This is a classic Zuni jar by Anderson Peynetsa. The jar is a beautiful shape with a wide shoulder, a slight indention coming up from the base and a short neck.  The body of the jar is slipped with a white clay and painted with six heartline deer.  Each deer is very tightly painted and they are stylized with thin legs.  The heartline deer is a classic image in Zuni pottery, with the heart representing the strength and spirit of the animal. The neck of the jar has a sprit line, the space in the painting, and a cloud pattern.  Anderson has signed the jar on the bottom.

Agnes Peynetsa (b. 1962) began making pottery in 1984.  She is the daughter of Charles and Wilma Peynetsa, wife of Berdel Soseech.  She is the sister of Priscilla Peynetsa and Anderson Peynetsa.  Agnes learned pottery making from Jennie Laate and her brother and sister. This jar is coil built and slipped with the red clay on the surface.  It has heartline deer encircling the piece.  The heartline deer is a classic image in Zuni pottery, with the heart representing the strength and spirit of the animal. The neck of the jar has a cloud pattern.  Note the use of the red clay on top of the black to create the heartline!  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “A. A. Peynetsa”.

Titus Davis is the son of noted potter Darla Davis and a brother-in-law of Eric Lewis.  He creates hand-built pottery that combines the classic fine-line designs with a modern approach.  This jar is painted with a classic fine-line interlocking star pattern.  The design encircles the entire piece. The rim and base are painted with a red clay slip.  It is nice to see such a classic piece from Titus!  It is signed on the bottom.

This is a small Zuni jar by Anderson Peynetsa. The jar has a rounded shape and a short neck.  The piece is slipped with a white clay and painted with four heartline deer.  Each deer is very tightly painted and they are stylized with thin legs.  The heartline deer is a classic image in Zuni pottery, with the heart representing the strength and spirit of the animal. The neck of the jar has a sprit line, the space in the painting, and a cloud pattern.  Anderson has signed the jar on the bottom.

Kevin Trancosa was one of the few potters working at San Felipe Pueblo.  I was lucky to work with him from 1996-8 in Scottsdale.  Each piece was coil built and made from San Felipe clay.  This seedpot is a very round shape.  It is painted with a triangular geometric design which has an op-art style.  The design accentuates the form.  The piece is from 1997 and it is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  While he had a brief career, his work remains important among San Felipe potters.

This is a striking open bowl by Betty Manygoats.  She is known for distinctive Dine (Navajo) pottery with it’s “folk art” feel to the designs.  Around 1978 she began using the horned lizard as a design on her pottery.  The scales on the lizards are created using a bobby pin!  This is one of her classic open bowls with the horned lizards on the inside.  There are 31 horned lizards, each one seeming to scale the sides of the vessel!  The piece has been traditionally fired and there are some beautiful color variations from the heat of the fire!  After the bowl is fired, it is covered in pine pitch in the manner of traditional Navajo pottery.  The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay, “BM.”  Betty 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)

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)

Christine McHorse is well known for her sculptural pottery.  Each piece is coil built and has very thin walls.  This lidded bowl is from 1996.  The bowl itself is very thin walled and made with micaceous clay.  The piece is lidded with a rabbit as the top of the lid.  The ears and sides are etched with designs.  The mica clay is very reflective on this piece.  It is signed on the bottom of the bowl and on the bottom of the lid.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.   Today Christine is creating more sculptural works with her pottery currently in the “Dark Light” exhibit which has traveled nationally.

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”.

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 and a Mimbres fox.  Note the bodies of all the animals are made up of traditional Acoma designs!  There is also a cut-out area in the shape of a step or mountain pattern.  All the colors are from natural clay slips. The thin lines are very time consuming to paint!  The lizards and fox 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 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”.

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.

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

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

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 wide shape and the rim is carved in a fluted or “raindrop” shape. This is a style which was used by Sarafina Tafoya on many of her early jars.  The last photo is a jar by Sarafina and you can see the “raindrop” rim.  Nathan said this may be the thinnest rim he has ever made on one of his pieces and still be able to stone polish both sides!

