Adelle Nampeyo is known for her stylistic use of traditional Hopi designs.  This bowl 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 thinly painted lines.  Below the shoulder is a double band of black and red, representing the mesas.  The designs are 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.

Martha Arquero (b. 1944) learned to make pottery from her mother, Damacia Cordero.  Her sisters, Josephine Arquero, and Maria Laweka, are also well known for their traditional pottery.  This is one of her smaller figures.  It is a classic style frog with a fly on its tongue.  Cochiti is located on the river, and so frogs are often seen in their figurative pottery.  The frog is signed on the bottom with wild-spinach on the clay.  It was traditionally fired and in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  

Niadi learned to make pottery from Theresa Wildflower.  While she no longer make pottery, her pieces are amazing for the variety of their styles and the intricacy of the painting. This miniature bowl is wide in shape and painted with interlocking bands of cloud patterns.  Note the subtle variations in the colors of the gray and black!  The bowl is signed on the bottom, “Nidai”.  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 carved in the style she carves in her pottery, with various depths and layers.  It is entitled, “Red Moth”.  It has a Sikyatki inspired moth as the design in relief.  Behind the moth are some of her classic Pueblo geometric designs and a leaf and vine pattern around the edge as the “frame”.  The bronze is made to hang on a wall, although it can also stand (or sit in an easel).  The piece has a striking use of patinas to enhance the coloration of the moth’s wings and the leaves in the frame.  The piece is signed on the side.  It is the 29/35 in the edition of the bronze.

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.  It is entitled, “Green Moth”.  It has a Sikyatki inspired moth as the design in relief.  Behind the moth are some of her classic Pueblo geometric designs and a butterfly pattern around the edge as the “frame”.  The bronze is made to hang on a wall, although it can also stand (or sit in an easel).  The piece has a striking use of patinas to enhance the coloration of the moth’s wings and the butterflies in the frame.  The piece is signed on the side.  It is the 21/35 in the edition of the bronze.

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.  It is entitled, “Gold Moth”.  It has a Sikyatki inspired moth as the design in relief.  Behind the moth are some of her classic Pueblo geometric designs and a leaf pattern around the edge as the “frame”.  The bronze is made to hang on a wall, although it can also stand (or sit in an easel).  The piece has a striking use of patinas to enhance the coloration of the moth’s wings and the plants in the frame.  The piece is signed on the side.  It is the 19/35 in the edition of the bronze.

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 has a low shoulder and an elongated neck.  There are bands of fine-line rain patterns which encircle the piece.  Note how there are additional curved lines within the straight lines, adding another dimension to the jar.  The shape and designs work perfectly together.  It is signed on the bottom.

Titus Davis is the son of noted potter Darla Davis and a brother-in-law of Eric Lewis.  He creates hand-built pottery and is known for his more contemporary style.  However, this is one of his traditional Acoma canteens. The canteen has a classic bird pattern on one side and painted with native clay slips.  It is charming with the handles and the taller shape.  It’s great to see a potter who can create both traditional and contemporary styles in his pottery.  It is signed on the bottom.

This  jar by Samuel Manymules has a tall shape with a slight neck.  The melon ribs swirl down from the neck to the base.  The ribs are pushed out in the clay and there is a deep groove separating each rib.  The jar is traditionally fired and the coloration is striking!   The symmetry of each rib adds to the overall appearance of the jar.  The variation from black to red to brown give the piece a sense of motion on the surface.  The browner areas are where it was fired to a higher temperature.  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.

This is a larger canteen by Virgil Ortiz.  The piece is coil built and painted with native clay slips and wild spinach (a plant) for the black.   The design on the front of the canteen is Tahu, the Blind Archer in her 1680 version.  The story for this imagery from the Pueblo Revolt 1680/2180 series.  Regarding Tahu, the Blind Archer, Virgil gave her the iconic line, “Don’t be blinded by your Fear”.  The last photo is one by Virgil of Tahu standing in the forest and you can see where he has taken this imagery to create the design on the canteen.  I wrote in Virgil Ortiz: Pueblo Revolt 1680/2180:

“In 2007 Ortiz began to identify and give form to characters who would populate his fictionalized version of the Pueblo Revolt: Tahu, a girl blinded by the Spanish conquistadors; Mopez, the leader of the Pueblo Runners; and the Castilians to represent the Spanish invaders. The characters who make up the Pueblo Revolt series are inspired by names and words in Keres (the indigenous language of Cochiti Pueblo) and other Puebloan languages. “Tahu” is a word used as a sign of respect for older Pueblo women. “Mopez” means “cardinal” and was the Keres name of Ortiz’s brother. “I wanted to use native language words and names to identify the characters. Part of the Revolt story had to be the actual events, but I also wanted it to tie into our language. If I could get the kids interested in history I might also be able to get them interested in our language and keep it alive.”

There are also two hummingbirds which are symbolic for Virgil’s mother, Seferina Ortiz, who taught him to make pottery.  Can you see the “spirit line” in the design? It is at the rim of the canteen.  The spirit line is a break in the painting and used on traditional Cochiti pottery.  Virgil has also incorporated his signature “x”, which is the turkey track into the designs.  The back of the canteen has a wildflower design which encircles the piece and flows onto the front.  The piece is signed on the back.  The canteen sits in a metal museum mount so show both the front and the back of the piece.  The use of traditional and contemporary imagery has become a standard for Virgil’s pottery as he pushes the boundaries of contemporary Native clay.

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.  This bear is polished with a deep red clay slip.  The front has a sun pattern with a black mica clay line design in the center. The sun pattern is one that is inspired by the early pottery of Tonita Roybal.  The black of the bear has a black matte section along with a traditional San Ildefonso rain design.  The bear has a heartline which is etched into the clay.  The heartline which extends out from the mouth of the bear. The bear is a symbol of strength and the heartline is a traditional image used to symbolize the heart as the center of power in the animal.  The eyes are turquoise.  The bear is hollow as the piece is coil built.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.

Russell Sanchez: Contemporizing the Pueblo Pottery Past

Kimberly Riley Honyumptewa is from Laguna Pueblo and married to Aaron Honyumptewa who is Hopi/Picuris. She learned to make pottery from her mother-in-law Caroline Simbolo Cine in the traditional Picuris style and using native clay from the area. Each piece is coil built and traditionally fired.  This wedding vase is a creative shape with the twisted handle and the organic flow of the spouts.  The vase has a darker coloration from the fire clouds but the mica shows through beautifully!  The vase is signed on the bottom.  Kimberly’s work continues to evolve in creating more dynamic Picuris pottery!

