This is a classic red and tan bowl by Nancy Youngblood.  The bowl is deeply carved with a water serpent (avanyu) encircling the piece. The avanyu tells the story of the village being saved during a flood. The shape of the avanyu is reminiscent of water coursing through a canyon or arroyo and note how the tongue and tail always intersect.  On this piece Nancy has deeply carved the avanyu into the clay.  The body of the avany is carved with swirls and sharp lighting edges.  It is fully polished red and the remainder of the piece is matte tan.  What you can’t see in the photos, but can feel in person is how perfectly Nancy has sanded the tan areas at the top and bottom of the bowl.  They are perfectly smooth and feel like soft leather.  As with all pottery, the tactile side of holding a piece is always important.  On this bowl it is critical as the smooth surfaces and the sharp edge of the carving, in addition to the coloration, are what make it so stunning! The bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Nancy Youngblood, 2003”.

This new jar by Tammy Garcia is one of her classic shapes with a round body and elongated neck.  The jar is carved with three “thunderbirds” as the design. The birds are inspired by jewelry of the Southwest from the 1940’s and 50’s.  The birds are deeply carved and polished a deep red.  Extending out from them are arrows which are polished tan.  Surrounding them are spiral designs which are simply slipped matte red.  The background she has texturized.  It is interesting to note the various levels of her carving and how she is able to use them to create shadows and emphasize the designs on her work.  Each of the three birds has in set turquoise stone.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay.  The last two photos are of the piece in process, which is always fascinating!  Tammy has won numerous awards for her pottery and been the recipient of the New Mexico Governor’s award.  It’s not surprising that with the intricate nature of her pottery she makes only about ten pieces of pottery a year.  Yes. Ten!  Yet each piece is unique and expands on her distinctive style and voice in the clay.

We are pleased to be the only gallery in the country to represent her new works in clay!

This is is a wide open bowl by Debbie Clashin.  She is a cousin of noted potter Mark Tahbo and a descendant of Grace Chapella.  Debbie has quickly become well known for her large-sized traditional Hopi-Tewa pottery. This bowl is polished on the outside and painted on the inside. The design in the center are two Sikyatki birds.  They are surrounded by dragonflies.  The rim of the bowl is painted with rain, lightning and cloud designs.  The bowl is traditionally fired to create the blushes on the surface.   It is signed on the bottom with her name and a pipe for his “Tobacco Clan”.

This is an intricately designed 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 around the jar is a striking use of the solstice pattern.  Around the neck are the four phases of the moon.  Below are various Hopi-Tewa designs representing sun, cloud, rain, and corn. Some of the colors are polished and some are left matte.  The painting on the surface is wonderfully intricate and varied.  The jar is signed on the bottom with her name and father hallmark.

This is is a wide shoulder water jar by Debbie Clashin.  She is a cousin of noted potter Mark Tahbo and a descendant of Grace Chapella.  Debbie has quickly become well known for her large-sized traditional Hopi-Tewa pottery. This jar has a wide shoulder and a slightly turned out neck.  The body of the piece is painted with a mesa and eagle tail pattern.  In addition to the black (bee weed) she has used a deep red and an orange color of clay.  They provide a visual along with textural aspect to this jar. The rim is stippled with the bee weed.  Note how the design and the colors accentuate the shape fo this jar!  It has been traditionally fired which creates the blushes across the surface of the bowl.   It is signed on the bottom with her name and a pipe for his “Tobacco Clan”.

Dominique Toya is known for her intricately carved pottery with sharp ridged melon swirls.  She has created her distinctive style of pottery using native clay and micaceous clay slips for the surface.  This seedpot has 8 deeply carved ribs, each with a sharp edge. The seedpot has a small opening at the top.  After it is carved it is then slipped with an additional mica clay to create the striking coloration.  Looking down from the top it is possible to see how perfectly the ribs spiral out from the opening!  Dominique has won numerous awards for her pottery and continues to be one of the leading Jemez potters working today!

This miniature by Ida Sahmie has incredible detail, as one might expect from a great minature in pottery!   It is the Night Chant Dance with eight male Yei-bi-chi dancers encircling the jar.  The background area is fully painted with bee-weed (a plant) to make it black.  In the background, there are the mesas and a fire in the “center”.  This is her attempt to create a “3D” story on the vessel!  Ida also incises into the clay for the faces and the bodies, leather, and masks.  She is a daughter-in-law of Priscilla Nampeyo and Ida continues to make beautifully formed pottery with wonderfully complex designs.  She has won numerous awards for her pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market.  She is the only Navajo potter creating this unique style of ethnographic pottery.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Ida Sahmie”.

This miniature bowl by Grace Medicine Flower is fully carved and polished.  The design is a very complicated water serpent encircling the bowl.  The carving is very complex for the size and the entire piece is fully polished. There is one little etched area on the tongue of the water serpent.  The piece is from around 2002 and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Grace M. F.”.

This jar by Grace Medicine Flower is fully polished and incised.  The jar has high sides and a short neck. There is a large leaping deer on one side. On the opposite side are two fawns and flowers.  Grace has incorporated additional Pueblo cloud, rain and feather designs.  The jar is from the 1990’s and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Grace Medicine Flower”.

