This is an exceptional miniature by Autumn Borts.  She is known for her often fanciful carved pottery and use of unique shapes.  The bowl is very deeply carved with traditional Santa Clara designs.  Rain clouds, lightning and wind designs extend from the neck to the base is a flowing pattern.  Note her use of the negative space to create these very intricate designs!  It is amazing she could carve so deep and with complex lines on a piece so small! It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Autumn Borts”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is one of the smallest pieces we have had by Linda Cain.  It is deeply carved with a cloud and rain pattern. Note how deeply it is carved and the extension of the carved designs down from the neck.  It is highly polished and fired a brownish-red.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Linda Cain”.

Sharon Lewis has developed her own very distinctive style of painted design.  Her pieces are beautifully formed, thin-walled and then tightly painted.  This is one of the first times she has made a “gourd” jar.  The shape is formed with the end of the “gourd” at the top. This piece is fully painted with four bands of feather designs.  It is a unique shape and intricately painted.   It is signed on the bottom, “Sharon Lewis”.

Sharon Lewis has developed her own very distinctive style of painted design.  Her pieces are beautifully formed, thin-walled and then tightly painted.  This seedpot has a single dragonfly as the design. The dragonfly is painted with thin lines.  It is surrounded by a geometric plant design.  The piece is very detailed for the size.   The seedpot is signed on the bottom, “Sharon Lewis”.

Sharon Lewis has developed her own very distinctive style of painted design.  Her pieces are beautifully formed, thin-walled and then tightly painted.  This seedpot has four dragonflies in the center of the piece.  They are surrounding a fineline star design.  The star is outlined in a red clay.  The piece is very detailed for the size.   The seedpot is signed on the bottom, “Sharon Lewis”.

While Blue Corn is one of the innovative San Ildefonso potters of the late 1900’s.  She is often best known for her polychrome pottery but began her career making black pottery.  This bowl is from the 1980’s. It is very highly polished and painted with a feather pattern.  The design encircles the entire bowl.  It is fired a deep black.  It is signed in the clay, “Blue Corn”.   The bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Wallace Nez is known for his intricately etched pottery.  He began to make pottery when he was 12 years old.  He won first place ribbons at the Santa Fe Indian Market in 1999, 2000, and 2001 and Best of Division at the Museum of Northern Arizona Market Show in 1999.  This tall seedpot has amazingly intricate designs etched into the clay. There are four medallions, each with a different butterfly.  Surrounding them are very intricate stylized designs.  Near the base there are larger etched butterflies.  The lid is tiny and fits perfectly.  It is etched with two butterflies.  It is all so intricately and delicately designed, it is quite extraordinary!  The piece is signed on the bottom “Wallace Nez” with the date of 2006.

Rebecca Lucario is known for her delicate and intricately painted pottery.  This plate is very intricately painted.  In the center is a medallion with a parrot.  This is a design often seen on Acoma pottery.  Spiraling out from this center medallion are wing designs along with rectangular designs of polished red and fine-line patterns. Typical of her work, the lines are very thin and tightly painted.  Note how the designs get larger as they extend to the rim.  The plate is signed on the back, “R. Lucario”.

This bowl by Gloria Garcia is fully polished and fired black. The designs are etched into the clay.  There are eight Mimbres inspired fish as the design.  Each fish is different.  There is a water design around the rim of the bowl.   Gloria’s combination of polishing and etched designs is always striking.  This piece is signed on the bottom with her Tewa name “GoldenRod”.

This bowl by Gloria Garcia is fully polished and fired black. The designs are etched into the clay.  There are two scenes, each with realistic bears as the design.  Separating them are two bands with etched bear paws. There is an additional red clay slip added to the rain design around the rim of the bowl.  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 plate by Sharon Lewis.  She has developed her own very distinctive style of painted design.  Her pieces are beautifully formed, thin-walled and then tightly painted.  This plate has a dragonfly in relief on the right side.  On the left are two medallions, each with a dragonfly.  The remainder of the plate is painted with a fineline pattern and the rim has a dragonfly wing design.  The red is an additional clay slip.  The plate is signed on the back, “Sharon Lewis”.

Jennifer Moquino is known for her clay vessels and also her amazing animal figures. This frog is polished with a green clay.  The green clay is one which is high in copper.  The back is fully polished and designed with geometric patterns.  The legs are matte.  All the various colors are derived from natural clay slips.  Jennifer continues to be one of the leading innovative potters working today!