The figurative work of Virgil Ortiz is based on the historic Monos figures from Cochiti Pueblo which began in the 1880’s.  The figures were created as social commentary in a world where various cultures were quickly filtering in and assimilating into New Mexico with the arrival of the railroads. This is one of the taller traditional-style figures we have had from Virgil. Amazingly, the entire piece is coil built so that it is hollow.  The designs are painted on the clay surface using wild spinach (a local plant).  This figure is one of his “opera singers” who Virgil called, “Madame Butterfly”, with her butterfly wings.  He created a series of “opera singers” in the late 1990’s and they remain one of the most sought-after of his earlier works.  Note the incredible detail in the dress with the tiny tendril of designs.  There are extensions of the wings on the side.  The face is dramatic and expressive!  There is something wonderfully powerful about the pieces in terms of design and scale!  The use of traditional and contemporary imagery has become a standard for Virgil’s pottery, continuing to push the boundaries of contemporary Native clay.  This piece is signed on the bottom.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is very creative effigy seedpot by Tammy Garcia from 2002.  It is featured in the book, “Tammy Garcia: Form without Boundaries” on page 104.  In the book it says of this piece:

“This is the perfect illustration of Garcia’s eager imagination that refuses to linger in staid notions of convention.  In this interpretation, Garcia deftly merges the Pueblo form with the European folktale of the frog prince.  She creates a witty and striking narrative of the classic fairytale by portraying her frog with eyes and prominently puckered lips.”

The piece is very deeply carved with stylized swirls and geometric water patterns, which Tammy has used throughout her career.  It is the face of the frog which is matte and sculpted into the clay.  The piece is signed on the bottom, “The Forgotten Prince, Tammy Garcia”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is always great to see such a creative piece of her work and one of the few which was published in her book!

This tall jar by Virgil Ortiz tells part of his story of the Pueblo Revolt.   The designs are from his Revolt 1680/2180 series. There are two figures representing the Castilians or Conquistadors in the series of his work.  One side has the Conquistador from 1680 and the other, the Castilian from 2180.  Separating them are wildflower tendrils of design.  Note on one side the additional triangular design as part of the imagery.  Both figures are intricately painted using wild spinach plant for the black.  There are turkey tracks which looks like an “x” near the Pueblo tendrils.  The neck of the jar has a simple traditional cloud design. The jar shape itself is elegant with the high shoulder and short neck.  The jar is made from native clay, native clay slips and wild spinach (the black).  The piece is signed on the bottom. The use of traditional and contemporary imagery has become a standard for Virgil’s pottery as he pushes the boundaries of contemporary Native clay.

In the book, “Revolt”, I wrote about these as follows:

In 2007 Ortiz began to identify and give form to the various characters which would populate his story of the Pueblo Revolt.  Tahu; the girl blinded by the Spanish Conquistadors, Mopez; the leader of the Runners, and the Castilians to represent the Spanish invaders.  “I have created Native Superheroes in the form of clay, photography, video and film, which allows me the freedom to express my personal interpretation of the REVOLT – The First American Revolution.  The Venutian Soldiers are futurist, herculean superheroes, over eight feet tall, who fight mainly at nighttime and possess extraordinary strength and magical powers”.  Here the Venutian Soldiers reflect the destruction of pueblos by the Spanish during their original conquest. In their future version, it is the Castilians who have destroyed their ‘world’ and the Venutian Soldiers are the embodiment of this devastation. Their environment has been destroyed through nuclear weapons causing the Venutian Soldiers to use oxygen tanks and gas masks to survive. This story is a thoughtful embodiment of a world overrun and the natural order destroyed yet survivable by the sense of “Pueblo community”.  The Venutians are lead by Tahu and Kootz to find a hospitable land and “rebuild their traditions and ways of life on ancestral sacred lands”.

Jason Wesaw is Potowatomi and from the Great Lakes area.  Each piece is handmade and the simplicity of forms reflects the modernism with the context of his art.  He says of his pottery,

“My work fits somewhere in between this deep connection to the land and the searching for spirit that resides within all things.  This life-force reveals itself to me in bold colors, simple patterns, and straight forward forms.  The vessel is important, in the sense that it acts as a body from which the spirit comes.  But, my forms are decidedly simple and upright.  The deer tail ornamentation of the lidded forms is the physical ‘emergence’ of this spirit.  Each vessel, drawing, or textile is my re-interpretation of an old story, an observation of our connection to the natural world, or a confirmation of the deeply spiritual essence of all things in the physical realm of life.”

For his pottery, he uses glazes, underglazes and the top of the lid is a dyed deer tail.  The shapes are simple but with thoughtfulness in the content of the design.  This jar is entitled, “Spirit (Threads)”.  Jason says of this piece:

“Spirit (Threads): like a singular, simple thread, woven together to form a stronger piece of yarn, and fashioned into a beautiful blanket of warmth to wrap around our communities, so is our spirituality.  It connects us, unbroken, to everything before and after this moment we are living in now.”

Jason has won numerous awards for his pottery and paintings.  He is a creative force in Native art and we are excited to have his work in the gallery.

This tile by Jason Garcia is part of his Corn Maiden series which feature young Pueblo women in traditional dress for the Corn Dance and placing them in a modern context.  This tile has a young Corn Maiden dancer standing in the center of Santa Clara Pueblo.  Behind her are two of the kivas and their ladders, along with the hills behind the pueblo.  Note the two water towers on the hill and the TV antennae. The antennae is a nod to “St. Claire”, the patron saint of Santa Clara Pueblo, but also televisions.  In the top corner there is a traditional raincloud, which for Jason is a connection to the polychrome pottery of artists such as Lela and Van Gutierrez.  On the back of the tile, it is titled, “Corn Maiden #30, along with hashtags #Muse and #KhaPoOwingeh (the Tewa name for Santa Clara Pueblo).   The piece is made from native clay and painted with native clay slips.  It is signed with his Tewa name, Okuu Pin, which means Turtle Mountain.

Jason Wesaw is Potowatomi and from the Great Lakes area.  He says of his pottery,

“My work fits somewhere in between this deep connection to the land and the searching for spirit that resides within all things.  This life-force reveals itself to me in bold colors, simple patterns, and straight forward forms.  The vessel is important, in the sense that it acts as a body from which the spirit comes.  But, my forms are decidedly simple and upright.  The deer tail ornamentation of the lidded forms is the physical ‘emergence’ of this spirit.  Each vessel, drawing, or textile is my re-interpretation of an old story, an observation of our connection to the natural world, or a confirmation of the deeply spiritual essence of all things in the physical realm of life.”