Ramon Howato is a son of noted potter Diana Tahbo.  He learned to make pottery from his uncle, Mark Tahbo.  This jar is coil built, painted with bee-weed and native clay slips and traditionally fired.  The jar has four stylized birds painted around the shoulder.  The neck has a checkerboard pattern.  The painting seems both traditional in style and yet with a stylistic sense of designs matching the form.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Ramon Howato” and a pipe, as he is “Tobacco Clan”.

This jar by Alice Cling has a water jar shape with a round shoulder and square neck. The sides of the neck has been squared off so that it is flat on the sides.  The jar is then traditionally fired to create the coloration.  Note how the fireclouds swirl around the jar creating areas of dark black to 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.  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.”

This taller jar by Alice Cling has an elongated shape with a longer neck.  The jar has been vertically polished so you can see the stone marks in the polished surface.  The jar is then traditionally fired to create the coloration.  Note how the fireclouds swirl around the jar creating areas of dark black to 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.  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.”

Madeline Naranjo creates beautifully carved and polished pottery.  Each piece is coil built, stone polished and traditionally fired.  This jar is a more classic form with a high shoulder and slight neck.  Around the shoulder of the piece there are two parrots. Each is deeply carved into the clay.  Madeline has portrayed them in flight!  The bodies are matte while the beaks and tail feathers are polished.  Note as well how her matte areas are sanded and perfectly smooth so that there are no indentations or areas where the matte might make a shadow.  Her designs are always innovative and beautifully executed.  The jar is signed on the bottom.

Frederica Antonio is renown for her nearly precision perfect-painted pottery. Each piece is coil built and then finely painted.  The black is bee-weed (a plant) and the colors are all various clay slips. Her designs are a series of fine vertical and horizontal lines which are then filled in to create larger images in the squares.  This is a smaller jar which utilizes the shape to focus on the design.  The jar has four large sections of design, wit the rain, snow, wind and corn patterns.  Separating them are linear bands of wind patterns.  The neck of the jar is intricately painted with a checkerboard pattern which is then painted with four different colors representing the four directions.  Check out the detail in the painting on this piece!  It is exceptional!  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.

Jarrod Da has created a distinctive style of painting using pastels for his work. Each piece is hand painted and it is amazing how much detail he is able to achieve in each piece!  His new work is a blend of contemporary themes with San Ildefonso and Pueblo imagery.  This piece is entitled, “Nambe Butterfly”.  Jarrod says of this painting:

“This piece was made after a trip to Nambe falls in northern New Mexico. The design work is influenced from San Ildefonso Pueblo Pottery design along with influences from Deco design. You can see this Deco influence within design elements like the rainbow in the center of the piece with its gradating small circle pattern varying in many colors. The various colors of the circles represents spray coming from the falls and shows that water is not clear but has a whole spectrum of color when light hits it. Traditional Pueblo design is represented through the staircase and kiva designs along with the flower motif in each of the butterfly’s wing is indicative of pottery design.   The butterfly represents the fragility of our eco system and its mission to recreate time and time again.”

The painting is subtle in color but complex in design.  It comes in a black frame and matted. It is signed, “DA 17”.  The photo shows the painting unframed and matted. The second photo is the painting framed on the wall for scale.

Jarrod Da has created a distinctive style of painting using pastels for his work. Each piece is hand painted and it is amazing how much detail he is able to achieve in each piece!  His new work is a blend of contemporary themes with San Ildefonso and Pueblo imagery.  This piece is entitled, “Blue Pueblo Bird”.  Jarrod says of this painting:

“These bird pieces celebrate San Ildefonso plate design. These bird designs are rediscovered with more contemporary lines and shapes along with nontraditional colors. These nontraditional colors were used to investigate what new color pallets could be used on flat two dimensional designs.”

The painting is subtle in color but complex in design.  It comes in a black frame and matted. It is signed, “DA 17”.  The photo shows the painting unframed and matted. The second photo is the painting framed on the wall for scale.

Susan Folwell is known for her innovative and unique Santa Clara pottery.  This bowl is polished on the top half and matte below the shoulder.  In the polished section it is fully designed with hand designs.  They are additional cloud and star patterns.  Susan has also included the Folwell family “x’s” as part of the design. The piece was traditionally fired which created the coloration on the rim.  The bowl is signed on the bottom.

Jarrod Da has created a distinctive style of painting using pastels for his work. Each piece is hand painted and it is amazing how much detail he is able to achieve in each piece!  His new work is a blend of contemporary themes with San Ildefonso and Pueblo imagery.  This piece is entitled, “Pueblo Bees”.  The painting has two bees painted in blue and yellow with Pueblo designs on the wings . They are flying near pueblo painted flowers and with interspersed geometric shapes.  Jarrod wrote of this piece:

“Pueblo Bees was created pondering the modern effect we have on honeybees. This one of three of a series of mixed media pieces. The design work is influenced through a mix of traditional San Ildefonso Pueblo design and modern art deco influences. The fine detail work is done in India ink. This piece is my ode to saving the honeybee and realizing the crucial role they play in this giant organism we call earth.”

The painting is subtle in color but complex in design.  It comes in a black frame and matted. It is signed, “DA 17”.  The photo shows the painting unframed (to capture the detail) and then framed on the wall with other paintings by Jarrod, for scale.

