Tony Da is one of the great innovative names in Pueblo pottery.  He had a very short career which spanned from 1967-82.  At his first art show at Gallup Ceremonials in 1967, he not only won blue ribbons for each piece, but they added new categories for his innovative art in clay.  This is a large jar and one of his few melon jars. The piece is fully polished, and there are 17 swirling ribs. After the jar was fired, the neck was two-toned sienna.  There are three inset rows of shell hei-shi beads.  There is also a single inset piece of turquoise near the base.  Tony’s early pieces often relied on form and simplicity, while his later work became more complicated.  The jar has a fluidity of form and color.  It is signed on the bottom, “DA”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, repair.  Definitely a classic of his pottery style!

“People often approach me and ask why they don’t see much of my pottery today. The simple truth is that I originally started as a painter, and working with pottery came later, quite by accident. Abstract design such as geometric and parallel lines have always been intriguing and have held a strange fascination for me. Perhaps this also explains why speculation about time, space, and man’s position in the universe has always been a preoccupation of mine. I only can wish my work will remain in the future as a cultural testimony to these times.””  Tony Da, Spoken Through Clay

Brand

Da, Tony (1940-2008)

Tony Da

Tony Da was the first Pueblo "rock star." He broke cultural barriers as a "modern Indian," steeped in San Ildefonso Pueblo tradition but living in a contemporary world. A grandson of Maria Martinez and the son of Popovi Da, his precision designs and techniques revolutionized Pueblo pottery and created a new vocabulary for the art. Among the first men to make and design pottery, he introduced sgraffito etching, inlaid stones, and beads, initiated black and sienna colorations, and invented his stylized iconography derived from the ancient Mimbres pottery. Although his career only spanned fifteen years, his work and persona are increasingly relevant. In 2011, Tony Da's pottery and paintings focused on an exhibit entitled; 'Creative Spark, The Life, and Art of Tony Da.' (Museum of Indian Arts and Culture of Santa Fe 2011-2013.) Throughout his career, Tony Da demanded perfection. As a result, he was an innovator in his art, as well as in his life. Tony was known to his family members as a creative perfectionist and as a creative genius. Today, Tony's pottery is considered among the most sought-after by collectors. Charles King and Richard Spivey co-authored a history of his life, and artwork is a testament to his legacy, 'The Life and Art of Tony Da.'  Tony was both an art superstar of his time and a profoundly private individual. This portrayal brings the reader into this noted Potter's innovative and volatile world.

PLEASE NOTIFY ME OF NEW ADDITIONS FOR THIS ARTIST