Jason Wesaw is Potowatomi and from the Great Lakes area.  Each piece is handmade and the simplicity of forms reflects the modernism with the context of his art.  He says of his pottery,

“My work fits somewhere in between this deep connection to the land and the searching for spirit that resides within all things.  This life-force reveals itself to me in bold colors, simple patterns, and straight forward forms.  The vessel is important, in the sense that it acts as a body from which the spirit comes.  But, my forms are decidedly simple and upright.  The deer tail ornamentation of the lidded forms is the physical ‘emergence’ of this spirit.  Each vessel, drawing, or textile is my re-interpretation of an old story, an observation of our connection to the natural world, or a confirmation of the deeply spiritual essence of all things in the physical realm of life.”

For his pottery, he uses glazes, underglazes and the top of the lid is a dyed deer tail.  The shapes are simple but with thoughtfulness in the content of the design.  This jar is entitled, “The Four Directions”.  Jason says of this piece:

“Four Directions: we have no tradition of pottery left amongst our people.  This can be said about many things, including the fact that of 50,000+ Potawatomi, we have less than 10 fluent speakers living.  But…our traditional teachings assure us that nothing is really ever lost.  Rather, elders and wisdom keepers set different aspects of our culture down along the path of life, just waiting for the right ones to come and pick them back up.”

Jason has won numerous awards for his pottery and paintings.  He is a creative force in Native art and we are excited to have his work in the gallery.

Jason Wesaw is Potowatomi and from the Great Lakes area.  Each piece is handmade and the simplicity of forms reflects the modernism with the context of his art.  He says of his pottery,

“My work fits somewhere in between this deep connection to the land and the searching for spirit that resides within all things.  This life-force reveals itself to me in bold colors, simple patterns, and straight forward forms.  The vessel is important, in the sense that it acts as a body from which the spirit comes.  But, my forms are decidedly simple and upright.  The deer tail ornamentation of the lidded forms is the physical ‘emergence’ of this spirit.  Each vessel, drawing, or textile is my re-interpretation of an old story, an observation of our connection to the natural world, or a confirmation of the deeply spiritual essence of all things in the physical realm of life.”

For his pottery, he uses glazes, underglazes and the top of the lid is a dyed deer tail.  The shapes are simple but with thoughtfulness in the content of the design.  This jar is entitled, “Leaving Tracks”.  Jason says of this piece:

“Leaving Tracks: we have no tradition of pottery left amongst our people.  This can be said about many things, including the fact that of 50,000+ Potawatomi, we have less than 10 fluent speakers living.  But…our traditional teachings assure us that nothing is really ever lost.  Rather, elders and wisdom keepers set different aspects of our culture down along the path of life, just waiting for the right ones to come and pick them back up.”

Jason has won numerous awards for his pottery and paintings.  He is a creative force in Native art and we are excited to have his work in the gallery.

Jason Wesaw is Potowatomi and from the Great Lakes area.  Each piece is handmade and the simplicity of forms reflects the modernism with the context of his art.  He says of his pottery,

“My work fits somewhere in between this deep connection to the land and the searching for spirit that resides within all things.  This life-force reveals itself to me in bold colors, simple patterns, and straight forward forms.  The vessel is important, in the sense that it acts as a body from which the spirit comes.  But, my forms are decidedly simple and upright.  The deer tail ornamentation of the lidded forms is the physical ‘emergence’ of this spirit.  Each vessel, drawing, or textile is my re-interpretation of an old story, an observation of our connection to the natural world, or a confirmation of the deeply spiritual essence of all things in the physical realm of life.”

For his pottery, he uses glazes, underglazes and the top of the lid is a dyed deer tail.  The shapes are simple but with thoughtfulness in the content of the design.  This jar is entitled, “Healing Path”.  Jason says of this piece:

“Healing Path: a seemingly simple, horizontal line of silver shows the power in finding a way to heal from our wounds, emerging from the darkness, to live in a strong, determined way.  Just as our ancestors would have wanted.”

Jason has won numerous awards for his pottery and paintings.  He is a creative force in Native art and we are excited to have his work in the gallery.

This is a complex lidded jar by Russell Sanchez.  The entire piece is fully polished and it has a wide shoulder and a short neck.  The base of the jar has 12 gourd indentions which are fully polished. The shoulder of the jar is exceptional in etched design with three San Ildefonso birds.  The bodies of the birds are etched into the clay and are inspired by the imagery of early San Ildefonso potters from the 1920’s.  Note the use of checkerboard, hatchwork lines and classic sun patterns to create the bodies and bird feathers!  It’s is almost like a “starter course” in the exploration of the use of this imagery by early artists such as Rosalie & Joe Aguilar, Susana Aguilar, Tonita Roybal and Juan Cruz.  There are two sections which are mica clay with small dots and they are surrounded by hematite hei-shi beads. The use of hematite is a traditional stone in San Ildefonso culture.  The lid is carved with an extended star pattern and on top is a single piece of turquoise.  It is almost the “surprise” of the jar.  The jar has a deep black to gunmetal metallic shine.  This is one of those pieces that is not only visually impressive, but there is a tactile aspect.  Where one might expect the mica to have texture, it is so highly burnished it is perfectly smooth!  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, ‘Russell”.

Russell Sanchez: Contemporizing the Pueblo Pottery Past

Rose Simpson is one of the exciting innovative potters working today.  She is a daughter of noted potter Roxanne Swentzell.  This piece brings together two strong aspects of her clay work. The geometric rectangular shapes create a stylized pueblo appearance. The small opening are much like doors and windows.  The shapes are clay and are all one piece and textured.  However, it is the clay work on her figure which is so dynamic.  Rose has found a creative way to create her figurative work, with overlapping slabs of clay.  The figures are realistic in form yet almost otherworldly or dream-like in their appearance. The various small slabs on the figure give an additional sense of movement as if the dancing figure is in motion.  It is excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Rose continues to expand her style in various museum exhibitions around the US and create new and more dynamic works in clay.  Look for her upcoming exhibition at the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe.

Mary Ester Archuleta is a daughter of noted potter Margaret Tafoya.  This water jar has a round body and a slightly turned out neck.  It is fully polished red and carved around the body with a kiva step design.  The carved areas are polished tan in contrast to the red of the remainder of the jar.   The tan is the natural color of the clay and always difficult to achieve this coloration.  There is also the traditional cream-colored slip painted into the carved areas.  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.  Mary is the second youngest daughter of Margaret Tafoya.  She married into San Juan Pueblo in the late 1960’s and created most of her pieces in the San Juan inspired style.  While she no longer makes much pottery, her work is creative and distinctive in style and coloration.

