awards for her pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Market and her work continues to be a creative inspiration in Hopi-Tewa pottery.

The “interlocking” or “tumbling” parrots is a design originated by Rainy Naha. This piece has a wide shape and a sloping neck. There are a total of ten parrots encircling the jar.  Five are above the shoulder, and five below.  The bodies of the birds are painted with various Hopi-Tewa designs.  They are highlighted with additional clay slips for the color.  The rim of the jar has a checkerboard pattern.  Rainy uses bee-weed (black) and natural clay slips for her colors. Each piece is traditionally fired.  The bowl is signed on the bottom with the feather hallmark and “Rainy”.

Rainy Naha is known for her delicately painted Hopi-Tewa pottery.  This bowl is one of her classic shapes with a wide shoulder and just a slight neck.  The design is the “Awatovi Star” pattern, which was revived by her mother, Helen “Featherwoman” Naha.  Awatovi is one of the ruins near Hopi where a white slipped style of pottery was made.  It is a fascinating place as it was where Coronado made contact with the Hopi in 1540.  During the excavations in the 1930’s the whiteware pottery was rediscovered.  It was the imagery from his work which inspired much of Helen’s early pottery, as opposed to the more classic Sikyatki inspired pottery of Nampeyo of Hano.  This bowl has the “Awatovi Star” pattern painted on the top and the bottom.  Around the shoulder is her “eternity band” design.  The bowl has been traditionally fired and there is some variation to the color with the fired cloud, which certainly adds to the beauty of the piece.  It is tightly painted using bee-weed (black) on a white kaolin clay surface. There is a balance of the design on the surface as the piece is turned which is simply beautiful!  It is signed on the bottom with a feather and her name.

Rainy Naha is well known for her creative and intricately designed pottery.  This jar is a new design for her and it is inspired by the Awatovi murals.   Awatovi was a Hopi village from around 1300 to 1700.  In the 1930’s J. O. Brew of the Peabody Museum conducted extensive archeological excavations at Awatovi.  Most of the murals were actually removed and are now at the Peabody Museum.  The last image is one of the actual murals.  Rainy Naha has depicted two of the katsina figures on the murals on this jar.  One side has an Aholi katsina, while the other one Rainy said she was uncertain who it depicted. They are painted much as depicted in the murals and some of her own stylized designs.  They are intricately painted and all the various colors are from natural clay slips.  Separating the two figures are a band of Hopi-Tewa designs.  Each of the squares has a different design from classic Hopi-Tewa pottery.  So why the Awatovi designs? Rainy’s mother, Helen “Feather Woman” Naha, lived on a ranch in the Jeddito Valley, below the Awatovi Ruins and Helen was the first revivalist of their black and white pottery.  Rainy has continued this revival with her innovative designs.  The jar is painted with various clay slips along with bee-weed, which is black.  It was traditionally fired and it is signed on the bottom with a feather and “Rainy”.  Rainy has won numerous awards for her pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Market and her work continues to be a creative inspiration in Hopi-Tewa pottery.

Debbie Clashin has become one of the exciting leaders in Hopi-Tewa pottery over the past several years.  She is known for her large-sized traditional fired vessels.  This jar is a classic shape with a wide shape and short neck. The design has two birds circling the jar.  Separating them are two bird tails.  The bodies of the birds are painted with a burgundy red clay slip and a polished red.  The black is bee-weed, a plant.  The lines of the jar are finely painted and there is a striking contrast to the matte and polished surfaces.  The jar is traditionally fired with blushes across the surface of the piece.   It is signed on the bottom with her name and a pipe for his “Tobacco Clan”.

Debbie Clashin has become one of the exciting leaders in Hopi-Tewa pottery over the past several years.  She is known for her large-sized traditional fired vessels.  This jar is a classic shape with a wide shoulder and turned out rim.  Interestingly, Debbie said that she polished the red on this piece around the neck and in the design. The result is a striking appearance and a contrast of the painted and polished surface.  The design in black is painted with bee-weed (a plant).  It is a migration or bird wing pattern.  The top part has the stylized bird wings as the migration pattern and below are the bird tails and the shadows of the wings.  It is a striking piece in shape and design.  The jar is traditionally fired with blushes across the surface of the piece.   It is signed on the bottom with her name and a pipe for his “Tobacco Clan”.

