This is a classic polychrome jar by Margaret & Luther Gutierrez.  Margaret would make the pottery and Luther, her brother, Luther,  would paint them.  This jar is one of their classic shapes with a round body and slight neck.  Allt he various colors are derived from native clay slips.  There are four medallions on the jar.  Two have warriors or hunters and the other two have animals (a bear and a mountain lion). The bear and mountain lion both have heartlines as part of their designs.  Note the various clay colors used on this jar, including the green and orange.  The jar is signed on the bottom, “Margaret / Luther” and it is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Denny Gutierrez was known for his faceted melon bowls. As opposed to carving them, he would flatten out each rib out to create a “faceted” appearance.  The result was a reflective surface and a very striking piece of pottery.  This jar has 32 melon ribs which are straight at the shoulder and then swirl below the shoulder.  The area above the melon ribs is polished and the lid is also fully polished.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Denny Gutierrez Santa Clara 06”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is an amazing large open bowl by Jacob Koopee.  Jake was known for his large pieces and his variations on traditional Hopi-Tewa designs.  This large open bowl is coil built and it is painted on the outside and the inside. On the outside there is the classic migration pattern.  Jake had an ability to paint the fine lines of the pattern thin and even. The inside of the bowl is also fully painted with hand prints and cradle dolls.  Each of the cradle dolls is a different katsina, including a Qooqule, Grandmother, Runner and other figures.  The small hand prints were meant to represent the children given the cradle dolls as gifts.  The bowl is signed on the bottom with a flute player, which was one of Jake’s signatures.  This immense bowl is a striking example of his skill as both potter and painter.  It is traditionally fired and painted with bee weed (black) and natural clay slips.  Jake won numerous awards during his career including “Best of Show” in 2005 at both Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Museum Market.  I was lucky to have been a pottery judge both years at both events, and it was exciting to see an artist create such dynamic work.

This is a classic round melon bowl by Angela Baca.  It is very deeply carved and each rib is stone polished.  On this bowl, even the space between the 24 individual ribs is fully polished!  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Angela Baca” and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a classic jar by Maria Martinez.  It was made by Maria Martinez and painted by her daughter-in-law Santana Martinez (the wife of Adam Martinez, Maria’s son).  It is very highly polished and has a glassy surface.  The design is a feather pattern which encircles the shoulder of the jar.  The shape of the bowl has a wide shoulder and a sloping neck. The feather are painted very tightly from the rim to the neck. The bottom of the jar is indented and signed in the clay.   It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  

To learn more about Maria’s signatures, click here.

This is a classic bowl by Santana and Adam Martinez.  The piece is very highly polished and perfectly painted with classic mountain and lightning design.  The bowl is traditionally fired with areas of gunmetal coloration to the surface.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Santana + Adam”. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Definitely a classic piece!

This is a variation on the classic eagle feather design plate by Maria Martinez and her son, Popovi Da. Maria made and polished the plate while it was painted by her son, Popovi Da  (1923-1971). The plate is highly polished with a deep black shine.  The design has the eagle feathers and the bird wings.  The plate is signed on the back in the clay, “Maria Popovi“. The signature indicates that it was an early piece of their pottery from 1956-9).  The plate is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. I included photos of the plate turned in different directions to show how the shine appears on the piece.

To learn more about Maria’s signatures, click here.

Elva Tewaguna Namepyo, was a daughter of Fannie Nampeyo, a granddaughter of the Nampeyo of Hano and a sister of Iris and Tonita Nampeyo and Thomas Polacca.  Her pottery was coil built, stone polished and painted with bee-weed and natural clay slips. This small bowl is a very traditional design with a batwing pattern.  The piece was traditionally fired to create the blushes on the surface.  It is signed on the bottom.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Her daughter Adelle Nampeyo continues in the same family tradition.

Elva Tewaguna Namepyo, was a daughter of Fannie Nampeyo, a granddaughter of the Nampeyo of Hano and a sister of Iris and Tonita Nampeyo and Thomas Polacca.  Her pottery was coil built, stone polished and painted with bee-weed and natural clay slips. This wide shape bowl is a very traditional form for Hopi-Tewa pottery.  This design, the bat wing pattern, is one which was revived by Nampeyo of Hano.   The piece was traditionally fired to create the blushes on the surface.  It is signed on the bottom.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Her daughter Adelle Nampeyo continues in the same family tradition.

