Art of the Southwest by Canyon Country Originals

The famous black pottery of New Mexico comes from two pueblos, Santa Clara and San Ildefonso, two neighboring villages, laying along the Rio Grande river just north of Santa Fe.

When you talk about black pottery, you must start with Maria Martinez, the potter of San Ildefonso. She, along with Hopi potter Nampeyo, turned utilitarian ware into an art form, beginning around the turn of the century.

In 1919, Maria, and her husband Julian, were producing superior polychrome pottery. It was then that they first brought out their black-on-black pottery – black-matte design on polished black ware. Black-on-black, thin-walled ware has continued to be the most recognized technique of San Ildefonso pottery. Maria was the potter who began to sign her work to guarantee authenticity.

Santa Clara pottery is similar to its neighbor's, except the typical ware is much thicker, with deeply carved designs made into the polished walls of the pottery. The color is usually black, although a large number of pots are polished red. Today, much ware is made in the classic designs, however many Santa Clara potters are extending their art into newer techniques, such as sgraffito (lightly carved designs) and innovative polychrome work.

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Cliff Roller

Item# P751 -Cliff Roller, Santa Clara.

This jar features a pattern that Cliff calls a "walking bear paw." In our opinion, the Roller family produce the finest surface finishes among all the Santa Clara Potters. This jar matches their criteria of finish.
Size: 4" high by 5 3/4" diameter.
Price: $800 SOLD.

Item# P724 -Cliff Roller, Santa Clara.

This is another of Cliff's interpretation of a walking bear paw design, executed in his superb black pottery.
Size: 3 3/4" high by 5 1/4" diameter.
Price: $700 SOLD.

Item# P752 -Cliff Roller, Santa Clara.

This is Cliff's interpretation of a Navajo rug design, executed in his superb black pottery.
Size: 3 1/2" high by 5 1/4" diameter.
Price: $650 SOLD.

Item# P725 -Cliff Roller, Santa Clara.

Here is one of Cliff's more contemporary designs – symbols for wind and clouds, with kiva steps.
Size: 5" high by 5" diameter.
Price: $700.

Item# P753 -Cliff Roller, Santa Clara.

Another of Cliff's wind and clouds design – symbols for wind and clouds, with kiva steps.
Size: 3 1/2" high by 5 1/4" diameter.
Price: $650 SOLD.

Item# P328 - Toni Roller, Santa Clara.

Toni is the daughter of Margaret Tafoya, and a premier potter in her own right. Here she has made a beautiful bowl with the traditional Avonyu design so typical of the Santa Clara potters. Again, we have to say that we think the Rollers are tops when it comes to producing pottery with a superb polish and lustre.
Size: 4 3/4" high by 5 1/2" diameter.
Price: $1,200 SOLD.

Item# PJR3 - Jeff Roller, Santa Clara.

Jeff has used a ram motif on the lid of this jar, which also has cloud and mountain symbols carved around the circumference. This is an outstanding piece, and for Jeff's high level of work, priced reasonably.
Size: 8 1/2" high by 6 1/2" diameter.
Price: $5,000 SOLD.

Anita Suazo

Anita says that she started potting when she was a small girl, learning from her mother, Belen Tapia, a noted Santa Clara potter. Like her mother, Anita has been working with her daughter, Lahoma; so now Lahoma is becoming very accomplished. Anita is a regular winner at the major Native American arts shows. William Merrill, assistant curator for the Smithsonian, declared her "a contemporary master potter."

Item# P762 -Anita Suazo, Santa Clara.

Anita's style is continuing to grow and evolve. In this tall vase, she has carved the design of a humming bird hovering above a flower. Here, she brings her sense of contemporary design to classic Santa Clara pottery. Anita uses only traditional coiling, carving and firing. To obtain the red, she has used an oxidation atmosphere, in other words, she did not smother this piece as it was being fired. The back of this jar is carved into a melon bowl design.
Size: vase is 7" high by 4 1/2" diameter; lid is 2 1/4" high.
Price: $2,800 SOLD.