This is an intricate small bowl by Wallace Youvella, Jr.  He is the son of noted potters Wallace Youvella and Iris Nampeyo.  It is fully polished with a Hemis Mana Katsina as the design.  It is in relief on one side of the bowl. Note the detail to the hair and the face of the katsina!  The remainder is fully polished and it is traditionally fired so there are color variations on the surface.  This piece is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Wallace Youvella, Jr..  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is an intricate miniature by Wallace Youvella, the husband of Iris Nampeyo  It is fully polished with a blue clay slip.  It is etched with a sunface as the central design.  The lighter blue areas are where he etched away from the polished surface but not deep enough for the tan.  Wallace was one of the first three men at Hopi in the mid-1970’s to begin making pottery (the others were Mark Tahbo and Thomas Polacca).  Interestingly, Thomas and Wallace (who were brothers-in-law) both started with traditional Hopi-Tewa designs but met resistance from the women potters, so began making pieces which were either fully polished and etched, or carved.  This piece is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a classic seedpot by Dorothy Torivio.  She was among the first to utilize and then refine the “op-art” style in her Acoma pottery. She took classic Acoma patterns and then repeated them on a vessel, ranging the size from small to large and then small again, in accordance with the shape of the vessel.  The sharp shoulder shape of the seedpot helped to emphasize the shape of her painted designs.  The piece has a butterfly pattern which is repeated in smaller and then larger sizes.  The precision and tight painting near the opening is exceptional.   The seedpot is signed on the bottom, “Dorothy Torivio” and it is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a striking jar by Jennifer Tafoya.  She is known for her clay vessels and also her amazing animal figures!  This jar is an elegant shape with a wide shoulder and a short neck. The entire piece is very highly polished.  The top is very intricately designed.  There are cherry blossoms and note the intricacy of the flowers, the buds, and the branches!  There are four bees as part of the design.  They are very intricately designed and note that two of them even have pollen on their back legs!  All the various colors are derived from natural clay slips.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.  Jennifer continues to be one of the leading innovative potters working today!

This is a figurative clay dinosaur by Jennifer Moquino.  Jennifer has created a unique group of dinosaur figures.  This figure is a Ceratosaurus and the back is fully polished and designed with geometric patterns.  Note the detail on the head and the horn on the top of the note!  As the tail extends out backward, Jennifer created an amazing balance on this figure!  The colors are all derived from natural clay slips.  The piece is signed on the bottom.

Jennifer says of her dinosaur figures

“I have always been a huge fan of dinosaurs.  I didn’t have a bunch of dolls, I had dinosaurs.  If my mother would give me a Barbie doll, I’d give it to my sister.  I think working with animals that lived millions of years ago is fascinating and it’s fun learning how they lived. “

Jennifer Tafoya is known for her clay vessels and also her amazing animal figures!  This jar is an elegant shape for her pottery.  It has a wide shoulder and a short neck.  The piece is highly polished and the top is fully designed. There are three parrots as the design.  Two of which are in flight and the third is a view of the bird’s head.  They are very intricately etched into the clay and note the detail in the feathers!  The background area has a mica clay slip which creates an additional contrast.  Surrounding the birds are additional cloud and lightning designs.  All the various colors are derived from natural clay slips.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.  Jennifer continues to be one of the leading innovative potters working today!

This is a figurative clay dinosaur by Jennifer Moquino.  Jennifer has created a unique group of dinosaur figures.  This figure is a Parasaur and the back is fully polished and designed.  The figure is fired brown and there is a lot of design work on the body.  There is a great sense of motion with the turned head.  The colors are all derived from natural clay slips.  The piece is signed on the bottom.

Jennifer says of her dinosaur figures

“I have always been a huge fan of dinosaurs.  I didn’t have a bunch of dolls, I had dinosaurs.  If my mother would give me a Barbie doll, I’d give it to my sister.  I think working with animals that lived millions of years ago is fascinating and it’s fun learning how they lived. “

This is a figurative clay dinosaur by Jennifer Moquino.  Jennifer has created a unique group of dinosaur figures.  This figure is an Ankylosaurus and the back is fully polished and designed.  There are cloud swirls and mountain designs on the back.  The spines on the side are slipped with mica and there is a green clay painted on the side in triangular stripes.   The colors are all derived from natural clay slips.  The piece is signed on the bottom.