Myron Sarracino is one of the few Laguna potters working today.  He learned to make pottery from Gladys Paquin and creates pieces which are thin walled and tightly painted. The imagery on much of his pottery is derived from pre-historic pottery designs. This jar has a more classic form with a high shoulder and elongated neck. The design on the jar is a water swirl, which has been painted with a fineline pattern. Separating the swirls is an avanyu design which extends upward.  Around the neck is a star pattern and a red painted cloud design.  The stars are again repeated near the base of the jar.  Note on the rim that there is a  painted “spirit line”, which is where the “spirit” of the painter is able to leave the piece.  It is seen on much older Acoma and Laguna pottery.  It is signed on the bottom.

Tammy Garcia is known for her amazing pottery, as well as the creativity of her bronzes. This bronze is carved in the style she carves in her pottery, with various depths and layers.  The parrot is surrounded by Pueblo designs along with plate motifs.  The imagery is certainly inspired by the parrots seen on Acoma and other Pueblo pottery. The piece is made to be hung on a wall or it can stand on it’s own.  The piece has a striking use of patinas to enhance the coloration of the bird and the berries!  The piece is signed on the side.  It is the “AC” or Artist Copy of the bronze.

Myron Sarracino is one of the few Laguna potters working today.  He learned to make pottery from Gladys Paquin and creates pieces which are thin walled and tightly painted. This jar has a high shoulder and a more classic “olla” shape. There are are two bands using alternating colors (orange, red, white and black).  The colors are from various clay slips.  Separating them is a band of star patterns.  Below the lower band of color are four bands of lightning designs.  The variations of colored clay slips and black-and-white give the jar a very modern appearance.  It is nice to see Myron continue to add additional clay colors to his pottery.  Note on the rim that there is a  painted “spirit line”, which is symbolically where the “spirit” of the painter is able to leave the piece and it is also a tribute to the potters who came before.  It is seen on much older Acoma and Laguna pottery.  The jar is signed on the bottom.

This miniature is by Jennifer Moquino and her mother, Emily Tafoya.  Emily made the seedpot and polished it green.  Jennifer etched the Heron on one side and the trout on the other side. There is a lot of detail on something so small!  All the various colors are derived from natural clay slips.  The seedpot is is signed on the bottom in the clay by both Jennifer and Emily.

This is a creative  jar by Eric Lewis and his mother, Sharon Lewis.  It is an exceptional collaborative piece.  Eric made the jar and painted the outlines of the dragonfly and the hummingbird. They are surrounded by the bold Acoma style lines which Eric paints.  Sharon, his mother, is known for her detailed painting on miniatures. She painted the very fine lines on the dragonfly and hummingbird.  Check out the precision of the painting of the lines and how they create another dimension to the jar!  They work well together!  The jar is signed on the bottom by both Eric and Sharon.   Eric remains one of the young Pueblo potters to watch!

This is a creative  jar by Eric Lewis. The jar is coil built and has a lower shoulder and a slight neck.  The design has a butterfly on one side.  The wings of the butterfly and the surrounding area are painted with bold lines in a very graphic manner.  As the jar is turned, the opposite side has a stylized butterfly painted with Eric’s signature bold lines.  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!

The coloration on this wide shoulder jar by Preston Duwyenie is striking.  It is made from Hopi clay and stone polished on the neck and below the shoulder.   Around the shoulder of the jar it is carved in a natural manner to represent the sand in the desert and its constant movement.  The “sand” sections are matte with  just a bit of mica visible int he clay.  There are three inset pieces of silver, which have an additional “shifting sand” pattern.  The silver is cast against cuttle-fish bone (a type of squid).  This process creates a similar style of shifting sand design to complement the clay.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay with Preston’s hallmark which is a woman carrying a child as the hallmark for his name in Hopi.  Preston is from Third Mesa at Hopi, and taught ceramics for years at Institute of American Indian Art (IAIA) in Santa Fe.

“Why the shifting sand designs? Preston says he remembers watching a smooth pebble caught in sand being shifted by the wind, “there was beauty in its isolation within the sea of sand. It was like an island.  The endless sands of time, and the fact that people, too are tossed about by the wind. There is always rippling in our lives”.

This jar by Richard Zane Smith is a striking shape. It is coil built using very thin coils.  The coils are smoothed out on the inside but left exposed on the outside of the vessel.  This distinctive style of pottery  is a revival of the pre-historic concept of corrugated pottery.  The earliest corrugated pieces were often baskets which had clay applied to them and then fired, creating a “corrugated” appearance.  The small coils are used as part of the design and give the piece a textural feel.  On this piece the neck and base are both coiled in a similar wave style.  On the shoulder, there is a ribbon design which is etched into the clay.  The various colors are from clay slips.  The jar is from 1998 and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom.

Emily Tafoya was the wife of noted potter Ray Tafoya and is the mother of Jennifer Moquino. This seedpot is fully polished green and etched with a pueblo scene around the sides. The top has a Pueblo Corn Dancer figure wearing a tablita.  In her hands she is holding feathers.  All the various additional clay colors are added after the firing. It is signed on the bottom.

This is one of Virgil’s important vessels created within the context of his Pueblo Revolt 1680/2180 series.  The jar features Tahu, the head of the Blind Archers as the primary character.  Tahu is featured twice on the jar and the design separating her are the wild flower patterns. They have an organic style of flow as they encircle the jar.    The jar has the “spirit line” which is a break in the painting on the rim.  It has been traditionally fired and uses native clay, native clay slips and wild spinach (the black).  The piece is signed on the bottom  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.