This small bowl by Art Cody Haungooah is from 1974.  The bowl is fully polished and there is a section with the etched design.  Here is a lizard which is inspired by the Mimbres pottery.  The lizard has shell insets for its eyes as well as 6 in the body.  Art used the shell insets as a reflection of new trends in Pueblo pottery at the time, but also as these are little beads, they recall the Kiowa influence of beaded objects.  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Haungooah”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

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

This miniatures bowl by Art Cody Haungooah has been fired black and then two-toned on the neck.  The top part is etched with cloud and stylized bird designs. You can see the eye (the black dot) of one of the birds.  They are surrounded by rain and wind designs.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Tony Da is a name synonymous with innovative pottery and paintings.  However, before he became famous for his pottery he began drawing in the 1960’s.  He was the son of noted potter Popovi Da and the grandson of Maria Martinez.  This is one of about five pen and ink drawings that he did early in his career.  Virtually all the other are in public collections.  This piece is one of his grandmother, Maria Martinez.  The other known pen & ink drawings of Maria are in the permanent collection of the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos.  This piece has an interesting provenance.  It was made in 1966 for the “Three Generations” exhibition in Washington DC.  The exhibition was partially arranged through some collectors in Texas, with whom Maria, Popovi and Tony stayed on their way to DC.  At the end of the exhibition, this drawing of Maria, along with several other pieces, were acquired by their benefactors in Texas.  The painting is signed, “D’a 66”.   It is in excellent condition. What a great piece of history and this piece is certainly an important addition  to any collection of work by Tony Da or San Ildefonso art.

This is one of the few pieces signed by both Art Cody Haungooah and his wife, Martha. The bowl is fully polished red and there is a central medallion which is etched into the clay.  There is a lizard, rabbit and quail as the design. There is a piece of coral inset in the quail.  Around the shoulder of the bowl is an etched cloud design.  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Art & Martha Haungooah”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

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

Popovi Da was a son of noted potter, Maria Martinez.  While he worked with her painting designs on her pottery, he also created a few pieces on his own beginning in 1962.  He was planning to continue making pottery on his own after Maria retired but unfortunately passed away before this could occur.  His pottery pieces are definitely a rarity among Pueblo pottery and it is not often that we come across his work.  This is one of his classic feather plates.  It is fully polished and delicately painted and traditionally fired.  It is signed on the back in the clay, “Popovi 1165” which is the firing date of November, 1965.  That makes this an early piece of his pottery.  The plate is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair and it is certainly an important addition to any collection!

Lela Gutierrez began making pottery in the 1930’s with her husband, Van Gutierrez.  After Van passed away in 1956 she continued to make pottery with her son, Luther Gutierrez.  She would make the pieces and Luther would paint the designs.  They worked together for only 10 years from 1956 to 1966.  This open bowl is a later piece of their pottery.  It has a triangular mountain design painted around the shoulder.  Above the mountains are cloud patterns, each with a different design.  “Inside” the mountains are various earth symbols.  All the various colors are derived from natural clay slips and painted onto the piece before it was fired.  It is signed on the bottom, “Lela/Luther”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This miniature jar by Camilio Tafoya is from  by Camilio is from 1975. It is etched with a feather pattern around the shoulder.  The neck of the jar has a very lightly etched kiva step pattern.  The kivas are the ceremonial areas which are often below ground and depicted in pottery as a series of three steps. 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.

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 intricately designed seedpot has a Mimbres inspired inch worm along the base.  There are three butterflies flying overhead along with flowers in the background.  On the back side of the piece is an incised petal design and incised flowers along with a heart medallion.  This seedpot is from 1986 and it is perfectly polished and he has used a variety of green and white clay slips to create the various colors.  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.

Tonita Roybal remains one of the great innovative names in San Ildefonso pottery.  This is is one of the larger pieces we have had of her pottery. The jar is one of her early long neck vessels with a slight shoulder.  The design is the classic water serpent (avanyu), which is painted around the shoulder.  The jar is very highly polished and fired with a range of color from black to gunmetal.  Interestingly, when she would fire these long neck jars they would be fired on their side!  This jar has a slight lean to the form.  However, the size and classic design are the dynamic parts of this amazing jar!  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Tonita”.  It is in good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This wide bowl by Maria Martinez is one of her classic pieces in both shape and design.  It was made by Maria Martinez and painted by her daughter-in-law Santana Martinez (the wife of Adam Martinez, Maria’s son).  It is very highly polished and has a glassy surface.  The design is a feather pattern which encircles the shoulder of the jar.  The shape of the bowl is a very traditional one for Maria.  She would often say that this wide shape was made so the bowl could be easily held in both hands.  The deep black firing and the tightly painted designs using the matte clay work perfectly together.  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Maria + Santana”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  There is one very small rub on the rim, but otherwise the condition is exceptional, which can also be seen from the bottom of the bowl, which has virtually no wear!

To learn more about Maria’s signatures, click here.

Blue Corn is often best known for her polychrome pottery, she also made exquisite black-on-black pottery. She learned to make pottery from Maria Martinez at San Ildefonso. This jar is fully polished and patined with 39 feathers around the shoulder of the piece.  The shape is a classic one for Blue Corn, with the low shoulder and elongated sides.  The contrast of the matte feathers and the highly polished surface works perfectly!  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay “Blue Corn, San Ildefonso”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  There are a few light surface scratches seen in the photos.