Jennifer says of her dinosaur figures

“I have always been a huge fan of dinosaurs.  I didn’t have a bunch of dolls, I had dinosaurs.  If my mother would give me a Barbie doll, I’d give it to my sister.  I think working with animals that lived millions of years ago is fascinating and it’s fun learning how they lived. “

This is a figurative clay dinosaur by Jennifer Moquino.  Jennifer has created a unique group of dinosaur figures.  This figure is a Velociraptor and the back is fully polished and designed.  There are lightning and cloud designs.  Check out the head and the teeth as well as the large claw on the feet!  The colors are all derived from natural clay slips.  The piece is signed on the bottom.

Jennifer says of her dinosaur figures

“I have always been a huge fan of dinosaurs.  I didn’t have a bunch of dolls, I had dinosaurs.  If my mother would give me a Barbie doll, I’d give it to my sister.  I think working with animals that lived millions of years ago is fascinating and it’s fun learning how they lived. “

Greg Lonewolf is the son of Joseph Lonewolf and is known for his intricately incised miniatures.  This seedpot is one of his larger pieces and it is fully designed and fired black.  The design consists of three realistic hummingbirds encircling the seedpot. At the top is a flower and a geometric star pattern.  All the various colors are additional clay slips. which are added after the black firing. The seedpot is entitled, “Hummingbirds”.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Teresita Naranjo was a daughter of Christina Naranjo and know for her deeply carved pottery.  This jar is fully carved with a feather pattern around the neck and water serpent around the body of the piece.  It is very much like some of her larger pieces with complex designs.  Note how deeply it is carved and the intricate flow of design on the body of the avanyu.  It is traditionally fired black and signed on the bottom in the clay, “Teresita Naranjo”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf is from 1982 and it is highly polished and fired red.  The design has six different Mimbres insects as the design.  There are a bee, butterfly, beetle, mosquito and two others.  Each is etched into the clay and then their bodies consist of additional designs.  All the various colors are derived from natural clay slips.  There are three different green clays, blue and white.  Near the base is the yearly symbol for 1982, which is a “+”.   The piece is very highly polished and intricately designed.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Joseph Lonewolf said of his use of Mimbres imagery in his pottery:

“I regard the Mimbres as my ancestors. Though I refine their designs, each design must have meaning for me. In my dreams I see how to use the design, how to make the pot happen. Then when I work the clay, everything flows. Some people wonder why I keep changing styles, colors, forms. But I can’t just sit there and make pots. Like any artist, I must try different things, different techniques. I must meet the challenge with my hands. The patterns and the methods I see in my mind during my dreams.” —Joseph Lonewolf, 1974, Spoken Through Clay

“I regard the Mimbres as my ancestors. Though I refine their designs, each design must have meaning for me. In my dreams I see how to use the design, how to make the pot happen. Then when I work the clay, everything flows. Some people wonder why I keep changing styles, colors, forms. But I can’t just sit there and make pots. Like any artist, I must try different things, different techniques. I must meet the challenge with my hands. The patterns and the methods I see in my mind during my dreams.” —Joseph Lonewolf, 1974, Spoken Through Clay

This seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf is from 1979.  It has an incised antelope as the design on the top of the piece.  On the sides of the piece are rain and lightning designs and even a very small dragonfly!  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  The seedpot is signed on the bottom in the clay.

This is an intricately painted miniature jar by Dolores Curran.  Before she began making her carved pieces, she was well known for her delicately painted buff-on-red pottery.  This piece is unusual as it is fired black.  It is fully polished and the jar has a square neck.  The neck has a cloud and rain design and the shoulder has a water serpent (avanyu) encircling the piece.  Much like her buff-on-red pieces, they design has to be painted over several times.  Note the precision of the lines!  The jar is signed on the bottom.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Debra Duwyenie is well known for her wonderful miniatures and incised designs. Each piece is stone polished and then it is etched before it is fired! This seedpot has eight turtles as the design.  Each of the turtles has a different design on the back.  Note the one with the wavy lines, that one is meant to represent Preston Duwyenie, her husband, who is known for his “shifting sand” pottery.  There are additional dragonflies and a water serpent at the base of the design.  Note that the lighter red matte areas are where Debra has only etched away the polished surface but not down as far as the tan color of the clay. Debra also pays close attention to the little details like the tan background area and how evenly she etches the vertical lines. The seedpot is traditionally fired.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay with Preston’s hallmark and “Debra”.