This is one of the few plates we have had by Russell Sanchez.  The back and rim are polished with mica, as is the center medallion. The remainder of the piece is stone polished. The plate is designed with a Thunderbird, which was a design often used by his great-aunt Rose Gonzales. Russell said that he changed the design to match his style, with the lightning coming out of the mouth, the lightning for the feet and the central checkerboard pattern.  However, each of the designs elements are reminders of the work created at San Ildefonso in the 1920’s to 40’s.  The plate was traditionally fired and the last photo shows the firing process from red to the fire, then covered in manure (you can see the edge of the plate sticking out!), then after it was fired.  It has a wonderful black, nearly gunmetal surface.  Russell added hematite hei-shi beads in two bands along with a single piece for the eye.  It gives the piece a very modernistic appearance.  There are several views of the plate, as it was hard to either capture the design or the shine in photos!  The plate is signed on the back the clay, ‘Russell”.

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

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 sloping neck.  Frederica calls his her “Nine Design” 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.  The result is a piece which is varied as it is turned.  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.

Jennifer Moquino is known for her clay vessels and also her amazing animal figures. This wolf is one of her larger figures and it is fired black and the back is fully polished.  It is realistically etched on the face.  The back of the piece is designed with a wolf track in the center.  Off to the sides are eagle feathers, rain and lighting and traditional Santa Clara mountain patterns.  The face is wonderfully realistic and as well the wolf tracks on the feet!   All the various colors are derived from natural clay slips.  Jennifer continues to be one of the leading innovative potters working today!

This is a double melon or “gourd” bowl by Russell Sanchez.  The shape is a very traditional form with a round body.  The top of the bowl has 16 melon rib indentions which are rounded out.  They are meant to have an organic appearance.  The bottom of the bowl has 16 more ribs!  The side of the bowl is slipped with mica and incised with a checkerboard pattern. He has inset hematite dots in between the rectangular checkerboard.  This style of design is often seen on historic San Ildefonso pottery from the early 1900’s.  The bowl was fired to a high temperature to create a nearly gunmetal silvery appearance.  The lid is fully polished with another single piece of hematite on the top. He also inlaid two band of hei-shi beads around the sides of the bowl.  The silvery black surface and the hematite create a very modernistic appearance on this traditional style of bowl.  It is fascinating how Russell has gone back to revive old style and create their modern versions.  He continues to creatively revive historic San Ildefonso designs with his innovative style of pottery.  The bottom of the bowl 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 is a large bowl by Franklin Peters.  He is known for his thin-walled pottery and use of traditional Acoma imagery on his pottery. The bowl is coil built with native clay and painted with native slips. The design is a classic Acoma pattern with rain and cloud designs.  Note the very thinly painted fine-line designs. The rim of the jar has an extra coil which he has then corrugated. Look closely and you can see the three small indentions as the top of each of the semi-circles.  Franklin said that he carved a piece of wood with the three indentions to use for making the rim of the bowl. They are to represent the rain coming down at sunset. It is signed on the bottom.

This large clay Big Horn Sheep is made out of clay by Cavan Gonzales.  Cavan is a descendant of Maria Martinez and the son of Barbara Gonzales.  This piece is polished on the front and then mica slipped on the back.  It has been fired black.  The use of the Big Horn Sheep is a symbolic representation of one’s own self worth.  There are inset bands of hei-shi in turquoise and shell.  It is a striking contrast of matte and polished surfaces.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.

This is a striking contemporary jar by Robert Tenorio.  The jar is painted with wild spinach (black) and red and copper colored clay slips.  The jar has a round shape and short neck. There are seven fish painted encircling the jar.  Each fish is different in design and use of different clays or just black on white.  The rim of the jar has a water motif.  It is a charming and tightly painted piece by his award winning Kewa potter.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Robert Tenorio, Kewa”.

This large clay Big Horn Sheep is made out of clay by Cavan Gonzales.  Cavan is a descendant of Maria Martinez and the son of Barbara Gonzales.  This piece is polished on the front and then mica slipped on the back.  It has been fired red.  The use of the Big Horn Sheep is a symbolic representation of one’s own self worth.  There are inset bands of hei-shi in turquoise, coral and shell.  there is also an additional inset piece of turquoise near the neck of the Big Horn Sheep.  It is a striking contrast of matte and polished surfaces.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.

Daryl Whitegeese is known for his use of classic Santa Clara forms and his amazing polished surfaces.  This jar is is a classic water jar with a around shoulder and an elongated neck. The jar is carved around the shoulder with series of designs which represent the clouds, mountains, rain and wind.  It is a striking use of imagery which depicts seasonal changes at the Pueblos.  The jar is very deeply carved and the edges almost feel sharp to the touch! The jar is polished a deep red and has been traditionally fired.  Note as well the rim of the jar, which almost seems to have a sharp edge, which is difficult to achieve with stone polishing the surface.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay.  Daryl Whitegeese remains one of the exciting potter to revive traditional designs and shapes working today at Santa Clara Pueblo.

Daryl Whitegeese is known for his traditional style Santa Clara pottery.  He coil builds amazing shapes which are then carved and stone polished.  This shape is one of his technically most difficult.  This bowl is carved on the outside with an avanyu.  The water serpent (or avanyu) is part of a Pueblo story where the Avanyu saves the village during a flood.  The bowl has an avanyu which encircles the piece.  The rim is also fully polished to a sharp edge.  The oval shape is unusual but adds to the distinctive sense of this piece.  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay.