Helen Gutierrez (1935-1993) was a daughter of Isabel Atencio, a sister of Gilbert Atencio and the mother of Geraldine, Carol and Rose Gutierrez. She was known for her traditional San Ildefonso pottery.  This jar is highly polished and painted with a feather pattern.  The design and style are classic for San Ildefonso.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Dolly Joe Navasie is best known by her name White Swann.  She is the daughter of Eunice “Fawn” Navasie and a sister of Dawn and Fawn Navasie.  This jar is coil built and painted with bee-weed (black) and a red clay slip. The design is a classic eagle tail pattern which extends down from the shoulder.  The jar is traditionally fired to create the blushes.  It is signed on the bottom, “White Swann”.   It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Pauline Talasyousia (Setalla) (b. 1930) married Justin Navasie Setalla.  She was raised in the village of Mishongovi and learned to make pottery from her mother-in-law, Agnes Navasie and her sister-in-law Eunice “Fawn” Navasie.  She had ten children, including Dee Stealla, Agnes Nasonhoya, Gwen Setalla and Stetson Setalla, who are all potters.  This is one of her canteens from the 1970’s.  It is a classic Hopi shape with the round belly.  The design is a bird pattern which is painted on the front of the piece.  The black is bee-weed and the white and red are clay slips. The canteen is flat on the back but it also stands.  It was traditionally fired which created the coloration of the pink and white.  The canteen is in good condition with some fugitive black and a small chip on the back of the lip.  It is signed, “Pauline S.” on the back.

This bowl by Jacob Koopee is from 2004. This jar I originally purchased from Jake and now it has come back to the gallery!  First about the color. The jar is made with the red Hopi clay and it is almost a brown coloration from the firing!  The rim and various other areas have the purple or mauve colored clay slip that he started to use on his pottery.  The design is a migration pattern with the bird wings but note how he modified it.  The rim has the migration lines over a mauve clay.  The bird wings extend down from the top and up from the shoulder and are etched with small lines.  Separating them are the bird heads which are again painted with the mauve clay.  All the designs are outlined with a white clay slip.   The bottom has small hand designs which Jake cut out and would use the white clay to spray around the hands.  The impact of the hands and the birds is striking and the white clay has just a little texture!  The jar was traditionally fired to create the colorations.   The piece is signed on the bottom, “Koopee” and a flute player hallmark.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Jake won numerous awards during his career including “Best of Show” in 2005 at both Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Museum Market.  I was lucky to have been a pottery judge both years at both events, and it was exciting to see an artist create such dynamic work.

This is an exceptional large water jar by Marie Z. Chino.  The piece is from the 1970’s and it is a striking shape and design. The jar has a high shoulder and a straight neck.  The design is a series of alternating Heartline Deer and parrots.  Separating them is a rainbow design.  Note how the parrots are painted in red with no outline, as are the flowers.  The black areas include rain designs and fine-line patterns.  The shape of the jar and the designs are a perfect balance as the imagery flows across the surface of the piece.  It is easy to see with a jar of this quality in form and design why Marie Z. Chino is one of the great names in Acoma pottery!  The jar is signed on the bottom.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This bowl by Fannie Nampeyo is a classic bowl shape.  form.   The design is a black bird migration pattern with the bird in black above the shoulder and the bird tail below the shoulder.  The design has a great flow around the entire piece.  It was traditionally fired creating the striking color variations on the surface.  It’s not often that we see such complex painting on Fannie’s smaller pieces.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. It is signed on the bottom, “Fannie Nampeyo” and it is from the 1960’s.

Tonita Roybal is one of the great innovative names in San Ildefonso pottery.  This is classic shape with the sharp shoulder.  The sloping area to the neck was painted by her husband, Juan Cruz.  The design is wonderful in the flowing pattern with a cloud design at the top and a water design at the bottom.  However, they are mirror images and the result is a pattern which has a very modern appearance.  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Tonita + Juan”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

The is a small but intricate seedpot by Camilio Tafoya. The seedpot was made in 1980’s and it is fully etched with designs.  It is polished red and the top is etched with a star pattern and four rabbits.  Rabbits were a them often used by Camilio on his pottery.  The bottom of the seedpot has a water design.  The various colors of green and white are from natural clay slips. The seedpot is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf is from 1984 and it is highly polished and fired red.  The seedpot is inspired by the Mimbres pottery designs.  Here there are two different bees etched into the surface of the clay.  As the seedpot is turned there is the yearly symbol for 1984 on the back. It is meant to represent a bright future.  The seedpot also comes with the original card typed out by Joseph explaining the designs. It is is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

OJoseph Lonewolf is undoubtedly one of the great names in Pueblo pottery for his style of sgraffito pottery with realistic animals and insects.  This unique seedpot is from 1984 and it has two honey bees as the design.  One of the bees even has the pollen on its legs!  It is extraordinary how he is able to capture such realism on a round surface just by etching into the surface of the clay!  The side has the annual yearly symbol for 1984 on the back. It is meant to represent a bright future.  The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay.  Note as well the “Mimbres Bees” Seedpot by Joseph from the same year.  It is a companion piece to this seedpot, with the bees etched in a Mimbres style while they are realistic on this piece!