Dolores Curran creates intricately incised and painted pottery.  She was inspired to create these red polychrome incised and painted by her husband, Alvin Curran.  He was known for his incised San Juan style pottery in the 1990’s.  This piece is one of her lidded boxes. The box is oval and the sides are fully painted with geometric designs.  There are feather, cloud and sun designs.  Did you know that when she paints the designs, she goes over each area at least four times so that the white clay will be dark enough to show against the polished red surface!  The lid has a water serpent incised into the clay in a San Juan style.  The area is matte and there are red, white and brown clay slips.  It is surrounded by a painted cloud design.  Note on the lid there are red dots on one side and white dots on the other, to let you know which way to place the lid!  The piece is wonderfully intricate in painting and complex in form.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Dolores Curran”.

This is an original etching by Rosemary Lonewolf.  The figure is a Corn Spirit holding an ear of corn and surrounded by a corn stalk and pollen.  It is 4/60 and titled, “Corn Spirit’s Fertile Form”.   It is signed, “Rosemary Apple Blossom Lonewolf”.   It is in excellent condition.

This is an original etching by Camilio Tafoya.  It uses similar designs to those in his pottery.  Here it depicts a charming combination of frogs and mice playing in the sun.  There are additional colors added to the etching.  This piece is 23/60 and it was printed by El Cerro Graphics, who printed all of Camilio and Jospeh’s etchings.  It is dated 1981 and signed, “Camilio Sunflower Tafoya”.   It is in excellent condition.

This is an intricately painted miniature seedpot by Dolores Curran.  Before she began making her carved pieces, she was well known for her delicately painted buff-on-red pottery.  The bowl is highly polished red and painted with a buff clay for the design.  Amazingly, she would paint each piece up to five times to get the color of the matte painted areas deep and consistent enough!  This piece has a feather pattern which encircles the piece.  Below are cloud and rain designs.  Around the top is a water serpent.  Note the precision of the lines!  So why doesn’t Dolores make this style anymore? She ran out of the cream-colored clay slip for the painting, and so only uses it as an accent on her new work!  As well, this is a larger sized piece of her painted pottery, as she mostly made miniatures due to the time-consuming nature of the painting. The bowl is signed on the bottom.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is an amazingly intricate miniature by Ida Sahmie.  It is the Day Chant Dance with eight male Yei-bi-chi dancers encircling the jar.  The background area is fully polished the 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 incises into the clay for the faces and the bodies, leather and masks.  She is a daughter-in-law of Priscilla Nampeyo and Ida continues to make beautifully formed pottery with wonderfully complex designs.  She has won numerous awards for her pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market.  She is the only Navajo potter creating this unique style of ethnographic pottery.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Ida Sahmie”.

This is an exceptional lidded jar by Ray Tafoya.  The jar has a realistic buffalo etched around the neck.  Below is a stylized Buffalo Dancer.  On either side of the medallion are a male and female Buffalo Dancer.  Around the neck are etched feathers and separating the two dancers are prayer feather desigsn.  The lid of the piece has a buffalo on the top.  There are coral and turquoise additions on the buffalo lid.  Ray used an additional red clay color to accentuate the designs. The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay along with his hallmark, “White Mountain”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Note how many of the geometric designs are similar to ones used today by his daughter, Jennifer Tafoya.  

Jennie Laate was among the most important revival potters at Zuni in the 1970’s.  This is a very traditional style Zuni Kiva bowl. The bowl is shaped with terraced “kiva” steps or cloud shapes.  In the center is a frog with a head in relief. Surrounding the frog are tadpoles.  On the outside are dragonflies with the wings painted with either red or black lines.  The purpose of the kiva bowls was often ceremonial and the inclusion of frogs, tadpoles, and dragonflies are representative of prayers.  The kiva bowl is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom.

This is a very traditionally inspired tile by Ida Sahmie.  It is “Father Sky”, 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.  Father Sky is in the center with the cosmos painted on the body.  Surrounding the figure is a rainbow design.  Note how areas are etched into the clay, as well as painted!  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 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 is a very traditionally inspired tile by Ida Sahmie.  It is “Mother Earth”, 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.  Mother Earth is in the center with the four sacred plants and other imagery painted on the polished red surface.  The face is etched.  There is a band below the figure which as polished and etched sections.  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 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 seedpot by Gloria Garcia is fully polished and fired black. The top is fully designed with a butterfly and a flower.  The wings of the butterfly are etched to create the design.  The remainder of the piece is fully polished.  Gloria’s combination of polishing and etched designs is always striking.  This piece is signed on the bottom with her Tewa name “GoldenRod”.