Glendora Fragua is known for her polished and intricately incised pottery.  This water jar is larger in size for her work and it is polished with a red clay.  The entire surface is fully etched with four large dragonflies, flowers and additional designs.  The various designs are then highlighted with additional clay slips.  On the inside of the neck has also painted a flower pattern!  It is an intricate and complex jar with a striking combination fo designs, both painted and incised.  The jar is signed on the bottom with a corn stalk, Glendora’s hallmark.

This an unusual collaborative piece by Grace Medicine Flower and her father, Camilio Tafoya.  It is from the early 1970’s and it was fired “black-and-red”.  It is a distinctive firing technique where the piece is covered before the manure is put on to turn it black.  The jar was made by Camilio and polished by Grace. She would then etch the designs into the clay before it was fired.  This piece has a lightly etched avanyu on two sides.  Separating them are two red medallions.  One has a Mudhead Clown figure and the other a Rain Dancer.  There is a striking coloration of the red against the black.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Grace Medicne Flower and Camilio Tafoya”.   The jar is in excellent with no chips,cracks, restoration or repair.

This tall jar by Alice Cling has her classic shape with the high shoulder.  The neck is square in contrast to the rounded shoulder.  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 pinon-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 is a traditional bowl by Dextra Quotskuyva.  She is certainly one of the great innovators among Hopi-Tewa potters.  Her work began with more classic imagery and then has evolved over the years to more unique and stylized designs. This piece is from the mid 1980’s, which can be see in the color of the red clay, as well as her signature.  The bowl has a series of Red Tail hawk tail feathers painted in four sections.  Separating each of them is a triangular design, which represents the back and wings of the birds.  The red areas are stone polished and the black is painted with bee-weed (a plant). The bowl is traditionally fired so that there are blushes and color variations around the surface.  It is signed on the bottom with bee-weed, “Detra” with an ear of corn representing the Corn Clan.   The jar is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Dextra has been the subject of a retrospective of her pottery at the Museum of Indian Art and Culture called, “Painted Perfection“.

Harrison Begay, Jr. has won numerous awards over the years for his deep carved pottery.  This taller jar is fully designed with ravens.  This is one of the first times we have seen him use ravens as the imagery on his pottery.  One is in flight and the other two are standing.  They are surrounded by lightning and cloud designs.  The jar is highly polished and fired a deep black.  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.

This is an extraordinary large storage jar by Debbie Clashin.  She 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 has a wide shoulder but is also taller in height.  The entire piece is stone polished and then it is painted with bee-weed and natural clay slips.  The top half of the jar is painted with two large birds, bird tails and panels with sun and mesa designs. The bottom half has four Koshari clowns as the design.  They are stylized but you it is easy to the see the classic figure in the center.  The design is one which she has modified from the work of her cousin, Mark Tahbo.  Separating the clowns are small dragonflies.  It is exciting to see a Hopi-Tewa potter bringing back this classic shape which few potters make today!  The jar is traditionally fired with blushes across the surface of the jar and a few little darker areas.   It is signed on the bottom with her name and a pipe for his “Tobacco Clan”.

Frederica Antonio is renown for her intricately painted pottery.  This jar has a striking shape with the high shoulder and small neck.  Each piece is coil built and then finely painted. The background design is a cloud pattern, which is painted with a series of fine vertical and horizontal lines which are then filled in to create larger images in the squares.  This jar has “rainbow bands” which extend down from the neck and are painted with red and tan colored clays. Half way down the jar the color is a brown clay which is the earth.  Check out the very tightly painted squares on this jar!  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.

Elizabeth Medina is known for traditional style of Zia pottery.  Each piece is coil built, painted with native clays and native fired.  The designs on this jar harken back to early Zia pottery with the hatchwork, prayer feathers and circles.  There are two larger birds on the sides of the jar.  They are slipped with a tan clay.  Separating them are two smaller birds, also in tan.  Surrounding the smaller birds are cloud, rain and prayer feather designs.  The deeper red areas are both matte and polished.  The jar is complex 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”.

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 striking shape with the sharp shoulder. The designs painted on the surface swirl down from the neck to the rim.  There are four sections with a classic square shaped corn design, a symbol of prosperity. Separating them are bands of square clouds and two rainbow bands painted with two clay colors. The clay is painted over the surface of the black bee-weed lines.  The result on this jar is a striking piece which emphasizes the shape as it is turned.  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.

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 an elongated shape.  Around the neck are cloud pattern while around the body of the piece are classic Acoma plant patterns.  Separating the plants are cloud swirls painted with thin lines.  Near the base are mountain step designs.  The black and white coloration gives this jar both an ancient and very contemporary appearance.  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 of the historic Acoma and Laguna pottery.  It is signed on the bottom.

This plate by Cavan Gonzales is a beautiful example of both his clay and painting skill.  As a form, many Pueblo potters dislike to create plates, as they break frequently while drying and firing.  Cavan is one of the few who has been making this form most of his career.  This plate is polychrome with the very oldest style of Avanyu design known.  In the center is a single inset piece of turquoise and 6 inset pieces of coral.  The pattern is a series of interlocking avanyu “tongues” which circle around the plate.  It is signed on the back in the clay.

Kimberly Riley Honyumptewa is from Laguna Pueblo and married to Aaron Honyumptewa who is Hopi/Picuris. She learned to make pottery from her mother-in-law Caroline Simbolo Cine in the traditional Picuris style and using native clay from the area. Each piece is coil built and traditionally fired.  This is one of the largest pieces we have had of her pottery.  It is round near the base and the rim is fluted and sculpted.  The jar is an elegant shape and the firing is striking.  It sets off the black, gold and various hues of the micaceous clay.  The jar is signed on the bottom.  Will be exciting to see how Kimberly’s work continues to evolve in creating more Picuris pottery!

Polly Rose Folwell is known for use of classic designs on her traditional inspired Santa Clara pottery. This jar has a wide shoulder and an elongated neck.  It is fully polished and fired brown. The rim is carved with a mountain design, which is then replicated in an incised mountain design around the neck.  There is a single bird etched into the clay.  Below the birds are the Folwell family “x’s”, which are often found on their pottery.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay.

This storage jar is one of the classic shapes by Jason Ebelacker. He is a son of Richard Ebelacker and grandson of Virginia Ebelacker.  His father and grandmother were both known for their storage jar shapes, as well as his great-grandmother, Magaret Tafoya.  Jason creates a similar form with the high shoulder and the small neck. The distinctive shape gives the jar a feeling of size and width. The jar has two bear paws impressed into the clay and they are fully polished, as is the entire surface of the jar.  The bear paws are symbolic of a Santa Clara story where a bear led the Pueblo people to water during a drought.  This jar is as much historic as it is modern in appearance.  The jar is traditionally fired black.   Jason is certainly one of the younger potters to watch!