Rose Williams (1915-2015) wass one of the great matriarchs of Navajo pottery.  Shew as from the Shonto/Cow Springs area of the Navajo Reservation.  Rose was an adult when she learned to make pottery, but continued doing so for over three decades.  Her children, Alice Cling, Sue Ann Williams, and Susie Williams Crank, and her daughter-in-law, Lorraine Williams, are all recognized potters.  The Lók’aa’dine’é Clan (Reed People) in the Shonto/Cow Springs area has long been recognized for its pottery making, and many of the present-day potters or their spouses—Silas Claw, Faye Tso, Rose Williams, and Alice Cling—are members of this clan.  This is an exceptionally large piece of her pottery in collaboration with her daughter, Susie Willams Crank.  It is fully polished and traditionally fired.  The shape is based on traditional Navajo pottery with the low shoulder.  Around the rim is a raised relief mountain design. The jar is traditionally fired and afterwords covered in pine pitch.  This was a traditional method historically to make the pottery water-proof. Today, potters continue this process as a testament to the past. The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay by both potters.

This seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf is from 1984 and it is highly polished and fired red.  The design is unusual as it has a turtle as the central pattern. The turtle is not unusual but note the shape of the turtle’s head and neck and it is certainly reminiscent of the work of Tony Da in style.  The turtle has a mountain design on its back and note at the lower right there is a tiny dragonfly.  As the seedpot is turned there are two incised Mimbres style fish etch into the clay.  There is also another dragonfly.  There is also the yearly symbol for 1984 which has the shifting sand pattern.  The seedpot is highly polished and the contrast of the matte and polished surfaces works perfectly for this desig.  It is is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

The is a complex sgraffito seedpot by Camilio Tafoya. The seedpot was made in 1985 and it is fully etched with designs.  It is very highly polished which creates a striking contrast with the matte and etched areas. The imagery is a deer family encircling the piece.  The top has a cloud and rain design. The green and white are additional clay slips.  The seedpot is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is a striking larger seedpot by Joseph Lonewolf from 1988.  It is a complicated with piece with numerous birds and butterflies encompassing the entire surface.  There are three ruby-throated hummingbirds and eight butterflies on the piece.  Lonewolf writes, “the butterflies denote beauty in simplicity”.  There are both Mimbres inspired and realistic butterflies. Each of the various figures is highlighted with additional clay slips.  There is the yearly symbol for 1988, which is a bear paw.  It is is signed on the bottom in the clay.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  This piece also includes the original card typed up by Joseph Lonewolf detailing the specifics of the designs.

Tena Garcia is a daughter of Rose Chino  Garcia and a granddaughter of noted potter Marie Z. Chino. This small seedpot has a stylized version of the red and white plant/butterfly design made famous by Marie Z. Chion. The seedpot has a flat for and the design is painted on the top.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  The bowl comes to us from the collection of Richard Spivey.

Helen Shupla is famous for her carved pottery as well as her exceptional melon jars.  This is one of her few black-on-black painted pieces.  The plate is fully polished and has an avanyu (water serpent) painted as the design.  Note the head of the avanyu is in the lower left of the photo.  The avanyu has a more stylized appearance on this piece.  The intricate painting is a striking contrast to the highly polished surface. It is signed on the back in the clay.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Blue Corn is certainly one of the most creative potters of her time with a varied used of clays and firing techniques to create her distinctive pottery.  This is one of her distinctive red pieces. The jar is fully polished red and has a feather pattern painted along the body of the piece.  Around the neck is a triangular mountain design. The jar is painted in a buff-on-red style. The highly polished red is in contrast to the matte painted surface.  The jar was traditionally fired to create the coloration.  The jar is signed in the clay on the bottom, “Blue Corn”.   It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is large Kiva Bowl by Margaret Tafoya.  It is from the 1940’s. The bowl is unusual for its size and shape.  The “kiva” is an underground ceremonial room, and there is a ladder out of the top.  The representation of the kiva in Santa Clara pottery is the three step shape carved on the rim of the bowl.  iva bowl are always difficult to make with the carved rim, which can crack in drying as well as in firing.  Adding to the complexity of the bowl is that is fully polished on both the inside and outside!  Amazing that it didn’t crack when polishing, as all the additional wet slip can seep through and cause cracks. The bowl is highly polished and striking in appearance.   It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Margaret Tafoya”.  It is in very excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This bowl was made and polished by Sue Tapia and etched with designs by Tom Tapia.  It is a very intricate piece of his work as it is fully designed.  The shape of the bowl has a kiva step design on one side.  Around the shoulder is a water serpent and as the bowl is turned there is a Pueblo drummer and Deer Dancer.  The next scene is a Pueblo and bear fetish.  Below the kiva step carved rim is a sun design.  The reddish coloration is added after the firing.  The bowl is signed, “Tom & Sue Tapia”.   It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Isabel Pena was one of the early San Ildefonso potters. This is one of her few carved pieces. It is most likely that she made the plate and then it was carved by her daughter, Terasita.  The style of carving is similar to that of her daughter.  The front of the plate is polished red and carved with an avanyu.  The interior carved area is filled in with the a cream colored clay. The back of the plate is also fully polished and it is tan.  The plate is signed on the back in the clay, “Isabel”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Isabel Pena was a granddaughter of Cipriana Pena and a daughter of Tonita Pena (ca 1847-1910) who was known for making large storage vessels. Isabel was the wife of Pasqual Martinez. She was also the mother of noted potters Terasita Martinez and Petronella Martinez. Her great-grandson, Elvis Torres continues to make pottery today.