Daryl Whitegeese is known for his deep carved pottery.  This jar has a low shoulder and a slightly turned out rim.  The body of the piece is carved with a distinctive design.  In one section there are two corn plants.  Above them is a rain (straight line) design and a rainbow.  On the opposite sides are the mountain and rain designs.  The carving on Daryl’s pottery is deep and with a very sharp edge. The jar is stone polished to a high shine and traditionally fired.  It is a great shape which shows of this classic imagery.  Corn is often depicted as a symbol for prosperity.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay.

Susan Folwell is known for her innovative and unique Santa Clara pottery.  This bowl is entitled, “Lizards and Roses”.  For this piece the bowl is a dark brown on one side an there are etched roses and a lizard.  On the opposite side the bowl is fully etched with the Folwell family “x’s” and there are medallions with roses.  The roses are etched into the clay and highlighted.  The roses and the lizards There is a striking contrast of the colorations on the bowl and the various designs.  The bowl is signed on the bottom.

This is a long neck water jar by Linda Tafoya-Sanchez.  The jar is coil built, carved and stone polished. The design around the neck has 17 rounded feathers carved into the clay. Below the feathers is a band with the “walking bear paw” design.  This is a pattern which her grandmother, Margaret Tafoya, utilized in her pottery.  There are two avanyu (water serpents) encircling the piece.   Note the shape of the head of the Avanyu on her pottery with the square mouth.  That is the same shape as her father Lee used on his pottery and hers always remains a tribute to her art and pottery education.  Below the avanyu is a walking bear paw design and then finally a larger rounded feather pattern. The jar is deeply carved and very highly polished.  The complicated designs add to the dynamic appearance of the piece.  Linda is a granddaughter of Margaret Tafoya and the quality and creativity in her carving are readily apparent on this vessel!  It is signed on the base.

This seedpot was made, polished and incised by Debra Duwyenie.  The design has four hummingbirds, two butterflies and one rabbit.  They are surrounded by flowers and the top has a cloud design.  All the design work is etched into the seedpot before it is fired!  Few potters take the risk to etch their pieces before they are fired.  However, note the background gray area of her design and the vertical lines etched into the clay.  After the piece was fired, Debra “two-toned” it so that it is black and sienna.  The colors vary across the surface of the piece. It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Debra”.

Jean Sahmie is a daughter of noted potter Priscilla Nampeyo and a descendant of Nampeyo of Hano. This canteen has a katsina painted on the front.  The tablita (headdress) is painted with a deep red clay and an orange clay, which is polished. The black is bee-weed, which is a plant. The canteen is traditionally fired to create the blushes.  It is nice to see such a classic Hopi design on the pottery!  The canteen is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  There is one bit of wear on the red at the back of the spout.  It is signed on the back with her hallmark and a corn plant (for Corn Clan).  While Jean no longer makes pottery, there is a wonderful creativity in each of her pieces!

Calvin Analla learned to  make pottery from his sister, Yvonne Lucas and her husband, Steve Lucas.  This unique jar is made from mixing two different types of clay together.  That creates the mottled appearance of the clay.  The jar has high sides and it is painted with a variety of raincloud and star patterns.  Note the very thin lines painted on the rain designs! It is a striking flow of design around the piece with lots of open areas but the mixed clays creates cloud-like swirls.  The jar is amazingly thin walled, which is typical of Calvin’s pottery.  It is signed on the bottom.

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 jar has a high shoulder and a rather sloping neck.  The result of this shape is that the light reflects gently off the various surface angles! The jar is highly polished and then traditionally fired to create the fireclouds 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 water proof.  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”.

Sharon Lewis has developed her own very distinctive style of design.  Her pieces are beautifully formed, thin-walled and then tightly painted.  This seedpot is complex in its designs. There is one lizard coming out of the top in relief. There is a second lizard coming out below the shoulder, also in relief.  On the top Sharon has painted a variety of Acoma style geometric rain and plant designs.  They are separated by sections with ladybug, ant and caterpillar figures.  All the various colors are from clay slips.  The seedpot is signed on the bottom.

Susan Folwell is one of the exciting innovators in Pueblo pottery.  This jar is part of her series for, “Taos Light”.  This jar combines her love of Pop-Art with Pueblo imagery. Here there are two young women wearing tablitas on their heads for Feast Day  The area behind them has been left the natural color of the clay.  The shoulder of the jar has been indented, almost reminding one of the bread made during Feast Day in the horno ovens.  However, it is the base of the jar which is dynamic.  Susan has etched and carved into the clay with a series of rows which she has then painted to have the appearance of a stone mosaic!  Each band is a different size, as is each of the various squares and rectangles. The imagery here is evocative not only of the hei-shi beads and jewelry worn during Feast Day, but also the beauty of the stones and how when set in this manner almost seem to replicate the horizon.  The jar is signed on the bottom.

“Susan has been experimenting with textured surfaces, creating a “bejeweled” effect that looks like turquoise, coral, silver, and gold.”  “Taos Light”.
Native Art Magazine, April 2018

Autumn Borts-Medlock is known for her creative carved pottery.  As well, she has created some dynamic pieces in bronze over the past few years.  This bronze is entitled, “Raincloud Dragonfly”.  It is made in the style of her clay tiles.  The imagery is deeply carved into the clay before it is turned into a bronze.  This piece has a dragonfly in the center and it is surrounded by cloud patterns. The representation is both to the importance of water as well as the dragonfly being seen a prayer messenger.  The dragonfly on this piece has a red patina and there are blue for the water.  The piece is number 10 of 65 on the side.   It is signed and numbered on the bottom.  The bronze is mounted and framed.