The jar is carved with a water serpent encircling the piece.  The body of the avanyu consists of cloud, water and kiva step designs.  Nathan says of the design:

“The water serpent (avanyu) is not what people think of a ‘water snake’.  It is a reference to the way the rivers run.  They are all integrated and connect everything.  Creeks become streams, streams become rivers which become oceans.  The oceans are fed by everything around the world.  It binds us. That is why when we go to the water and throw in cornmeal and pray.  The water and water serpent connect us to the entire world.”

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”.   Simply stunning!

“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.

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.

This is a classic jar by Preston Duwyenie.  The shape is one which Preston calls a “shoulder jar” as it is inspired by the historic Sikyaki pottery with the wide shoulders. Preston’s modernist version has a wide shoulder and a small neck.  The piece is made from micaceous clay and slipped with a micaceous clay slip.  It is fired black and the mica gives the piece a somewhat metallic appearance.  There are two inset pieces of silver on the top shoulder of the jar.  Each silver piece has the appearance of “shifting sands”, much in a similar style to the pottery where he has carved a shifting sand pattern.  They are cast by Preston against cuttlefish bone, to create the distinctive texture.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay with Preston’s hallmark, which means “carried in beauty”.  There is certainly something both modern and ancient about this striking piece!   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.

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 a stylized canteen by Tammy Garcia from 1997.  The canteen is carved, polished and traditionally fired black.  The design is inspired by the fish on Mimbres pottery from the 1100’s. The fish is on one side and as the canteen is turned there are linear geometric patterns. These patterns were also inspired by the linear designs on Mimbres bowls.  The canteen is in the shape of a Pueblo woman’s canteen with the flat base and the handles on top.  The piece is highly polished and precision carved.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Tammy Garcia, 97”.

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.

This is a distinctive shape jar by Russell Sanchez.  The jar is wide and with a very flat top. The jar is fully polished and the shoulder of the jar is designed with a checkerboard snow pattern using a mica clay slip.  The top is fully stone polished and designed with stylized bird patterns. The birds on this jar certainly have a similarity to those found on Sikyatki pottery, but they are also found on older San Ildefonso pottery as well!  The two birds are different and designed with additional patterns for their bodies.  The tails of the birds are inset with hematite stones while the center of the bodies have a high-grade Kingman turquoise. As old as the designs are, Russell has presented them in a manner that seems very modern!  The lid is highly carved and has “waterfall” ribbed shape with a single piece of turquoise on the top of the lid.  The base of the lid is polished with the ribs are slipped with mica.  The jar is fired a deep black and the mica squares are very metallic in appearance. There are four inset bands of hei-shi beads around the jar.  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”.

Russell Sanchez: Contemporizing the Pueblo Pottery Past

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.

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 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 an exceptionally designed bowl by Russell Sanchez.  His recent work is a modern take on historic San Ildefonso pottery.  The sound shape of the bowl is perfect for both the etched designs and the bear lid, with a graceful flow of form. The lower half of the bowl is fully polished with a black micaceous clay slip and then etched with a sun design.  The sun design in one that was a pattern often seen in the work of Tonita Royal. Note how the design is further highlighted with a matte red clay slip, which is applied before the bowl was fired!  However, it is the space from the shoulder to the neck which is the visually dynamic part of this bowl. Russell has etched a series of squares which alternate from a deep polished to matte.  The square spiral in towards the mouth of the bowl and each row is separated by a band of shell hei-shi beads.  The checkerboard pattern is a cornrow design, with the small dots representing the corn kernels.  The bear lid is also polished black and the small dots on the edge of the lid are a visual repetition of the dots on in the design on the bowl.  The shape of the bear is very sculptural and the elongated head seems to perfectly match the wide shape of the jar.  Of course, the final touch is the inside of the bear is slipped red!  Wow!  A lot going on in one piece, that seems simple but there is a dynamic complexity inherent in the piece.  The piece was traditionally fired outside and it is signed on the bottom in the clay.  Simply perfect!

Russell Sanchez: Contemporizing the Pueblo Pottery Past

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 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 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.

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.

Dextra Quostkuyva Nampeyo is certainly one of the most influential Hopi-Tewa potters of the last 50 years. Not only has she taught numerous potters (Steve Lucas, Yvonne Lucas, Les Namingha, Loren Ami, Hisi Nampeyo, to name just a few), but her creative designs and forms changed have dramatically influenced the pottery itself.  This is an earlier bowl from the 1970’s.  It is thinly walled and a simple design.  The bowl is painted with a cloud pattern at the bottom and linear rain and lightning designs.  This bowl is signed on the bottom, “Dextra Quotskuyva (Nampeyo)”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  A fascinating jar with an equally interesting design!