Item# P552 -Anita Suazo, Santa Clara.

This is a new design approach by Anita. She is carving stylized animals on this jar. One side, a Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep; and one side a stylized Mule Deer Buck. Around the top, she has carved the Pueblo spiral symbol for place. More and more of the Pueblo potters are using innovative carving, departing from the traditional. Here, Anita joins this trend.
Size: 8" high by 5 3/4" diameter.
Price: $2,800.

Item# P690 -Anita Suazo, Santa Clara.

In this vase, Anita has used a contemporary version the classic Santa Clara bear design, with heartline (symbol of life and power). This design appears on both the front and the back of this piece. Each of the bears has a small turquoise jewel for an eye. On the opposite quarters, she has used a classic bear-paw design incised into the side.
Size: 5" high by 4" diameter.
Price: $500 SOLD.

Item# P899 -Anita Suazo, Santa Clara.

This is Anita's version of the classic Rio Grande melon bowl. Anita uses traditional pottery methods, from digging the clay, to coiling, to polishing, to firing in an outside, traditional kiln. In firing, to make a black pottery piece, the fire must be smothered to create an oxygen free atmosphere, a technique called reduction firing. The Santa Clara potters accomplish this by covering the outside "cage" of the kiln with pieces of tin or metal. this protects the unfired ceramic pieces. Then this is all completely covered with pulverized horse manure. It is the manure that keeps out all of the oxygen, and produces the beautiful black finish.
Size: 3 5/8" high by 5 1/8" diameter.
Price: 600.

Item# P900 -Anita Suazo, Santa Clara.

This is Anita's own design. She calls it her sunflower design. The lustre and shine on this piece is outstanding. For an accent, she has not polished the center sections, leaving them a soft black.
Size: 3 1/2" high by 5" diameter.
Price: $600.

Item# P695 -Anita Suazo, Santa Clara.

Here, Anita has made a red version of her sunflower design. Again, as superb polish.
Size: 3 1/2" high by 5" diameter.
Price: $600SOLD.

Item# P794 - Linda Tafoya Oyenque, Santa Clara.

Linda is the granddaughter of Santa Clara potter Margaret Tafoya. Her talent and quality have brought her prestige and recognition as one of the leading potters from Santa Clara. This carved jar features the water serpent, Avonyu, with rain clouds.
Size: 4" high by 4" diameter.
Price: $900 SOLD.

Item# P217-Grace Medicine Flower, Santa Clara.

If you were to list the ten best contemporary potters, Grace Medicine Flower would be near the top. Grace is a member of the famous Tafoya family of Santa Clara. Her father, Camilio (Sunflower) Tafoya was the brother of Margaret Tafoya. It was Camilio who pioneered the carving of delicate designs into the unfired pieces--sgraffito. This tradition is being carried on by both Grace and her brother, Joseph Lonewolf. If you're interested, click here to see our recent photo of Grace and for additional information about her.
This lid screws in so perfectly that you can lift the pot by just holding the lid. However, Grace doesn't recommend this!
Size: 5 1/2" high by 4 1/2" diameter.
Price: $3,700 SOLD.

Item# P216-Grace Medicine Flower, Santa Clara.

The basketweave on this bowl is Grace's most requested design. She has added mica to the brown slip and has also slipped the entire inside of this bowl with red. This is a collector's piece!
Size: 5" high by 4 3/4" diameter.
Price: $4,800 SOLD.

Margaret and Luther Gutierrez

Margaret and Luther, brother and sister, began working together in the 1960s. Luther, 25 years older than his sister, passed away in 1987. Margaret is still potting, using the same styles they developed together, and those they inherited from their family. Having a genuine piece made by the team of Margaret and Luther means it has come from an older collection. These pieces are becoming a rarity and a prize possession for collectors. When the team made bowls (as below), jars, or wedding vases, their designs centered around the Avonyu water serpent, spiders, sky bands, rain, clouds and lightning, in polychrome. When Margaret and Luther started working together, they started making polychrome caricatures of animals. Completely original, they "invented" this style, and used the same slip and pigments as those on their larger pieces. Several of these whimsical figures are shown below.