Autumn Borts-Medlock is known for her creative carved pottery.  As well, she has created some dynamic pieces in bronze over the past few years.  This bronze is entitled, “Pueblo Parrot”.  It is stylized in much like the thick billed parrot, which was actually native to the New Mexico area in the past.  It also has connection to the Ancestral Puebloan bird figures created at places such as Chaco Canyon.  The bird is carved with a feather pattern on its back and mountain.  Autumn says she was inspired to create her parrots after a two-day excursion to Chaco Canyon. This piece is number 9 of 50. The colorful patinas give the piece a striking appearance.  It is signed and numbered on the bottom.

This painting by Les Namingha is entitled, “Segment with Line Break”.  It is a painting on board using a acrylic. The piece has a texture in the “line break”.  First about the “line break”.  This might be seen as a “spirit line” used in pottery, which is a space in the painted line around the the neck of a jar.  In the pottery of Nampeyo of Hano, using a “line break” is often considered a hallmark of her pottery.  Interestingly on this piece, the line is impressed into the painting, so that it has a recessed feel!  The “segment” part of the painting are the four shapes (two triangles, one half circle and a trapezoid).  They are all shapes seen in the designs on Hopi-Tewa pottery.  Les has both minimalized them and used primary colors for them.  Much as they are the “primary” shapes, they are represented here in the primary colors.  It’s fascinating that such a small painting can have such a depth of context! It is signed on the front and also on the back.

This painting by Les Namingha is entitled, “Spiral”.  It is a painting on board using a acrylic. The piece has a textured background with linear impressed “grid”.  On top is an impressed spiral, which circles out from the center.  It’s a classic Hopi-Tewa design seen in everything from jewelry to pottery.   Les brought in this small painting, which certainly captures his creativity in even the most simplistic of styles.

This painting by Les Namingha is entitled, “Hopi Bowl Design”.  It is part of his “Urban Polychrome series. The painting is on board and it is framed.  The painting has a crackled back layer with a large Hopi bird painted on the surface.  The body of the bird is highlighted with various Hopi-Tewa designs.  The area around the bird is painted with pointilism dots and lines.  The background is striped.  Take a closer look at the second photo and you can see the crackling. It gives a feeling of pottery and clay with the acrylic.  Exceptional! Les says of the Urban Polychrome series:

“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 is one of those potters who continues to defy expectations in his innovative clay art.  This tall jar is an elegant shape with a high shoulder. Around the neck and the base, there are geometric patterns which are then highlighted with pointilism dots.  Around the center of the jar are a series of Sikyatki birds highlighted white.  Again, they each have smaller areas of pointilism dots.  The white and gray shading against the brown background creates the spirit bird concept.   Les continues to be excite us with each new piece and it’s great to see how he has brought such thought to one vessel!  It is signed on the bottom.

This painting by Les Namingha is entitled, “Patterns, Black on Bronze”. The painting is acrylic and metallic pigments on canvas.  I think in the photos don’t quite capture the texture of the background.  However, the painting is a series of very delicately painted bird wings which ebb and flow across the canvas.  Stepping back and various new shapes appear.  It is a striking use of a very classic Hopi design in a repetitive style to create a larger and more dynamic painting. I attached a few additional photos of the piece installed in the gallery.

“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.”

This painting by Les Namingha is entitled, “Window in Time”.  It is part of his “Urban Polychrome series.  The paining is graphite, ink pencil and wax crayon on paper.  It is a very dramatic painting.  The black lines form the window which presents the viewer looking out into the past.  Hopi-Tewa designs are painted boldly in clay colors while the other designs are simply outlines.  The further back one looks, the more (or maybe less) one sees.  Les says of the Urban Polychrome series:

“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.”

This is a very intricately painted jar by Les Namingha.  He is one of those potters who continues to defy expectations in his innovative clay art.  He pulls from his artistic background as well as his Zuni and Hopi heritage.  His most recent work has pulled from Hopi imagery yet combined it in a manner which is modern in appearance.  Les says of this piece:

“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.”

On the surface of the jar there are numerous layers of design.  Pointilism, geometric shapes, bold forms and a variety of colors.  Each is layered one on top of another.  While it is hard to see in the photos, the bowl has some wonderful texture as well!  The final layer are the Hopi birds, painted in various styles across the surface.  One is red with dots and connecting lines, as if describing a constellation.  Another a bright yellow with small Hopi-Tewa designs painted onto the surface.  Suffice it to say, the more you look, the more you see!  It is signed on the bottom.

This painting by Les Namingha is entitled, “Raven & Crow”.  It is part of his “Urban Polychrome series.  The paining is graphite, ink pencil and wax crayon on paper.  It is a very powerful and very dramatic painting.  The raven and crow are the top layer of design in black.  Look a bit further and there is so much painted behind them with other Hopi imagery and coloration.  Stunning!  Les says of the Urban Polychrome series:

“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.”

This painting by Les Namingha is entitled, “Existence”.  It is part of his “Urban Polychrome series. The painting is on board and it is framed.  The painting is a powerful painting with various Hopi birds, shapes and designs.  Look at the top left and there is even one of his tiles!  The bold bird in yellow on top and the layers underneath require an in depth viewing of this piece.  Simply exceptional! Les says of the Urban Polychrome series:

“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.”