This miniature jar by Geri Naranjo is a striking shape.  It has a round shoulder and a short neck.  Geri is known for her miniature pottery and intricately etched designs.  Here the entire piece is fully polished and around the shoulder is an avanyu and below are cloud, rain and lightning designs.  The designs are all etched into the clay with precision.  The remainder of the jar is very highly polished.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a classic kiva bowl miniature jar by Linda Cain.  Linda is a daughter of Mary Cain and the mother of Tammy Garcia and Autumn Borts.  This miniature bowl is carved with the kiva steps on the rim of the piece.  It is a form often seen at Santa Clara Pueblo. The outside of the bowl is polished while the inside is matte.  It is fired a deep black and signed on the bottom in the clay, “Linda Cain”.

Dolores Lewis is a daughter of renowned potter Lucy M. Lewis.  Dolores is known for use of classic Acoma and Mimbres designs in her pottery.  This bowl is a round shape with high sides.  It is painted with four antelope encircling the bowl.  Each antelope is perfectly painted with red bodies and white bellies.  It is imagery inspired by the Mimbres pottery of the 1100s.  This bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Dolores Lewis” and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  While Dolores makes little pottery today, work remains some of the classic traditional pottery of Acoma Pueblo.

This is an intricately painted lidded jar by Dolores Curran.  Before she began making her carved pieces, she was well known for her delicately painted buff-on-red pottery.  The jar is highly polished red and painted with a buff clay for the design.  Amazingly, she would paint each piece up to five times to get the color of the matte painted areas deep and consistent enough!  This jar has a feather pattern around the top of the shoulder.  There are two smaller sections with cloud patterns. Below the shoulder, the jar is fully painted with tablita, cloud and water serpent designs.  At the very base of the bowl are two prayer feathers.  The lid is a bear with a painted heartline.  Look at how perfect the lines are!  So why doesn’t Dolores make this style anymore? She ran out of the cream-colored clay slip for the painting, and so only uses it as an accent on her new work!  As well, this is a larger sized piece of her painted pottery, as she mostly made miniatures due to the time consuming nature of the painting. The jar is signed on the bottom.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Teresita Naranjo was a daughter of Christina Naranjo and know for her deeply carved pottery.  This bowl is one of her few miniatures.  The bowl is very deeply carved with cloud and lightning designs. The designs spiral around the surface of the bowl.  It is traditionally fired black. The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Teresita Naranjo” and it is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Diane Lewis is known for her tightly painted miniature pottery.  This is one of her very intricately painted seedpots.  The top is painted with intricate Mimbres inspired Flute Players.  Around the edge of the piece are star and mountain designs. All the colors are from natural clay slips.  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 women, fish and a woman playing the flute with a baby.  Separating the various images are geometric Acoma designs.  There is a cut-out in the clay on the top in the shape of a kiva step design.  All the colors are from natural clay slips.  It is an exciting modern interpretation of classic Acoma imagery.  It is signed on the bottom, “D. Lewis”.

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 with no design.  It is in the shape of a high shoulder jar. The piece is very thinly constructed and highly polished.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Geri Naranjo”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a complex smaller bowl by Art Cody Haungooah. The bowl is fully polished and fired black.  It is entitled, “The Ancient Ones”.  There is a single medallion which is etched humanized grasshopper along with a stylized grassopper figure.  This is one of those pieces where I wish I knew the story of “The Ancient Ones” as Art was masterful as a story teller.  The bowl has some deeper carving (the circular lines) along with Art’s classic straffito.  The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Haungooah  “The Ancient Ones”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Art Cody Haungooh: A “Reflected Light” in Pueblo Pottery

This is a small intricately designed bowl by Art Cody Haungooah. The bowl is fully polished and fired black.  The shoulder of the piece is etched with a feather pattern.  Typically, Martha would make and polish the pottery while Art would etch the designs into the clay.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Haungooah”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is one of the few pieces signed by both Art Cody Haungooah and his wife, Martha.  Martha made the small jar and polished the surface.  Art Cody etched the design.  The central medallion is a howling coyote.  In front of the coyote is a quarter moon.  On the opposite side of the moon is a stylized bird.  There is just a slight lip to the jar.  The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Art & Martha Haungooah  1976”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Art Cody Haungooh: A “Reflected Light” in Pueblo Pottery

Rebecca Lucario is known for her delicate and intricately painted pottery.  This seedpot is painted with a lizard on top.  The lizard is surrounded by intricately painted geometric Acoma designs.  It is delicate in design and traditional in form.  The seedpot is signed on the bottom, “R. Lucario”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Sharon Lewis has developed her own very distinctive style of painted design.  Her pieces are beautifully formed, thin-walled and then tightly painted.  This bowl is thin walled and painted with a series of flowers with red centers. The red is an additional clay slip.  The flowers spiral around the bowl and are separated by fine-line rain designs.  The bowl is signed on the bottom, “Sharon Lewis”.