For more information on the Early San Ildefonso Innovators, Click Here.

Tonita Roybal is one of the great innovative names in San Ildefonso pottery.  This is a classic shape for Tonita, with the low, round shoulder and the turned out rim.  What is unusual is the use of the avanyu or water serpent, as the design.  She painted a variety of designs, but very rarely depicted the water serpent on her pottery. The jar here is fired to a near gunmetal finish and  it is delicately painted and beautifully polished.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Tonita”  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Click here to learn more about the Early San Ildefonso Innovators!

Isabel Pena was one of the early San Ildefonso potters. This is an exceptional jar by Isabel Pena.  It is one of the only lidded pieces of hers we have come across.  The jar is painted with a mountain step pattern and the lid is also painted.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Isabel”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Isabel Pena was a granddaughter of Cipriana Pena and a daughter of Tonita Pena (ca 1847-1910) who was known for making large storage vessels. Isabel was the wife of Pasqual Martinez. She was also the mother of noted potters Teresita Martinez and Petronella Martinez. Her great-grandson, Elvis Torres continues to make pottery today.

For more information on the Early San Ildefonso Innovators, Click Here.

This is a very distinctive bowl by Susana Aguilar.  The piece is from the 1920’s and it is fully polished and fired to a near gunmetal appearance.  The style of her avanyu is very distinctive with the shape of the horn and the way she painted the mouth. The avanyu of her son, Joe Aguilar, is in very much the same style.  The shape of the bowl is also very classic for her work, with thin walls and a very flat top after the curve of the shoulder.  The bottom of the bowl is also fully polished.  It is signed on the bottom  in the clay, “Susana”. The bowl is in good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It has some scratches on the rim.

Click here to Read more about the “Early San Ildefonso Innovators”.

Isabel Pena was one of the early San Ildefonso potters. This is one of the largest of her black-on-black bowls we have seen. It  has a snow pattern as the design.  It is a complex pattern that encompasses the surface of the jar.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Isabel Pena”.  It is in good condition with no cracks, restoration or repair.  There are a few little rubs and a small chip on the inside of the rim.  Isabel Pena was a granddaughter of Cipriana Pena and a daughter of Tonita Pena (ca 1847-1910) who was known for making large storage vessels. Isabel was the wife of Pasqual Martinez. She was also the mother of noted potters Teresita Martinez and Petronella Martinez. Her great-grandson, Elvis Torres continues to make pottery today.

For more information on the Early San Ildefonso Innovators, Click Here.

This bowl is one of the larger bowls we have had  by Juanita and Wo-Peen Gonzales.  It is carved with the cameo style which Juanita learned from Rose Gonzales.  It has a flowing design on the shoulder with rain and lightning designs separated by mountains.  The carving is deep and perfectly fits the shape of the bowl.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.    The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Juanita”.   It is great to find one of their pieces in such wonderful condition!

Click here to read more about the “Early San Ildefonso Innovators”

Joe Aguilar began his career painting pottery for his mother, Susana Aguilar,  He also made pottery with his wife, Rosalie, through the 1940’s.  In the 1950’s he created a fascinating group of polychrome pottery including both plates and vessels.  He was one of the few potters at the time still using traditional techniques and designs for his work. This is an exceptional plate painted with polychrome designs. The center is a fineline pattern, which was often seen in the earlier black-on-black pottery. The central medallion then becomes a whirling circle of water with the extensions of the plant designs.  The plate is in very good condition with no cracks, restoration or repair. There are two small areas where the white slip has flaked away.  It is signed on the back, “Joe Aguilar”.

For more information on the Early San Ildefonso Innovators, Click Here.

Spoken Through Clay

A NEW  RELEASE SPECIAL:  $95.00, including shipping (US)! Check out the new review in the Denver Post!

 Just a few things which make this book unique!

*   The size!  The book is 11.75″ x 14.25″ and weights over 8 pounds!
*  The photography of the pottery is stunning, emphasizing the individual pieces.
*  Each caption is the artist discussing the individual piece on the page.
*  The artist “biographies” are from interviews with the artists and they discuss their art, culture, lives and history.
*  Organization: The book is not organized by pueblo or family, but entails new ways to think about the future of Native pottery.
*  Printing in Italy gives the book very high quality color and paper.
* The photos of the living artists were taken by Will Wilson using a tin-type process. He was a recipient of the 2107 New Mexico Governor’s Award for the Arts in photography!
*  The book features work by more than 30 contemporary potters and more than a dozen important historic potters.
*  There are essays by myself, Peter Held and Eric Dobkin.  They add to the overall understanding of the project a historic perspective.