Susan “Snowflake” Romero’s pottery is highly polished and intricately etched with detailed imagery.  Many of her skills are ones that she learned from her father, Joseph Lonewolf. This seedpot has two Mimbres inspired parrots on the top of the piece. They are etched so the surface is both matte and polished. On the side is a hummingbird etched in the Pueblo style. It is in perfect condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair and signed on the bottom.

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 4/35 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!

Russell Sanchez has found inspiration in the signed historic San Ildefonso pottery for both shapes and designs on his pottery.   This unique jar is inspired by a bowl by his great-great-grandmother, Ramona Sanchez Gonzales.  In the last photo, the red bowl by Ramona can be seen, with the avanyu in relief on the side.  As well, Tony Da made a jar with lizard handles in 1967-8, which is now in the Philbrook Museum (#7095).  The black and sienna of the jar and the etched medallions are certainly a reference for Russell’s latest piece.  This jar has sienna medallions on each side. They are etched with traditional San Ildefonso birds.  Each medallion is surrounded by two bands of hei-shi beads.  The handles are in the shape of the avanyu, much as on Ramona’s bowl.  The neck of the jar has a cloud pattern and the remainder of the piece is a micaceous clay slip.  The lid is fired to a near gunmetal appearance and has a sienna top and a single inset piece of turquoise.  The bottom of the jar has a “foot” which is reminiscent of historic San Ildefonso pottery and it is also indented. The hei-shi beads are all made by the Calabaza family from Santo Domingo Pueblo.  The jar seamlessly blends the old with the new and creates a new vision of how potters can derive inspiration from the past while creating their own new vessels.

This large jar by Samuel Manymules has a round shape which is accentuated by the vertical melon ribs.  The jar itself is coil built and slipped with a red clay and then traditionally fired.  The jar has a stone polished neck which comes to a sharp edge. Below the shoulder the melon ribs are pushed out in the clay and extend to the base of the jar.  The symmetry of each rib adds to the overall appearance of the jar.  It was traditionally fired outdoors and that has created the coloration on the surface.  The jar has areas which range from black to red and brown.  The browner areas are where it was fired to a higher temperature.  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.

This water jar includes some of the most iconic images in the work of Virgil Ortiz.  The design is taken from his Revolt 1680/2180 series. Thre are four figures representing the Pueblo Warriors from the Venutian Soldier series of his work.  It is a powerful story of the connection between man and the environment.  The figures are each intricately painted and inspired by photography work he did in 2012.  The last photos are some of his photography for the Venutian Soldier series.  While the figures are intricately painted, the space between them is left nearly blank. However, there is a turkey track which looks like an “x”, next to each of the figures, signifying their travels.  The neck of the jar has a plant and cloud design. The jar shape itself is elegant with the high shoulder and short neck.  The jar is made from native clay, native clay slips and wild spinach (the black).  The piece is signed on the bottom. The use of traditional and contemporary imagery has become a standard for Virgil’s pottery as he pushes the boundaries of contemporary Native clay.

In the book, “Revolt”, I wrote about these as follows:

In the summer of 2012 Ortiz premiered his “Venutian Soldiers’.   The story of the Pueblo Revolt was becoming more evolved and Ortiz was able to have fun developing more background for his characters and the events before the Revolt 2180. “I have created Native Superheroes in the form of clay, photography, video and film, which allows me the freedom to express my personal interpretation of the REVOLT – The First American Revolution.  The Venutian Soldiers are futurist, herculean superheroes, over eight feet tall, who fight mainly at nighttime and possess extraordinary strength and magical powers”.  Here the Venutian Soldiers reflect the destruction of pueblos by the Spanish during their original conquest. In their future version, it is the Castilians who have destroyed their ‘world’ and the Venutian Soldiers are the embodiment of this devastation. Their environment has been destroyed through nuclear weapons causing the Venutian Soldiers to use oxygen tanks and gas masks to survive. This story is a thoughtful embodiment of a world overrun and the natural order destroyed yet survivable by the sense of “Pueblo community”.  The Venutians are lead by Tahu and Kootz to find a hospitable land and “rebuild their traditions and ways of life on ancestral sacred lands”.

This plate was made by Preston Duwyenie and polished and incised by Debra Duwyenie.  The design on the front is fully polished and full of imagery. The design is a flowering plant which extends up from the vase.  Each of the flowers are etched into the clay and the center of each is matte, which is just where the polished slip has been etched away.  For nearly each flower is a hummingbird, each of which are also etched into the clay and with matte bellies.  There are 19 hummingbirds on the plate!  There are also additional butterflies and note near the top is a sunface and extending from the sun are rain and cloud designs.  The back of the plate is fully polished and signed with Debra’s name and Preston’s hallmark.

This jar by Jody Naranjo is from 2002.  It is highly polished around the neck and the remainder is matte.  The polished area is fully etched with her signature “kiva step” design.  The center band is matte and the design is a series of birds encircling the jar.  The brown coloration is derived from the outdoor firing process.  The jar is signed, “Jody Naranjo” and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Jody said of her designing:

“As for the design on the top and the bottom, it was the kiva step in the beginning. My family used them but just parts of them, the top half of the design. I started making them just around the top of the pot in one row. Then it became two rows and three rows, and then I started filling in between them.  Now it looks more like a textile, and it’s a signature pattern that I do on everything.” Jody Naranjo, Spoken Through Clay

This is a very traditionally inspired bowl by Ida Sahmie.  It is “Father Sky” on one side and “Mother Earth” on the other.  They are designs which are often seen in sandpaintings.  Here, Ida has painted them on a stone polished bowl using natural clay slips and bee-weed (a plant) for the black.  Father Sky is in the center with the cosmos painted on the body.  Surrounding the figure is a rainbow design.  Mother Earth is in the center with the four sacred plants and other imagery painted on the polished red surface.  The face is etched and the figure is surrounded by a rainbow pattern.  The designs are all etched and painted onto the clay surface.  The bowl was traditionally fired and it is signed on the bottom, “Ida Sahmie” and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  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 Father Sky and Mother Earth, and the Dine people is as follows:

“The Navajo people, the Diné, passed through three different worlds before emerging into this world, The Fourth World, or Glittering World. The Diné believe there are two classes of beings: the Earth People and the Holy People. The Holy People are believed to have the power to aid or harm the Earth People. Since Earth People of the Diné are an integral part of the universe, they must do everything they can to maintain harmony or balance on Mother Earth.  It is believed that centuries ago the Holy People taught the Diné how to live the right way and to conduct their many acts of everyday life. They were taught to live in harmony with Mother Earth, Father Sky and the many other elements such as man, animals, plants, and insects.”