This is a classic straight ribbed melon bowl by Nancy Youngblood.  The bowl is coil built and each rib is deeply carved into the clay.  The depth of the carving and the symmetry of each rib is exceptional. This is certainly one of the enduring aspects of her incredible artistry.  Each rib is then polished with a stone to achieve the shine.  Although it is a small piece, consider that each rib has two sides and how much surface area there is for this piece!  The ribs are also very deeply carved into the clay and almost come to a point at the edge! Check out the image looking down on the bowl to see the depth and symmetry of this piece.  Nancy says she can only polish three ribs in one sitting as they are so time-consuming.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed, “Nancy Youngblood Cutler” and it is from 1987.  Simply an iconic piece of her pottery!

Madeline Naranjo creates beautifully carved and polished pottery.  Each piece is coil built, stone polished and traditionally fired.  This is a taller seed jar. There are four parrots deeply carved into the clay.  The bodies of each bird are matte, while the tail feathers and beak are polished.  In the center of each is a carved birdwing.  The area separating the birds is also polished.  Note 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.

Sharon Lewis has developed her own very distinctive style of painted design.  Her pieces are beautifully formed, thin-walled and then tightly painted.  This piece is a figurative quail or bird.  The wings on the side and the designs on the front and back are all painted with bee-weed. The colors are all from additional clay slips.  The bird is signed on the bottom, “Sharon Lewis”.

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 miniature seedpot has a fineline design around the sides.  The top has a feather pattern pained with a red clay slip.  Although it is small, it is tighly painted.  It is signed on the bottom.

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 seedpot by Camilio Tafoya is from 1995. It is the last series of pieces he made.  It was fully polished and etched with five chipmunks.  They are gathering nuts.  It is whimsical in style and there is a playfulness to the designs.  The various colors are derived from natural clay slips.  It is signed on the bottom “Camilio Sunflower Tafoya”. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Art Cody Haungooah began making pottery in  1972.  He brought his Kiowa heritage and culture to the pottery of Santa Clara Pueblo.  This piece is from around 1980.  It is a seedpot and fully polished. It is an unusual design in that it is based more of Kiowa history than that of the Southwest.  There are two teepees as the design.  They are surrounded by cloud and feather patterns.  It is signed on the back, “AH, Haungooah”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Art Cody Haungooh: A “Reflected Light” in Pueblo Pottery

This seedpot by Gloria Garcia is fully polished and fired black. The top is fully designed with a prancing fawn in the older “two-dimensional” style of Santa Clara paintings.  The fawn is surrounded by flowers.  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 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.

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.

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!

Candelaria Suazo is a daughter of potters Joe and Santanita Suazo.  Her sisters include Martha Suazo (the wife of Art Cody Haungooah), Margie Naranjo, Mae Tapia and Shirley Duran.  She learned to make pottery from her mother and has been making pottery for over 20 years.  This miniature bowl is coil built and stone polished.  It is etched with a Yei figure and then two-toned to make it black and sienna in coloration.  Note the high polish and delicate etching on this piece.  It is signed on the bottom.