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August 18, Pasatiempo Review

“Charles S. King’s new book, Spoken Through Clay: Native Pottery in the Southwest, The Eric S. Dobkin Collection, is spectacularly heavy —which is a problem from a practical standpoint, because once you open it, you won’t want to put it down. With dreamy tintype artist portraits by Diné photographer Will Wilson, dazzlingly crisp images from Addison Doty, and intimate first-person essays written by dozens of artists, the book is a visually delicious, intellectually consuming foray into historic and contemporary Southwestern pottery. In short, prepare to swoon.

“It’s one of the things that makes us who we are. It’s what holds our family together. We are a family of potters. It’s our identity. People don’t realize how much work goes into it just processing the clay and making it. You have to do it with your heart.”—Linda Tafoya-Sanchez

FEATURED ARTISTS Grace Medicine Flower • Dextra Quotskuyva • Autumn Borts-Medlock • Jody Naranjo • Harrison Begay Jr. • Jordan Roller • Sara Fina Tafoya • Lonnie Vigil • Margaret Tafoya • Steve Lucas • LuAnn Tafoya • Loren Ami • Toni Roller • Popovi Da • Linda Tafoya-Sanchez • Mark Tahbo • James Ebelacker• Yvonne Lucas • Jeff Roller • Lisa Holt • Harlan Reano • Nampeyo • Jacquie Stevens • Nathan Youngblood • Jacob Koopee Jr. • Jennifer Moquino • Christopher Youngblood • Maria Martinez • Tony Da • Tammy Garcia • Virgil Ortiz • Joseph Lonewolf • Johnathan Naranjo • Nancy Youngblood • Les Namingha • Russell Sanchez • Christine McHorse • Richard Zane Smith • Rondina Huma • Susan Folwell • Dominique Toya • Jody Folwell

Spoken Through Clay features the pottery of iconic Native American artists from historic potters Nampeyo and Maria Martinez, to contemporary potters Tammy Garcia, Virgil Ortiz, and many others, are featured in a new book published by the Museum of New Mexico Press. Spoken Through Clay: Native Pottery of the Southwest showcases nearly three hundred pottery vessels from the acclaimed Eric S. Dobkin Collection, covering a wide range of mostly Pueblo artists from the Southwest.

“The physical scale of the vessels combined with the depth of the contemporary collection [is] breathtaking,” says author Charles S. King. The book is part of a “transitional process of looking to the clay, the vessel, and the potter’s voice and allowing the pieces to stand on the merit of their artistic integrity.”

The book includes portraits and voices of renowned potters speaking about their artistry and technique, families, culture, and traditions. Many of the artists are connected by Pueblos, generations, or family members. Dynamic color photography captures the depth and dimension of the pieces, while the artists provide an illuminating perspective through narrative captions. Artists, academics, collectors, family members, and gallerists add additional insight about the lives, historical context, and importance of these potters and their work.

SPOKEN THROUGH CLAY Native Pottery of the Southwest The Eric S. Dobkin Collection
By Charles S. King Essay by Peter Held

Artist portraits by Will Wilson
ISBN: 978-0-89013-624-9

352 pages, 320 color plates, 40 artist portraits

Publication Date: August 01, 2017
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Charles S. King is the author of Born of Fire: The Life and Pottery of Margaret Tafoya, The Life and Art of Tony Da, Virgil Ortiz: Revolt 1680/2180, and numerous articles on Pueblo pottery. He has served on boards of art associations, judged pottery at prestigious events, and lectures about the art form. His business King Galleries represents many of today’s leading Native potters and important historic works in clay. Charles lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Let’s just start with this owl figure being almost 12″ tall!  Jessie Garcia is one of the great names in Acoma pottery.  Between 1950 and 1970, she along with Lucy Lewis and Marie Z. Chino, led the revival of Acoma pottery.  There is a history of owl figures at Acoma but most are smaller and few are as detailed as the work by Jessie Garica.  This large owl is coil built and hollow.  It is painted with the red clay slip and bee-weed (black) and traditionally fired. The owl is signed under the wing.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is an excellent piece of her figurative pottery.

This is a charming open bowl by Tonita Roybal, from the 1920’s.  It is either a small plate or a small dish.  It is oval and has a slight rim.  The bowl is painted on the inside with a lightning and cloud pattern.  The piece is polished which creates a strong contrast for the design.  The bowl is signed on the back in the clay, “Tonita”.  It is in very good condition with no cracks, restoration or repair. There are few tiny dings on the rim.  Amazingly, the center of the piece is in excellent condition!