This painting by Les Namingha is entitled, “Polychrome Abstraction”.  It is part of his “Urban Polychrome series. The painting is on board and it is framed.  The painting is a dynamic overlay of various Hopi birds and designs.  Look closer and the initial layer of bird wings in turquoise color.  While not a huge painting it captures the strength of Les’s designs and the layering techniques. Les says of the Urban Polychrome series:

“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.”

This jar by Les Namingha combines both Hopi-Tewa and Zuni imagery. The jar is very intricately painted with a star pattern on the top and the bottom.  Complex variations of rain and checkerboard patterns create the star design. The sides of the jar have a stylized birds which have Zuni heads and bodies.  Again, there is a delicate painting of lines.  Note how the head and wings of the bird are flipped below to become the tail!  A beautifully painted and striking jar!  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.

This is a very traditionally inspired jar by Les Namingha.  He is one of those potters who continues to defy expectations in his innovative clay art.  He pulls from his artistic background as well as his Zuni and Hopi heritage.  This jar is inspired by the classic Kiva wall paintings from Awatovi and other kiva ruins.  Here, one of the classic figures is the “mosquito man” and he is depicted with stalks of corn. Les has painted variations on each of them.  The designs below are pollen patterns. It is exciting to see how Les reinterprets such pivotal historic designs on his pottery.  The jar is signed on the bottom.

This is a tightly carved miniature jar by Linda Cain.  Linda is a daughter of Mary Cain and the mother of Tammy Garcia and Autumn Borts.  This miniature jar is deeply carved with eight feathers.  The area behind the feathers is slipped with a micaceous clay. The feathers and the jar are all stone polished.  It is fired a deep black and signed on the bottom in the clay.

Susan Folwell is one of the exciting innovators in Pueblo pottery. Her work in native clay but she is constantly experimenting with techniques and clays.  This jar is rag polished and it is both incised and painted.  Around the neck of the jar are a series of trains, each etched into the clay.  Above the trains are the Folwell family “x’s”, which here are symbolic for stars.  On the remainder of the jar there are horses stamped into the clay with ink and mica. However, the modernist take on this jar is the buffalo hunt itself. The horses take to the background and the buffalo are etched into the clay and then slipped.  The Buffalo Hunters are riding around on mopeds and motorcycles!  Susan has designed it all in a ledger art style.  Susan says the commentary is on the modernization of culture and maybe if the Buffalo hunters of the late 1800’s, shooting from the trains, had not nearly made the buffalo extinct, maybe the hunters of today would be on the mopeds.  The unique shape of the jar adds to the overall impact of the piece with the low shoulder and asymmetrical rim, are part of the innovative clay work in her pottery.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.

This is a charming contemporary jar by Linda Cain. She is a daughter of Mary Cain and the mother of Tammy Garcia and Autumn Borts.  This detailed jar is carved with dragonflies and flowers. The dragonflies are slipped with mica while the flowers, extending up from the base, are polished.  The leaves of the flowers are also carved and then polished. The background area of the jar is painted with acrylic to create the blue dots of the sky.  They add a wonderfully modern aspect to this jar. The rim is also slipped with mica.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay.

Thomas Tenorio is from the Aguilar family of Kewa Pueblo.  Amazingly, he taught himself to make pottery!  This is one of his large jar with an elegant shape.  There is a wide shoulder.  The jar is painted with very classic rain designs around the top and sun circles in the center. The style of the painting is very much in the style of the Aguilar sisters from the early 1900’s.  The large black areas with the white clay background and the red slip lines give the jar a very modernistic appearance.  The jar has a spirit line, or a space in the painting on the rim, which is seen in traditional Kewa pottery.  The piece is signed on the bottom.  It is from 2012 and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Thomas Tenorio is from the Aguilar family of Kewa Pueblo.  Amazingly, he taught himself to make pottery!  This is a classic water jar with a round body and a turned out rim. The jar is painted with a red clay slip along with the black.  The area above the shoulder has the rounded flower petals.  Below the shoulder are the circular sun designs.  The jar is striking in appearance with the contrasting red and black coloration against the white clay slip.  The rim of the jar has a spirit line, or a space in the painting on the rim, which is seen in traditional Kewa pottery.  The piece is signed on the bottom.  It is from 2012 and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Tammy Garcia is known for her amazing pottery, as well as the creativity of her bronzes. This bronze is taken from a series of clay pieces which she made which were inspired by the paintings of Picasso.  The imagery is a Picasso-esqe woman sitting in a chair.  The piece has multiple layers and textures.  When asked about the name and the imagery, Tammy said:

“I thought about a definition of the word, “seed” which I had read.  It was, ‘A seed is the small, hard part of a plant from which a new plant grows’.  It made me think of women who came to the Southwest when the trains arrived in the 1880’s, or with the Fred Harvey Tours in the 1920’s.  They brought with them their past but became enamored with the Southwest or Native Culture. So on the bronze, the woman is sitting on a chair and the back of the chair is incised with Pueblo designs.  The side has areas which were inlaid hei-shi beads.  These women became the seeds of new interest in the area and culture. They spread this love of the Southwest just like a seed.  I called this, “Seeded Woman I”.  It is the first in this series to pay tribute to those how become aware of Native culture, respect it and spread their love of the art and artists to the world.”.

