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.

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[caption id="attachment_62551" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Charles S. King. Photo by Evan Sanders[/caption] Since its inception, King Galleries has been committed to represent work by potters who create the highest quality and greatest innovation in their pottery. Charles King has been a judge in various years since 1996 for pottery at the most prestigious Indian art events, such as Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Indian Market and Gallup Ceremonials. He has also given numerous talks on Pueblo pottery at the Heard Museum, Museum of Indian Art and Culture (MIAC), the Pueblo Grande Museum, Rockwell Museum of Western Art, The Philbrook Museum and The Denver Art Museum. Charles served on the Board of Directors of the Indian Arts and Crafts Association (IACA), which has the mission of encouraging and preserving authentic Indian art. He was elected in 2008 to the Board of Directors for SWAIA (Southwest Association for Indian Arts), which is the group which puts on Santa Fe Indian Market. He first wrote about Pueblo pottery in the book "Collecting Authentic Indian Art" and this was followed by the article, "Pueblo Pottery: Folk Art to Fine Art" for the thirtieth anniversary of American Indian Art Magazine. His first book, Born of Fire: The Life and Pottery of Margaret Tafoya, was published in 2008. His articles, "Santa Clara and San Ildefonso Pottery: Black is Beautiful"-2009, and "Four Emerging Potters: Gen Next"-2010 were published in Native Peoples Magazine. His second book, "The Art and Life of Tony Da" was written with Richard Spivey and published in 2012.

Maria Martinez (1887-1980)

Maria Martinez is undoubtedly one of the best-known and most influential Native potters of the 1900s. She became famous for her creative pottery and traveling to museums, World Fairs, and other events throughout her lifetime. Maria learned to make pottery from her aunt Nicolasa Montoya. Around 1919-1920, Maria and her husband, Julian Martinez, created the "black-on-black" style of pottery. This unique process allowed matte designs to be painted on a stone-polished surface, a stone-polished piece fired black. At the time, this unique and distinctive style of pottery quickly became a success, and by 1922, it was made by nearly every potter at San Ildefonso Pueblo. It helped to change the economy of Pueblo as pottery became a successful career. Maria worked with Julian until he died in 1943. She then worked with her daughter-in-law, Santana, who married her eldest son, Adam. Again, she made the pottery, and Santana painted the designs. In the 1950s, Maria made plain pieces and signed them with her Tewa name, "Pove-ka," which means "Water Lilly." In 1956, Maria started working with her son, Popovi Da.  Maria made the pottery, and Popovi painted the designs. These are often considered among the best of her career after her early work with Julian. Popovi Da worked to revive polychrome pottery, created the sienna (double-fired) coloration, and made redware vessels. Maria also made a few pieces with her grandson, Tony Da, whom she taught to make pottery. Tony was one of the first male potters at San Ildefonso and had an exceptional career in ceramics and paintings. He was the subject of a book, "The Art and Life of Tony Da" by Charles S. King and Richard Spivey. Maria Martinez was the subject of several books during her career. Alice Marriot wrote the book "Maria: The Potter of San Ildefonso" in 1948. Richard Spivey also wrote a book on her entitled "Maria." Both were essential additions to the collector's knowledge of this vital potter. Maria was also the subject of numerous museum exhibitions. Her pottery can be found around the world in various permanent museum collections. Today, Maria's descendants include Barbara Gonzales, Cavan Gonzales, and Marvin Martinez, who all continue to make traditional San Ildefonso pottery. In addition, Jarrod Da is known for his modernist paintings.

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