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.

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 one of the Hero Twins with the rainbow over the back of the figure. The other side has a figure holding a parrot with prayer sticks and another parrot off to the side.  Both are very intricate and complex designed pieces!   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 bands 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 vairous clay slips along with bee-weed, which is the 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.

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 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”.

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.

Forrest Naranjo is a grandson of Rose Naranjo and a son of Bernice Naranjo.  He learned to make pottery from his mother.  This bowl is coil built, stone polished and traditionally fired brown and then etched with designs.  This bowl has an asymmetric rim and the designs are etched into the clay around the top of the jar.  The design is an interesting story of the birth and various stages of the dragonfly.  The various stages of the larvae and then the dragonfly itself can be seen!  The style of his etching is modern yet pulls from traditional Pueblo designs. It is in very good 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 the 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.  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”.

Russell Sanchez: Contemporizing the Pueblo Pottery Past

Jamie Peynetsa is the son of noted potters Anderson and Avelia Peynetsa.  Avelia, his mother, coil builds the clay vessel.  Jamie paints the design.  He has a strong attention to the detail of the painting as well as his inspiration from classic Zuni pottery.  This jar is very tightly painted with rain designs above the shoulder.  The thin lines are even and add complexity to the piece.  The sides of the jar are boldly painted with lightning patterns.  Note how well Jamie paints to match design and form.  It is signed by Jamie and his mother on the bottom.  At only 20 years old, he certainly has a great future in pottery!

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”.

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)

Christine McHorse is well known for her sculptural pottery.  Each piece is coil built and has very thin walls.  This lidded bowl is from 1993.  The bowl itself is very thin walled.  There is a triangular mountain design which is very lightly etched into the clay around the shoulder.  Note the very thin lines!  The lid has a wold and buffalo as a sculpture.  The area around the animals is also etched with very fine lines.  The piece was traditionally fired to create the coloration and then it was covered in pine pitch, which is typical of traditional Navajo pottery.   There is a simplicity to the form and yet a complexity to the animals and the designs.  The bowl received a Blue Ribbon (1st Place) at the 1993 Museum of Northern Arizona Navajo Show. The ribbon is signed by Jack Beasley.  The piece is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Both the lid and the bowl are signed on the bottom in the clay.   Today Christine is creating more sculptural works with her pottery currently in the “Dark Light” exhibit which has traveled nationally.

Harrison Begay, Jr. has won numerous awards over the years for his deep carved pottery.  This canteen is from 2003.  It is fully polished and carved with a cloud, star and bear paw design on the top.  The handles are also fully polished.  The piece is fired a black-brown coloration.   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 very traditionally inspired tile by Ida Sahmie.  It is “The Four Sacred Plants”, which is a design often seen in sandpaintings.  Here, Ida has painted it on a stone polished tile using natural clay slips and bee-weed (a plant) for the black.  The four sacred plants are corn, beans, squash and tobacco.  There are both painted and matte areas along with incised designs.   The tile was traditionally fired and it is signed on the back, “Ida Sahmie”.  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.   The story of the Four Sacred Plants and the Dine people is as follows:

“Four Sacred Plants are assigned to the cardinal points, and amongst the Navajos Maize is the plant of the North, Beans of the east. This means that both are male and as both are grown for edible seeds, recognition of the physiological function of the male was probably involved in the selection. This is entirely possible since the convention could have been established only very late, after settlement in America. Squash, for the Navajos, is the plant of the South, which is fitting since its fruit is called “eight-sided” and the eight-sided earth (an alternative to the square earth, taking account of the diagonal directions) is female. Also the stalk is angled in sections, a feature deliberately exaggerated when the plant is depicted in sand paintings, and crooked things are female. Tobacco, which the Navajos put on the west, is female because it is used to make smoke which is blown out with the breath, and that is female. Below the Plants are white roots, the significance being that these plants still have their roots in the lower world.”