The piece has striking patinas to differentiate the various textures and depths of carving.  Much like her clay work, the piece is distinctive in style and yet very sharply defined.  This piece is 3/35 and it is signed and numbered on the bottom by Tammy Garcia. Simply a striking piece by one of today’s great potters with a lot of thought behind it!

Erik Fender is the son of Martha Appleleaf and the grandson of noted potter Carmelita Dunlap. Erik combines classic San Ildefonso imagery with his own creative style. His pottery is signed, with his Tewa name, “Than Tsideh”.  This San Ildefonso water jar has a low, sharp shoulder.  The design is painted aroudn the piece with a feather pattern and sections with rain and cloud designs.  The jar is highly polished.   It is signed on the bottom.

This bowl by Steve Lucas has a design inspired by Nampeyo of Hano.  There are three bird wings painted encircling the piece.  Each is painted with bee-weed (black) and a polished red clay slip.  The wings are then designed with additional feather patterns.  Separating them, Steve has used white and red clay slips to give the background polished area more of a painterly appearance.  The bottom of the bowl is fully polished red. Note that the red clay has mica.  It is this highly polished micaceous red clay which Steve introduced to Hopi-Tewa pottery.  The bowl was traditionally fired and has slight color variations from the firing.  It is signed on the bottom with his name and an ear of corn (Corn Clan) and a Mudhead Katsina.

Autumn Borts-Medlock is known for her often fanciful carved pottery. This bowl is carved with two fish as the central design.  Separating the two fish is a clam shell. The fish are polished red while the clam is tan polished and there is a micaceous mauve colored clay.  The top has little round carved circles which are the “air bubbles” and there are also white areas which are the movement of waves.  The piece is a striking use of carving and clay colorations to create a complex design.  The seedpot is from 2002 and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Russell Sanchez continues to be one of the true innovators in Pueblo pottery.  Each piece is perfectly coil built, stone polished and etched.  This bear is one of his classic shapes.  The bowl is polished with a black micaceous clay and there is a single band of deep red.  Separating the black and red stone polished areas are two bands of turquoise hei-shi beads.   The red area is etched with a checkerboard pattern.  The lid to the bowl is a bear which is also polished black. Note how inside the bear legs it is the red clay slip. The proportionality of the bear and the bowl work perfectly!  The bear has a heartline etched into the surface.  Russell said that he was inspired by the use of the black  mica clay on utilitarian vessels and how he could use it to better match his highly polished surfaces.  The result is a black stone polished surface which has a high shine and a color that somehow ranges from gray to black to almost a blue, depending on the light!  It is quite exceptional!  The red is a recent addition to his pottery, and again, harkens to the early San Ildefonso pottery.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay.

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

Debra Duwyenie is well known for her wonderful miniatures and incised designs.  Each piece is stone polished and then it is etched before it is fired!  This seedpot has a central polished area and the surrounding surfaces are slipped with a micaceous clay.  The center has a sun face medallion and that is surrounded by a water serpent (avanyu).  There are clouds around the avanyu as well.   Note that the lighter red matte areas are where Debra has only etched away the polished surface but not down as far as the tan color of the clay.  Debra is attentive to the little details, like the background tan area where she tightly etches the vertical lines to accentuate the polished design.  The piece is signed, “Debra” on the bottom.

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 flat on the top. Technically that is always difficult to achieve with native clay. The flat area has four pheasants etched into the clay.  Each one is in a different state of standing both male and female.  Note the area behind where she has etched some very intricate plants with grass,w wind and mountain patterns!  This pot has a tall polish neck flowing into the flat carved areas.   The bottom is also fully polished.  All the colors are all from natural clay slips.  Jennifer continues to be one of the leading innovative potters working today!

This is a very creative gunmetal fired bowl by Russell Sanchez.  His recent work is a modern take on historic San Ildefonso pottery.  This bowl is incised in 11 horizontal bands with a corn design. The designs alternate between matte and polished areas.  Believe it or not this is very difficult to carve the horizontal lines into the clay and have them all turn out even!  Then there are is the checkerboard pattern.  If you take a closer look you will see in the center of each of the matte squares is a circle, which represents the corn.  The squares alternate between matte and polished, both vertically and horizontally!  Again, scan in on the photos and check out the precision of the etching on this piece.  It is amazing!  Separating each of the 11 bands of checkerboard are 12 strands of jet hei-shi beads!  As for the lid, the bear is very sculptural and it is fully polished while the remainder of the lid is carved and rounded out and then slipped with mica.  The gunmetal coloration from the firing is striking and it is the result of it being fired longer and hotter than just a black piece, so that the surface has a very metallic appearance.  Russell is one of the only Pueblo potters working today who is able to achieve this with consistency!  This may seem to be a simple design at first glance and yet it is probably one of the more precision challenging pieces Russell has made in a while, as if any line was not perfectly even, it would throw off the design.  The jar and the lid are both signed on the bottom in the clay.  A wonderful traditional and yet very modern piece!

Russell Sanchez: Contemporizing the Pueblo Pottery Past

This is an intricately painted seedpot by Robert Kasero, Sr..  It is very thin walled and painted with an “op-art” style of spiral lightning and rain design. The triangles are the lightning extending down from the rim to the base.  The “lines” are the rain.  It is dynamic in the flow of the tightly painted designs.  Note how the base of the seedpot is also indented keeping in the style of historic Laguna pottery.  It is signed on the bottom.