This miniature seedpot by Ray Tafoya is fully polished.  It has a Mimbres inspired Big Horn Sheep on the top.  It is surrounded by cloud, rain and lightning designs.  There is an inset piece of turquoise placed in the hole or opening for the seedpot.  All the different colors are derived from natural clay slips.  Note how many of the designs surrounding the Big Horn Sheep are similar to ones used today by his daughter, Jennifer Moquino.  The seedpot is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is an intricate seedpot by Debra Trujillo (Duwyenie) and Harvey Chavarria.   The seedpot has a pueblo dancer etched into the clay holding a medicine wheel. There is an inset piece of turquoise representing the belt buckle on the figure.  This round flat shape of seepot is one that was stylized by Debra & Harvey for their work.   The piece is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This is one of Ray Tafoya’s few wedding vase miniatures.  The entire piece is fully polished and fired red. The design is a hummingbird in a medallion on each side of the piece.  There are feather designs on the side and additional highlights of yellow clay. The wedding vase is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.

Rose Gonzales is often considered the first at San Ildefonso Pueblo to make carved pottery. However, over the course of her career she created a variety of styles including plainware, painted and carved pottery. This wedding vase is from the 1960’s. It is painted with a plant design on two sides and a very intricate mountain design on the sides.  Note the use of the linear lines for the mountain!  The wedding vase is fully polished it is not often that we see a wedding vase by Rose.  This piece is signed on the bottom in the clay “Rose”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  There are some scratches near the base of the piece.   Rose’s legacy an certainly be seen in the work of Tse-Pe, Dora Tse-Pe and Russell Sanchez.

This is a very creative mini jar Art Cody Haungooah. It is fully polished and etched on the sides. The jar has the Hero Twins on one side, with the clouds and lightning. The opposite side has the people migrating.  The neck of the jar has additional cloud and rain pattern.  The style of the design accentuates the form with the neck.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Haungooah”, and a flute player, which identifies it as being from 1981.  It is in good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This one of the few plates by Art Cody Haungooah. It is from 1977.  It is probably one of his most famous and also most controversial series when he etched nude figures on his pottery.  This plate has two colors on the front with matte and polished areas. The central design design is a Mimbres inspired antelope.  The back has an avanyu and the back of a nude female.  His etching and handling of the nude subject is not graphic, but was certainly unusual for the time period!  The plate is signed, “Haungooah 1977”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

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

Anita Martinez was a granddaughter of Maria Martinez and a daughter of Santana & Adam Martinez.  This is a classic bowl of hers which is highly polished. It has been fired with sections which have a gunmetal appearance.  The bowl is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Anita Martinez”.

 “The ceramicist Maria Poveka Martinez (1887-1980), known to the world as “Maria,” continues, more than two decades after her death, to be the most famous and recognizable Native American artist ever known. Partly it is that her pots, humbly called, are breathtaking works of art no matter the comparison. It is also true that by virtue of her enormously generous spirit and radiant being she managed a kind of approachability that most legends protect themselves against. We feel we know her when her pots have touched us, and out of this exchange something is better in this world.

        The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez is Richard L. Spivey’s masterwork as well, his tribute to a friendship with a great artist that began with Maria’s son Popovi Da and extended to Maria and to many of her family members who joined over the years in the collaborations that brought San Ildefonso ceramic art to the world while reviving its ancient roots for every generation of artist to come.

        Two hundred fine examples of Maria’s pottery are reproduced, many heretofore hidden in private collections and museum storage. Among these are nine magnificent storage jars comprising the entirety of the artist’s production in this form. The author’s long association with the family yields reflections on the artist and her important collaborative relationships with Julian Martinez, their son Popovi Da, and daughter-in-law Santana Martinez. The artistic achievements of Maria and Julian’s descendants document significant developments in Pueblo ceramics at San Ildefonso. Many of grandson Tony Da’s works are assembled for the first time.

All of the pottery types and design motifs are here in the best examples from a career that spanned some seventy productive years, along with their identifying signatures, but it is the container of Maria’s life that holds it all with such heart.”

This is a great book if you want to learn more about Maria Martinez, Popovi Da, Tony Da, Santana & Adam, Barbara Gonzales, Cavan Gonzales and other members of the Martinez Family.

Softcover, 208 pages

This is an classic jar by Tonita Roybal, from the 1920’s.  What is most distinctive about this jar is the shape, which Tonita originated, with the very sharp shoulder. The entire bowl is fired and the area from the shoulder to the rim is painted.  The design is a bird feather and lightning design.  There is also a very unusual comb-like pattern, which is meant to represent wind and rain.  The bowl has been traditionally fired outside, so there are color variations from gunmetal to brown. There is a small area of black and brown below the shoulder which is most likely from a piece of wood touching the piece during the firing.  It might also be from the Tonita herself touching the piece with some wood, as early potters would often touch the pots with a stick during the firing to give them character.  Either way it is part of the charm of the firing process.  The bowl is from the late 1920’s and signed, “Tonita”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

This bowl is by Juanita and Wo-Peen Gonzales.  It is carved with the cameo style which Juanita learned from Rose Gonzales.  It has a complicated design with rain and cloud patterns encircling the bowl.  It is beautifully polished and has deep black coloration.  The bowl is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair and some wear near the base.  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Juanita Wo-Peen”.   It is great to find one of their pieces in such wonderful condition!