Debbie Clashin has become one of the exciting leaders in Hopi-Tewa pottery over the past several years.  She is known for her large-sized traditional fired vessels.  This large jar is a wide shape and a slightly turned out neck.  The entire piece is stone polished and then it is painted with bee-weed and natural clay slips.  The neck is painted with a burgundy red clay slip.  Extending downward from the neck is an eagle tail design.  The lines are tightly painted and perfectly fit the shape of the jar.  This is a classic Hopi-Tewa design revived by Nampeyo of Hano.  The delicate line and the dark color of the red around the jar make it a very striking piece!  The jar is traditionally fired with blushes across the surface of the piece.   It is signed on the bottom with her name and a pipe for his “Tobacco Clan”.

Reycita Cosen (b. 1927)  is a daughter of potter Pasqualita Baca and a niece of Nestora Silva. While she no longer makes pottery, she was known for the complex carving on her pottery.  Each piece was coil built, carved, stone polished and traditionally fired.  This is one of her classic carved wedding vases. The body of the piece has carved rain and lightning designs.  The spouts have carved eagle feathers and connecting the two spouts is a twisted handle.  The vase is fired a silvery black.  It is signed, “Reycita Cosen”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  

Reycita Cosen (b. 1927)  is a daughter of potter Pasqualita Baca and a niece of Nestora Silva. While she no longer makes pottery, she was known for the complex carving on her pottery.  Each piece was coil built, carved, stone polished and traditionally fired.  This is one of her classic carved wedding vases. There is a carved avanyu encircling the piece.  Note the complexity of the design as the bowl is turned along with the depth of the carving!  The spouts are also carved with a feather pattern. Connecting the two spouts is a twisted handle.  The vase is fired a deep black.  It is signed, “Reycita Cosen”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  

This is a taller miniature jar by Geri Naranjo.  She is known for her miniature pottery and intricately etched designs.  Here the entire piece is fully polished and around the shoulder are very tiny etched feathers.  No, I was not able to count them all!  But check out how close they are to each other!  Below the feathers is a water serpent (avanyu), which encircles the piece.  The body of the avanyu has cloud and rain designs.  The remainder of the jar is very highly polished.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a complex long neck jar by Russell Sanchez.  The shape of the jar is inspired by the work of his great-aunt, Rose Gonzales. The long, straight neck is one which she made famous and which Russell has modified in his current work. Here the neck has 16 carve swirling ribs.  The rim of the jar is polished, as is the interior of the neck.  The body of the jar is an exceptional shape which comes up from base and then extends nearly flat to the neck!  That is always a difficult transition in coil built pottery. The body of the jar is fully polished and it is etched with three stylized bird tail designs.  The style of the design is reminiscent of the work of early San Ildefonso innovators such as Tonita Roybal, Rosalie Aguilar and Juan Cruz.  The transition to the long neck has a single band of mica and there are two bands of hematite hei-shi beads along with inset smaller round beads.  The So, why hematite?  Russell has begun to use it on his recent pieces for several reasons. There is a traditional aspect in that women wear hematite bracelets when they do certain traditional dances at the Pueblo.  There is also hematite content in the clay slips use on the pottery.  Russell also notes that when he is able to fire his pieces to a gunmetal appearance, the hematite captures the shine and also gives them a contemporary appearance.  As Russell has said:

“I’m a traditionalist all the way through.  Innovation is part of our tradition. You use the same materials and tools that you have, and the same design elements, and the Clay Mother will come through you for what she wants you to do,” he explains. “Instead of doing the same cloud pattern or serpent pattern, you take that and make it your own. So, in fact, everything I’m doing is old, but new.”  Russell Sanchez, Southwest Art Magazine

The jar is highly fired with a near gunmetal appearance to the surface.  The contrasts of polished, mica and polished mica give the jar a dynamic appearance.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, ‘Russell”.