This bowl by Gloria Garcia is fully polished and fired black. The design is a series of eight turtles encircling the piece.  Each one has additional designs etched into their shell.  Gloria’s combination of polishing and etched designs is always striking.  This piece is signed on the bottom with her Tewa name “GoldenRod”.

This is a striking lidded jar by Nancy Youngblood.  The jar is deeply carved with a water serpent around the body of the piece.  Note the delicate swirls and sharp edges carved into the clay to create the body of the avanyu.  Around the neck of the jar are 32 deeply carved feathers.  Each feather and the avanyu are all stone polished to create a stunning shine!  There is a sense of movement in the design as the feathers seems to swirl around the piece. The lid is a loop which is fully polished!  It is reminiscent of some of Nancy’s early work when she would create miniatures with very thin handles!  The lid fits perfectly into the neck of the jar.  The entire piece is traditionally fired to a dark black and it is signed on the bottom in the clay.

This is the largest jar by Jennifer Moquino we have had in a while.  It is fully polished and has a wide shoulder and a small neck.  Check out the shape of the jar as the shoulder is very sharp which gives the jar a striking appearance.  The piece is fully polished and it is thin walled. The design on the top consists of Black Moor Goldfish and Cherry Blossoms.  There are elegant water swirls and surrounding the fish.  Check out their coloration with the red and the contrast with the white and blue waves and the pink blossoms.  As the jar is turned over, the sharp shoulder descends into a sloping base which has additional cherry blossoms. The highly polished surface enhances the delicately etched designs.  Each fish has a distinct appearance of motion and movement!  Not only did she use clay slips, but also mica clays, which give the whole piece a bit of “sparkle”.  This jar has a perfect balance to the intricate designs.  It is signed on the bottom.  It is this creative evolution in her work which keeps  Jennifer as one of the leading innovative potters working today!

Juan Cruz creates complex painted polychrome pottery.  He is a son of noted potter Lois Gutierrez.  Lois made the plate and Juan, who is noted for his illustrations, painted the design using natural clay slips.  This is the first time Juan has painted on a plate, giving him a large canvas surface.  The plate is the story of the sun and moon.  Juan wrote of the scene he painted as follows:

“The cycle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon, revolving in an eternal circle.  The sun giving light while the moon give cooling relief in her pale light.  The geometrics of the design on the plate represent the eagle’s association with the sun.  For the Moon’s design, I drew inspiration from a Mimbres design of a rabbit forming in the shadow of a crescent moon.”

The plate is truly polychrome (more than three colors of clay).  Note the intricacy of the painted designs and especially the figures.  They are each distinctive instance or dress.  He has captured a beautiful balance of the designs as the sun swirls into the moon.  The crescent moon and the rabbit are opposite the Tewa sun and the eagle.  Exceptional!  The back of the plate is fully polished red. The description is written on the back of a hand-painted graphic of a Brother Sun and Sister Moon.  What a phenomenal addition to this piece and the painting helps to better understand how exceptional Juan is with his art.   While Juan is new to the pottery world, he recently won “Best of Pottery” at Gallup Ceremonials in 2017 and has been featured in articles in Cowboys & Indians Magazine and Native Art Magazine.

This is the first time Nathan Youngblood has created a double set of plates in the teardrop shape.  Has has made a similar style with the floating center medallion using round plates.  However, there is an increased level of difficulty in creating this concept with his signature teardrop form. The plate is made and then the “inner” teardrop plate is cut away.  Nathan then designs both of the plates so that they visually function as one unit. The inner plate has a lightning and rain design.  Note on the upper edge the deer track and the star.  “Deer Path” is his name in Tewa and so he will often use that imagery in his designs.  The outer plate has a rain and walking bear paw design around the base and above are clouds.  The rim of both pieces is polished tan, while the center is carved and polished red.  After the two pieces were fired, we had a stand made so that they would sit together. When looking straight on, it appears to be one piece.  When looking from the side, the inner plate extends forward.  The deep red clay slip on these plates is exceptional and contrasts perfectly with the tan areas.  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 back in the clay with his name and deer tracks, which represent his name in Tewa.

This large jar by Al Qoyawayma is stunning in his use of numerous clay slips, various levels of carving and his own innovative shape.  Al says his inspiration for his polychrome pieces is to imagine how Hopi Sikyatki pottery might have evolved without western contact. This jar has two sharp shoulders and a central band which is fully carved.  The band is designed with corn, various birds, and prayer feather patterns.  Each is slipped and polished with various clays!  The top has a stylized version inspired by the Migration pattern.  Here there are two sections which are like the historic migration design and they spiral into a larger red parrot and a green eagle. The center of the jar (which is the lid), has a star pattern and then a spiral for the galaxy.  Note the various layers of carving along with all the different colors of clay.  The amount of time to design, carve and polish this jar is extraordinary!  There are over five different clay slips used on this piece!  This piece is a striking balance of form, sculpture, color, and design!  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.

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 a stunning piece of his pottery in form and design. The jar has a flat side and it extends up to the neck.  The side is fully painted with a variety of Hopi star and cloud designs.  Along the shoulder, the jar has four sections of eagle tail designs.  The tails are slipped in red and brown. Separating them are larger panels with additional bird tail designs.  These incorporate a green clay slip in addition to the red.  The jar has both an ancient and modern appearance to the design. The tight precision painting gives the jar an impressive appearance.  The piece was traditionally fired and the last photo shows the jar when it came out of the firing!  The jar has a dynamic coloration from the firing.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “S. Lucas” and a mudhead (koyemsi) and an ear of corn (corn clan).  Spectacular!

Al Qoyawayma calls the shape of this jar his “Harmony Shape”.  It has an elongated neck and round body.  It is carved on both sides.  One side has flower,s the other a figure.  The carved areas have additional clay slips.  It is simple and elegant, definitely harmonious!   All the various colors are derived from native clays.   It is a classic piece with a striking balance of designs and form.

Al Qoyawayma often creates vessels based on ancient forms.  This large jar is based on the Gila River forms which were wide and had a low, sharp shoulder.  On this jar, it is fully polished and Al has created a scene with figurative dancers which are pushed out from the inside in the clay. The jar has a procession of dancers encircling the piece.  Each is matte while the area around is polished. The last figure is a small boy and as the jar is turned, he is being chased by a jaguar!  The form and design are both humorous and charming on this piece.  It 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, “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 a connection to the Ancestral Puebloan bird figures created at places such as Chaco Canyon.  The bird is carved with a feather pattern and on its back is a cloud and mountain design.  Autumn says she was inspired to create her parrots after a two-day excursion to Chaco Canyon. This piece is number 10 of 50. The colorful patinas give the piece a striking appearance.  It is signed and numbered on the bottom.