Click here to read more about the “Early San Ildefonso Innovators”

Tse-Pe Gonzales as a son of noted potter Rose Gonzales.  This seedpot is fully polished and fired brown. The design is a central plant pattern with a fish on either side.  The tails of the fish extend out from the circle of the medallion.  There is a single inset piece of turquoise at the top to represent the water.  The back of the piece is fully polished with no design.  The etching is tight and the stippling of the background is a visual signature to Tse-Pe’s technique.  It is signed on the bottom with Tse-Pe’s hallmark. 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 has her stylized avanyu as the design.  The bowl is fully polished red and has the classic cream colored clay in the background.  The avanyu encircles the bowl and the body has cloud and rain designs.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Teresita Naranjo” and it is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  

Pasqualita Tafoya was the sister of noted potter SaraFina Tafoya and the matriarch of a family of renowned potters.  Her early pottery are primarily carved vessels with some unusual styles of carved patterns.  This is a larger bowl of her pottery with a carved avanyu encircling the piece.  The avanyu (water serpent) is deeply carved into the clay and the surface is fully polished.  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Pascualita”.  Interestingly, there are numerous variations on the spelling of her name depending on the time period when they were made.  The bowl is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is nice to see a larger piece of her pottery with such a classic design.

This red water jar is a late piece by Popovi Da, as he passed away the same year it was made.  It is a classic water jar and fully polished.  Popovi Da created both plainware and painted vessels.  He was a son of potter, Maria Martinez.  While he worked with her painting designs on her pottery, he also created a few pieces on his own beginning in 1962.  He was planning to continue making pottery on his own after Maria retired but unfortunately passed away before this could occur.  His pottery pieces are definitely a rarity among Pueblo pottery and it is not often that we come across his work.   This jar is signed on the bottom in the clay “Popovi 471” which is the firing date of April, 1971. It is stunning in color and form and certainly a rarity of his work!

Desideria Montoya Sanchez was a sister of noted potter Maria Martinez.  She was known for her traditional pottery and use of both classic and innovative designs. This bowl is painted with a bird wing pattern.  It is interesting that this design has a Hopi-Tewa style appearance to the design.  Many of the early San Ildefonso potters were very interested in the work of Nampeyo of Hano and incorporated Hopi designs into their work.  The imagery was often stylized, such as the feather pattern at the round end of the wing.  The bowl was fired with to a nearly gunmetal appearance.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Desideria”.

Rose Gonzales is often considered the first at San Ildefonso Pueblo to make carved pottery. However, over the course of her career she created a variety of styles including plainware, painted and carved pottery.  This jar is both a classic shape and design.  Rose carved her pottery with a “cameo” style where the design often seems to be carved right at the edge of the shoulder.  Here the water serpent (avanyu) is in that position. The sharp edge of the jar and the long neck are both classics of her form.  The jar is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed, “Rose” on the bottom in the clay.

This miniature seedpot by Ray Tafoya is fully polished and round in shape.  It has a Mimbres style buffalo on the top.  It is surrounded by arrowhead and wind designs.  All the different colors are derived from natural clay slips.  The eye of the buffalo is also the hole for the seedpot!  Note how many of the designs surrounding the bear are similar to ones used today by his daughter, Jennifer Moquino.  The seedpot is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Regarded as one of the great masters of Pueblo ceramics, Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001) is known for her trademark large black polished ceramics, decorated with traditional imagery of rain clouds, water serpents, bear paws, and other symbols. An award-winning artist, she was recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, and a National Heritage Fellowship.
This book is the first complete biography of Margaret Tafoya’s life. It is divided into decades, giving the reader a deeper understanding of her life and pottery over nearly 100 years. It is also the first book to help identify and date her pottery thorough the use of her signatures. There are additional biographies on Virginia Ebelacker, Richard Ebelacker, Lee Tafoya, Linda Tafoya, Jennie Trammel, Mela Youngblood, Nathan Youngblood, Nancy Youngblood, Toni Roller, Jeff Roller, LuAnn Tafoya, Daryl Whitegeese, Mary Ester Archuleta and Shirley Tafoya. The photography of the pottery in this book is exceptional. Personal narratives by family members and family photographs throughout the book create a wonderful sense of her humanity and artistic accomplishments.

This book is now sold out at the publisher as of May, 2018.
Hardcover, 160 pages

King and Spivey present Pueblo potter and painter Tony Da’s artwork and life story in this testament to his legacy. Da was both an art superstar of his time (the high of his career was in the 1960s and 70s) and a deeply private individual. this intimate portrayal brings the reader into the innovative and volatile world of Tony Da.