Click here to read: Russell Sanchez: Contemporizing the Pueblo Pottery Past

This is a very detailed jar by Les Namingha.  It is stylized with black and white checkerboard pattern inside bird designs around the top of the jar.  Around the shoulder are Hopi-Tewa birds with intricately painted Hopi designs inside them. The bottom has geometric shapes painted in various colors.  While the jar is part of his “Urban Polychrome” series, I included a final photo in the series of the jar next to a piece by Nampeyo of Hano (his ancestor).  Check out the use of her geometric shapes, checkerboards, and lines.  It is easy to that Les’s modernist pottery has deep roots in Hopi-Tewa pottery!  The jar is signed on the bottom.

“The concept of layering is inherent in our mortal journey. As time moves forward, our memories become layered. Some memories remain vibrant, others faint or hazy. Yet others, obscure or even hidden. Likewise, our experiences, words, works, emotions, prayers and songs build up in layers creating our existence. In turn, our societal interactions become exercises in layering. We see this in evidence with street art or graffiti writing where layers of thought and a desire to express a “proof of existence” create tapestries of color and marks. Blending, covering, harmonizing, dissonance, disappearing. This concept of layering is the idea behind Urban Polychrome and other works in the Urban Series.”  Les Namingha

Reycita Cosen (b. 1927)  is a daughter of potter Pasqualita Baca and a niece of Nestora Silva. While she no longer makes pottery, she was known for the complex carving on her pottery.  Each piece was coil built, carved, stone polished and traditionally fired.  This is one of her classic carved vessels with fox handles.  The handles and inside of the bowl are all fully polished!  The exterior is carved with a walking bear paw design around the neck and avanyu (water serpent) around the sides.  Note the depth of the carving and the highly polished surface.  The piece is signed, “Reycita Cosen”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  igns around the body of the piece.  Note the depth of the carving on the jar!  The bottom is signed in the clay.  The jar is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  

Joy Cain (bl 1947) is a daughter of Mary Cain and a sister of noted potters Tina Diaz, Linda Cain, and Billy Cain.  She began making pottery in 1965 but makes almost no pottery today.   This bowl is very round in shape and very deeply carved.  It has a cloud and lightning pattern encircling the bowl.  The surface is fully polished and it is a dark black coloration.  The bowl is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Joy Cain”.

Reycita Cosen (b. 1927)  is a daughter of potter Pasqualita Baca and a niece of Nestora Silva. While she no longer makes pottery, she was known for the complex carving on her pottery.  Each piece was coil built, carved, stone polished and traditionally fired.  This bowl is fully polished and has a bear for the handle!  Even the interior of the bowl is fully polished!  It is a simple but charming piece.  The piece is signed, “Reycita Cosen”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  

Elizabeth Manygoats is a daughter of noted potter Betty Manygoats.  She is known for her folk-art style pottery with figures in relief or applique on the surface. Elizabeth says that she often emphasizes Navajo women and their daily lives in her work because “They’re the ones I look up to.”  This jar is very thin walled and has a flat shoulder and straight neck.  There is a lot going on around the jar and it is both clever and charming. There is a Navajo girl reading a book.  Behind her is a subtle mesa and she is surrounded by a chicken and sheep (in relief).  As the jar is turned, there is horse applique figure which is tied to a tree with a string.  There is then a row of corn, clouds, and a small wagon.  Finally, there is a classic Navajo hogan and sitting out front is a dog.  The various colors are added to highlight the imagery.  The jar is traditionally fired to create the variations in color to the clay surface.  After the firing the entire piece is covered in pine pitch in the manner of traditional Navajo pottery.  The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay, “EM.”  Elizabeth has won numerous awards for her pottery over the years.  It can also be found in museums throughout the southwest.

Why the horned lizard?  “In the Diné culture Horned Toad is addressed as “grandpa” (shicheii). It possesses spiritual power. When you see one, pick it up and rub it on your chest and say, “I will be in good health and harmony.” If you have corn pollen sprinkle it as an offering and then let the horned lizard loose where you found it. You will then have good health and harmony. It is believed that the horned toad is dressed with an armored shield, which is called arrowhead. The spiky horns on the body represent the arrowheads. This protects the horned toad from predators. It was placed on earth with songs and prayers so that in the future the Diné would utilize it. The Diné still know and use its sacred prayers and songs for protection.”  Traditional Dine Teachings on Wildlife (1998)