Betty Manygoats is known for distinctive Dine (Navajo) pottery with it’s “folk art” feel to the designs.  Around 1978 she began using the horned lizard as a design on her pottery.  The scales on the lizards are created using a bobby pin!  This wedding vase is her own signature shape with the high spouts. There are 15 horned lizards, each one seeming to scale the sides of the vessel!  The piece has been traditionally fired and there are some beautiful color variations from the heat of the fire!  After the vase is fired, it is covered in pine pitch in the manner of traditional Navajo pottery.  The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay, “BM.”  Betty 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)

This is a traditional jar by Lorraine Williams.  It is a long neck and a low shoulder.  The neck of the jar is square.  The surface of the piece is incised with rug designs which encompass the entire surface. The background area is textured which further highlights the designs.  It is a striking and complicated pattern.  The jar has been traditionally fired to create the surface coloration.   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”.

Betty Manygoats is known for distinctive Dine (Navajo) pottery with it’s “folk art” feel to the designs.  Around 1978 she began using the horned lizard as a design on her pottery.  The scales on the lizards are created using a bobby pin!  This is one of her classic open bowls with the horned lizards on the inside.  There are 18 horned lizards, each one seeming to scale the sides of the vessel!  The piece has been traditionally fired and there are some beautiful color variations from the heat of the fire!  After the vase is fired, it is covered in pine pitch in the manner of traditional Navajo pottery.  The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay, “BM.”  Betty 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)

This jar by Alice Cling has a high, round shoulder and square neck. The sides of the neck have 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.”

Carolyn is well known for her beautifully painted pottery using Mimbres style figures.  This seedpot has a Mimbres style quail and the head is in relief from the surface of the piece.  It is surrounded by very tightly painted fineline and geometric patterns. All the different colors are from natural clay slips.

Elizabeth Medina is known for a traditional style of Zia pottery.  Each piece is coil built, painted with native clays and native fired.  This jar is painted with four birds on the sides.  Each bird has different variations in the wings, bodies, and tails.  The bodies of some of the birds are stone polished with red and tan clay slips. Around the neck of the jar are rain and cloud patterns.  Separating the birds are intricately painted flowers with polished petals.  The jar is striking with the variations of matte and polished surfaces.  The top of the lid is polished red while the turtle is added and slipped tan.  There is a polished and painted bird and flowers on the top.  The jar is signed on the side “Elizabeth Medina, Zia.

This is a striking water jar by Jennifer Moquino.  The jar is coil built and is a classic Santa Clara water jar shape with the indented shoulder and slightly turned out rim.  The exterior of the jar is slipped with mica and the inside of the neck is fully polished. The jar is fired black and it is a great coloration with reflections from the mica.  Jennifer said that because she used a micaceous slip, that she was not able to outline the design in advance and it all had to be designed free-hand!  The design is a simple group of Cherry Blossoms which extend up from the base.  The detail in each blossom is exquisite, as she mixes the various clay colors to create the right shading for the blossoms.  Even the wood of the tree is perfectly etched!  She added some falling petals on the inside of the neck as well, in the polished area.  The jar is a dynamic combination of design and shape.  It is signed on the bottom of the clay. The jar is an exciting variation in her forms, scale, and designs.

Ty Moquino is a son of noted potter Jennifer Moquino.  At only 16 years old he is making some creative pottery!  This is one of his clay masks.  They are inspired by the science fiction he has read, along with being a commentary on the environment, sustainability and even imagery from Standing Rock.  This mask is “Buffalo Warrior”, which is inspired by the shape of a buffalo skull.  The respirator and horns are fully polished while the remainder of the mask is matte and slipped with mica in areas.  It is an interesting piece reflecting on the connection of the buffalo to Native culture, their extinction, and their future. Also, the inherent symbolism of a warrior in the future wearing a mask representing the buffalo.  It is a creative and thoughtful piece as part of his mask series. It is great to see new work from his young potter.  Ty won the “Best of Youth” award at the Heard Museum Indian Market in 2017 for one of his masks!  It is signed on the back.  The piece will include a metal museum mount for it to be displayed and will take about a week for delivery.

This is a creative bowl by Robert Tenorio.  The bowl is painted with wild spinach (black) and red and copper colored clay slips.  The top half of the bowl has a train with the various cars all the way to the caboose.  There is a church with pueblo and surrounding the area in front of the train are the buildings and women from the Pueblo with their pottery.  Robert says that his train pots remind him of the older days when the Kewa village would hear the train whistle and come out to watch it pass by.  The bowl is traditionally fired and has a bit of dark cloudiness on the rim…or maybe that is just the smoke from the engine!  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Robert Tenorio, Kewa”.