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 and on its back is a cloud and mountain design.  Autumn says she was inspired to create her parrots after a two-day excursion to Chaco Canyon. This piece is number 12 of 50. The colorful patinas give the piece a striking appearance.  It is signed and numbered on the bottom.

This an exceptional group of corrugated pieces by Richard Zane Smith.  Each piece 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 each piece a textural feel.  There is a large open bowl with a corrugated rim. The inside of the bowl has five pieces.  Each piece has a different shape and style of corrugation.  The variety of shapes reflect some of the different forms for which Richard is well known.  The individual pieces sit in the sand, so they can be positioned in various ways.  The set is from 2001.  It is signed on the bottom, “Ricard Zane Smith”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Stunning! Lois Gutierrez is one of the few potters who continues to create large storage jars.  Check out the size of this piece, as it is massive! As well, she is one of the only Pueblo potters who makes a true polychrome vessel (more than 3 clay colors).  This jar has five different natural clay colors utilized.  The neck of the jar has hummingbirds and flowers.  Each bird is separated by a cloud pattern.  Around the body of the jar are swirling birds and flowers.  Separating each of the birds is a rainbow (with 5 colors) and then a stalk of corn.  Each stalk is a different color representing the different directions (red, white, yellow and blue).  The bodies of each of the birds have a detailed cloud pattern in the center.  The jar is a beautiful combination of colors and traditional designs.  Few of her pieces have this level of complexity in the designs!  Lois’s ability to create such beautifully painted scenes with clay is remarkable in addition to her portrayal of a cultural legacy in design in clay.  It is signed on the bottom “Lois 2018”.  The last photo is one of the storage jar in the fire at Lois’s house at Santa Clara Pueblo…a very HUGE fire!!

Garrett Maho is known for his traditional and innovative Hopi-Tewa pottery.  This bowl has four birds in a swirling or tumbling motion around the top of the piece.  They are painted with a deep red clay slip as well as the black which is painted with bee-weed (a plant).  The bowl has been traditionally fired so that there are blushes on the surface.  The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay.

Lois Gutierrez is one of the few potters who continue to create traditional polychrome (more than 3 colors of clay) pottery at Santa Clara Pueblo.  This is a traditional style water jar with the low shoulder and elongated neck and slightly turned out rim.  The jar is painted with natural clay slips and there are over five different colors used. Around the neck there are two eagles in a tumbling or swirling position.  The base has a cloud and rain design in red.  The jar has been traditionally fired outdoor and overall is a striking coloration.  It is signed on the indented bottom of the jar.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is an exceptional jar by Ida Sahmie.  It is the Day Chant Dance with 15 male and female Yei-bi-chi dancers encircling the jar.  The top half of the jar is polished while the bottom half is matte.  The background area is the polished natural color of the clay.  In the background, there are the mesas, clouds, and even birds!  Note how she has also painted the shadows of each dancer extending to the base of the bowl.  Ida also etches into the clay for the faces and the bodies, leather, and masks of each dancer. The bottom of the jar is painted with a step cloud design, which is also used on Navajo wedding baskets.  The rim is polished red and painted with a mountain line and a spirit line break in the pattern. The jar is thin-walled and traditionally fired.  Ida is a daughter-in-law of Priscilla Nampeyo and she 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 jar is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It also has a First Place ribbon from the 2012 Navajo Nation Fair.

This jar by Johnathan Naranjo captures his unique style of sgraffito and etching on his pottery.  The jar is fully polished and the various colors are simply created by the depth of the etching into the clay!   Jonathan continues to amaze with this designs and technique.  There are two panels of birds.  They are very intricately designed.  Separating them are two sections of a ribbon pattern. The designs on the ribbon are classic Santa Clara designs.  The rim is also designed with bird wing and geometric cloud motifs.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay.  Johnathan has won numerous awards for his pottery and  Johnathan is definitely one of the young potters to watch!

Madeline Naranjo creates beautifully carved and polished pottery.  Each piece is coil built, stone polished and traditionally fired.  This jar has a round body and an elongated neck.  There are four bears carved into the clay.  They alternate between matte and polished.  Above them is a carved cloud design.  The contrast of the matte and polished surfaces works perfectly, especially with the polished neck.  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.

This jar by Jody Naranjo is from 2004.  It is highly polished around the neck and the base.  These area are fully etched with her signature “kiva step” design, as is the inside of the rim.  The center band is matte. The design is a series of birds encircling the jar.  The jar has flat sides, which creates as striking appearance to both the jar and the burnished surfaces.  The brown coloration is derived from the outdoor firing process.  The jar is signed, “Jody Naranjo” and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Jody said of her designing:

“As for the design on the top and the bottom, it was the kiva step in the beginning. My family used them but just parts of them, the top half of the design. I started making them just around the top of the pot in one row. Then it became two rows and three rows, and then I started filling in between them.  Now it looks more like a textile, and it’s a signature pattern that I do on everything.” Jody Naranjo, Spoken Through Clay

Linda Tafoya-Sanchez is a granddaughter of noted potter Margaret Tafoya and a daughter of Lee & Betty Tafoya.  She is know for her intricately carved pottery.  The jar is a variations of designs.  Two sections are fully polished with carved corn plants.  The opposite two medallions have hummingbirds as the design.  Linda’s hummingbirds are exceptional with the rounded bodies.  There are also areas where she has added a micaceous clay slip.  Linda was among the first Santa Clara potters to begin using the mica as a design element after she was given some by her San Juan Pueblo in-laws.  The jar is signed on the bottom, “Linda Tafoya-Sanchez”.

“The clay is a really important part of making the pottery. Listening to family members talk about how they used to get clay with Grandma and Grandpa [Margaret & Alcario Tafoya] and how they would make it an all-day venture. You feel that family connection when you are digging the clay out of the earth. It ties you to your home. There’s no other place you are going to find that kind of clay. You think about how many years people have dug that clay out of the earth, how many years Mother Earth has provided that clay for us.”  Linda Tafoya-Sanchez, Spoken Through Clay

This is a classically shaped jar by Mary Ester Archuleta.  The piece has straight sides and a slightly rounded neck.  The top and bottom are fully polished red.  The center band is deeply carved. There is an avanyu on one side which is polished red.  The opposite side has seven feathers which are polished tan.  The tan is the natural color of the clay and always difficult to achieve this coloration.  There is also the traditional cream-colored slip painted into the carved areas.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Mary E. Archuleta.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Mary is the second youngest daughter of Margaret Tafoya.  She married into San Juan Pueblo in the late 1960’s and created most of her pieces in the San Juan inspired style.  It was her marriage at San Juan and reviving pottery there, which reminded Margaret about how she learned to polish the tan slip when her brother had married and moved there years earlier.  