This seedpot by Camilio Tafoya is very intricately designed.  It would seem that it most likely was made, polished and the designs were begun by Camilio and then the designs were finished by his son, Joseph Lonewolf.  While it is signed by Camilio, it would suggest that the piece was already polished.  However, there are indicators that it was finished by Joseph, as he finished several of the pieces which Camilio had in process before he passed.  The deer are all very intricately etched and designed than on any of the piece finished by Camilio from 1990-5.  There is is a large buck with antlers extending over the top of the seedpot. On the opposite side there is another deer with smaller antlers and two does.  The deer are very intricately designed and they are much closer in style to those of Joseph.  As well, there is the number on the bottom, which is precision-etched, and the last letters are JL, which are probably Joseph’s initials as the end of the numbering system. The numbering system used by Camilio was typically much shorter and a bit more stylistic in design.  Overall, the piece is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Beginning in the early 1970’s, Joseph Lonewolf revolutionized the world of Santa Clara pottery by incorporating his sgraffito (lightly etching the surface of the clay) and incised (more deeply cut into the clay) designs.  This seedpot is from the 1990’s.  It has the yearly symbol of a heart with a cross in it on the back.  On the front is the classic Feathered Water Serpent which was used by Joseph Lonewolf and his family.  Note the intricate detail in the head and the feathers.  There is an additional butterfly etched into the back of the piece.   The precision of the designs and the shine of the polished surface create a perfect balance.  This piece is in perfect condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.

Beginning in the early 1970’s, Joseph Lonewolf revolutionized the world of Santa Clara pottery by incorporating his sgraffito (lightly etching the surface of the clay) and incised (more deeply cut into the clay) designs.  This is a very small seedpot and yet it is very fully designed!  The seedpot has two Mimbres style flute players as the design.  They are surrounded by plant and rain designs. There is a butterfly on the opposite side.  The heart medallion is the yearly symbol for 1986.  There is an additional green clay slip used to highlight the designs.  The precision of the designs and the shine of the polished surface create a perfect balance.  This piece is in perfect condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a classically shaped jar by Dorothy Torivio.  She was among the first to utilize and then refine the “op-art” style in her Acoma pottery. She took traditional Acoma patterns and then repeated them on a vessel, ranging the size from small to large and then small again, in accordance with the shape of the vessel.  The shape of the jar has a wide, sharp shoulder and a very tiny neck.  The design is a yucca leaf which extends from the neck to the shoulder and then to the base.  The open space of the white and the contrasting black give the jar a very modern appearance.  The jar is signed on the bottom, “Dorothy Torivio” and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf is from 1997.  The piece is entitled, “Mimbres Cricket”.  It includes a signed version of the card which Joseph made for each of his miniatures.  This piece was actually made for our show at the gallery with Joseph and Grace Medicine Flower in 1998.   Joseph wrote partially of this piece:

“Portrayed from a side view is a cricket representative of the Mimbres Period – 10th to 14th centuries.  The cricket – an insect related to the locust and grasshopper, but usually having long antennae – appears to be leaping in mid-air.  Beneath the Mimbres cricket is highly polished red slipwork (Mother Earth) which encompasses the extreme front, partial sides, back side and a portion of the top.”

The butterfly is symbolic of beauty and the the interlocking rings medallion represents the attachment between friends and was the yearly symbol for 1997.  Beginning in the early 1970’s, Joseph Lonewolf revolutionized the world of Santa Clara pottery by incorporating his sgraffito (lightly etching the surface of the clay) and incised (more deeply cut into the clay) designs.  The piece is signed on the bottom and includes the signed artist card.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf is from around 2000.  The piece is one of his few black fired pieces.  It is fully eteched with a potter working on painting a piece of pottery.  They are surrounded by several other pieces of finished pottery.  Above the figure are butterflies.  Each butterfly is detailed and has various clay-colored slips.  There is a small butterfly etched into the black along with the yearly symbol.  It is a more complex design, both in the figure and as well as the colors.  It is signed on the bottom.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This miniature seedpot by Camilio Tafoya is from 1975. It is etched with a feather pattern around the neck. The area below the design is fully polished red.  It is signed on the bottom “Camilio Sunflower Tafoya”. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

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.

Joseph Lonewolf began making pottery in 1970-1.  This is a very early piece of his pottery.  It is a more classic shape with a wide shoulder which slopes upward.  The bottom half of the piece is fully polished. The top is etched with a water serpent (avanyu) with a feather pattern, which is the style used by him and his family.  The matte background area is deeply etched swirls up from the shoulder and over the rim.  It must have been exciting in 1971 to see work that was so new and unique at the time!  This piece is in perfect condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.

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.

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”.

Shirley Tafoya was the youngest daughter of Margaret Tafoya and known for her miniature pottery.  This bowl is from 1980.  It is very deeply carved with a water serpent encircling the piece.  The entire surface is fully polished.  Shirley etched the eye and the mouth of the avanyu.  The water serpent is a classic Santa Clara design telling the story of how the avanyu saved the village from a flood.  The bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Shirley Cactus Blossom Tafoya”. A classic of Tafoya Family pottery!