Lisa Holt and Harlan Reano make an amazing team, working to create innovative pottery using traditional techniques.  Lisa makes the pottery and it is painted by Harlan.  This figure is amazing as it is hollow and all coil built.  The figure is basically two columns which twist up from the base and then extend out to the arms and up to the head.  The concept for these figures was from Harlan who wanted to create a series of “Pueblo Super Heroes”.  The body has a series of painted swirl and lightning designs.  The shape and movement are exceptional on this figure!   The materials are all traditional as the red and cream are both native clays while the black is wild spinach (a plant). The figure is traditionally fired outdoors.   It is signed on the bottom. 

This is a striking canteen by Robert Tenorio.  The jar is painted with wild spinach (black) and red and copper colored clay slips.  On the sides of the jar Robert has painted flowers and clouds.  The petals of the flowers are highlighted with various clay slips.  The handles of the canteen are in the shape of two birds.  Each bird is painted differently.  The canteen has a “spirit line” or a break in the painted line around the rim.  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 is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Robert Tenorio, Kewa”.

It is not often that Russell Sanchez makes a canteen.  They are a traditional form which Russell creates as fine art in clay. This piece has a medallion on each side.  One medallion has an incised mountain lion and the other a bear.  What is difficult to see in the photos is that each of the animals is etched with a hatchwork pattern and then painted with a red and black clay slip.  Russell said that this was how fetishes were often painted at the Pueblo. The result is that each animal has a visual coloration but also a wonderful textural feel. There is also a single inset piece of turquoise in the center of each animal.   The area surrounding them is polished black and then a band of copper-colored mica.  In the micaceous band there are 40 inset pieces of jet on each side!  There are also two bands of jet hei-shi beads.  This traditional stone accents the traditional designs on this piece.  The remainder of the canteen is polished a deep red. The deep red color is a revival by Russell as it is the same red clay slip which was used at San Ildefonso in the 1920’s and 30’s.  The shape is powerful with a slight curve to the neck and note the rounded bottom of the canteen.  It has 16 melon ribs carved into the piece!  So where is it signed? Russell signed it inside the mouth of the canteen!  The canteen has a metal museum mount which stands it securely upright but also allows you to see both sides. Once again Russell harkens to historic San Idlefonso designs and stories and uses them for his own contemporary work.

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

Yvonne Lucas learned to make pottery from her husband, Steve Lucas and his aunt, Dextra Qutoskuyva.  She is one of the few Laguna potters who use all traditional materials and traditionally fires their pottery.  The jar is slipped with a white clay and then painted with a red clay slip and bee-weed (for the black). The design has a leaf pattern around the neck and in the central diamond-shaped medallions.  Separating the medallions are rainbow bands which are polished red.  The designs are a striking flow of round and linear patterns.  The contrast of the red and black on the white works perfectly for this size.  The jar is traditionally fired outdoors, so there are blushes on the surface creating the slightly tan areas.  The jar is thin-walled and perfectly shaped.  Yvonne focuses on the black-on-red coloration, as that was a style seen at Laguna Pueblo around 1900.  This is Yvonne’s way of paying tribute to these pieces but also giving it her own modern style.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay.

Annie Baca is a daughter of Cesencia Tafoya and known for her miniature pottery.  This oval shaped bowl is very highly polished.  Typical of her work it is formed with a very sharp shoulder.  The designs are painted onto the polished surface.  Looking at the bowl, there are cloud, rain and lightning patterns.  The glassy shine and tight painting create a beautiful and traditional Santa Clara bowl!

This is an exceptional jar by Rachel Aragon.  She is known for her classic Acoma pottery.  This is the imagery for which she is most famous and it is exciting to see it on a bit smaller jar. The size and the precision of the painting give the piece a wonderful intensity.  This water jar is a classic Acoma shape with a high shoulder and neck.  The jar has the famous sun medallion painted in two sections.  It was this design from an Acoma jar from the 1880’s which potters like Tonita Roybal took inspiration.  There are additional very tightly painted birds and fine-line patterns.  The intricacy of his jar is striking in person.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “R. Aragon”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.