Nancy Youngblood creates stunning vessels which combine both matte and polished surfaces. This is an elegant vase with deeply carved sections where she has two different types of shells as the design.   The use of shells in her pottery is reminiscent of the shells worn by the Pueblo Dancers during various ceremonies.  Historically, there are lots of shells found in the Southwest, as they were highly valued and used for trade.  Note how the shells are rounded out like the ribs in her melon bowls!  The surrounding area is matte, which contrast perfectly with the high shine of her stone polished surfaces.  Note how even the matte areas are, as if they are not flat and even they create shadows.  The symmetry of the jar is perfection, with a narrow base and a wide shoulder.  The lid has carved and polished shells on each side and they are fully polished and each section is rounded out.  The lid also fits perfectly into the jar with a line to show exactly where to position it on the vessel.  The jar is from 2006 and it is in perfect condition.

This is an exceptional lidded box by Jason Ebelacker.  He is a son of Richard Ebelacker and grandson of Virginia Ebelacker.  Jason has been focusing on traditional shapes for his pottery.  This box is fully carved around the side with a water serpent (avanyu) design, which encircles the entire piece.  It is difficult to create boxes, especially larger ones, as the flat sides tend to crack in drying and firing.  The design here flows around the surface and yet changes in each panel! It is beautifully designed. The surprise to the piece is the lid, where he has carved in reverse another water serpent! The polishing and clean carved lines are striking on the piece.   Jason is certainly one of the younger potters to watch!

Toni Roller is known for her classic shapes and exquisite stone polished pottery.  A daughter of Margaret Tafoya, Toni has developed her own distinctive style yet adhering to the traditional methods and techniques of her mother.  This may be one of the tallest pieces of her potter we have seen! The jar is 15″ tall and carved with two bands of design.  There is a central band with a carved avanyu.  Above the avanyu is a carved band with cloud, bird and lightning designs.  It is a very intricately designed piece. As well, the entire surface is fully polished!  It is traditionally fired a deep black.  The jar is from 2006 and signed on the bottom, “Toni Roller”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Definitely a significant piece by one of Margaret Tafoya’s daughters.

Jody Folwell is known for her creative pottery shapes and designs.  This is a very tall jar and the rim has an asymmetrical form, for which she is known. The jar is polished with a slip which fired a greenish-brown. There are lightning patterns across the surface which are a matte red.  Around the entire jar are a series of etched wolves and buffalo.  Some are etched and some are just painted with a white clay slip.  They are in different directions and different degrees of motion.  The size and coloration with the green, red and white is striking.  The jar is signed on the bottom, “Jody”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Christine McHorse is well known for her sculptural pottery.  Each piece is coil built and have very thin walls.  This bowl is a classic of her traditional mica style.  It is very thin walled and on the rim there is a carved section with a lighting band.  The jar is a micaceous clay and vertically polished.  There is a simplicity to the jar and yet it is certainly striking among her traditional style.  Christine said of her Navajo pottery,

“I didn’t really have any idea about Navajo pottery. When I started making pottery, I also started researching it in books and museums. The Navajo pottery that was written about, they were called “mud pots.” It had not developed to the sophisticated level of Pueblo pottery. The term “mud pots” affected me to the point that I thought, I’m going to have to show them some Navajo pottery. My first time at Indian Market was in 1983. At first, I entered my work in the Taos style category of pottery.  Then I started incising burnished surfaces and applied piñon pitch. I did as much as I could with materials that a Navajo potter would use. So I started out doing the Taos style, then doing the Navajo style, eventually exploring other methods which led to contemporary forms.” Christine McHorse, Spoken Through Clay

Today she is creating more sculptural works with her pottery as in the recent “Dark Light” exhibit.  This jar is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom.

This is a stunning water jar by Russell Sanchez.  He continues to be one of the true innovators in Pueblo pottery.  Each piece is perfectly coil built, stone polished and etched. The shape is a classic San Ildefonso form with the wide round shoulder.  Note how after the shoulder there is almost a flatness to the jar before the neck.  I took some of the photos straight on just to show how perfectly symmetrical the jar is in form!  This proportionality is technically difficult to achieve.  The jar is etched with a water serpent (avanyu) before it is fired.  The rim of the jar has 16 melon ribs carved into the clay.  The matchup with the 16 ribs which are deeply carved into the lid.  The ribs on the lid are slipped with a micaceous clay which when fired is almost metallic in color!  The top of the lid is fully polished to again compliment the polished surface of the jar.  The polishing on this jar is stunning that he is able to achieve such an amazing polish just using a stone!  Check out the neck and the base and the high shine is easily seen.  There are four bands of jet hei-shi beads which are inset into the jar around the neck and shoulder.  They separate bands of checkerboard mica and matt sections. The checkerboard use of the mica is subtle but stunning!  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay. The last photos are some of the jar being fired (red before firing, in the fire, out of the fire but now black and surrounded by the manure and finally Russell holding the jar after it is fired).

Russell says of his work:

“I don’t let a pot go until I think it’s ready. I’ve had pots sitting there for months that I don’t think are ready, and then an idea will come, from anywhere, anytime, and it’s like, OK, that’s what this pot needs. That’s what they tell you at home [on the pueblo]: When the time is ready, it will happen. That’s when you finish up and let it go.”

Cliff Roller is a son of noted potter Toni Roller. Each piece is coil built and stone polished.  This bowl is carved four bear paws as the designs. The bear paws are symbolic of a Pueblo story where the bear leads the people to water during a drought.  Here the bear paws are each deeply carved into the clay and polished. The remainder of the bowl is fully polished to a very high shine.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Cliff Roller”.  This bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  While these days Cliff makes very little pottery, his work remains a statement to his skill as a potter!

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 plate is fully polished.  It is painted on the front with a larger dragonfly, several small dragonflies and a series of “dragonfly wings” extending across the surface.  It is a wonderful use of design and the space.  The plate is painted with bee-weed and a red clay slip and traditionally fired.  There are blushes across the surface of the plate.   It is signed on the back with her name and a pipe for his “Tobacco Clan”.