Item# P519 -Margaret and Luther Gutierrez, Santa Clara.

This bowl is in the style that Luther developed with his mother, Lela; and carried on with Margaret. The bowl is divided into thirds. This third depicts a spider with lightening and rain clouds. The other two thirds are divided into two fanciful birds, facing each other. To see a view of one of the facing birds, click here. (This bowl is from an estate.)
Size: 3" high by 5" diameter.
Price: $1,200 SOLD.

Item# P787 -Margaret and Luther Gutierrez, Santa Clara.

Polychrome turtle with shard designs on shell. (This is an estate item.)
Size: 2" high by 3 3/4" long.
Price: $150 SOLD.

Item# P669 -Alton Komalestewa, Hopi.

If you have ever wanted a melon bowl by Helen Shupla, here is your opportunity to get a melon bowl by her protege, Alton Komalestewa. Helen, 1928-1985, a member of the Santa Clara Pueblo, married a Hopi, Kenneth Shupla. She spent a lot of time on the Hopi reservation, and this was her introduction to the great characteristics of Hopi clay. Using this experience, she was able to perfect a new technique for making melon bowls. Instead of carving the segments, she utilized the great plasticity of the Hopi clay and pushed out the sections from the inside of the bowl. This is a technique that requires great patience, keeping the clay wet and plastic, without getting it too wet and creating a slumped section. Or, pushing the clay too far and producing a nonrepairable hole in the side of the piece. After applying the slip, she polished each piece with an ultra smooth polishing stone. Alton became her son-in-law, and Helen took him under her wing, teaching him all she knew about making fine pottery. Today, Alton is an exceptionally fine potter, in his own right. Here is an example of his work, a melon bowl made using the same techniques as taught to him by his mother-in-law. (We realize that Alton is Hopi, but his style is after his Santa Clara grandmother, so please forgive us.)
Size: 5 1/4" high by 8 3/4" diameter.
Price: $2500 SOLD.

Andrew and Judith Harvier

Andrew and Judith Harvier live in the Santa Clara Pueblo. As a team, they sign their work Nana Kaa, which translates as "Aspen Leaves" in their native Tewa Indian language. Raised in pottery making families, Andrew and Judith each have come to work with clay at an early age. For nearly 20 years, they have pushed to perfect this own artistic skills. When they "became one," the team began to make their innovative style of classic Santa Clara pottery, under the Nana Kaa mark. They use only traditional, classic methods to make their outstanding pottery.

Item# P666 -Andrew and Judith Harvier, Santa Clara.

Andrew and Judith have used classic Native symbols to style this outstanding piece of their pottery, the sun and the moon and the stars that regulate their Pueblo lives. They have divided the symbols on this polychrome jar into quarter segments. Seen on the left, is the sun segment, followed by the moon segment. And between the sun and the moon segments are the evening stars and the morning stars, right. The Pueblo clay has been mixed with a micaceous clay to accent this piece.
Size: 5 1/2 high by 8 3/4" diameter.
Price: $800.

Item# P667 -Andrew and Judith Harvier, Santa Clara.

Andrew and Judith have used a combination of clays in coiling and forming this polychrome jar. The classic Santa Clara clay has been used for the red features on the rim and base of this piece. In between, they have used a special, local micaceous clay to form the classic eagle feathers design around the circumference. On the lower red band, they have engraved a spider, their symbol of industry and creative powers.
Size: 6 1/4" high by 7" diameter.
Price: $670 SOLD.

Item# P904 -Stella Chavarria, Santa Clara.

Stella Chavarria is the daughter of Teresita Naranjo, one of Santa Clara's famous potters. Her work is very much influenced by her mother, except Stella works on a smaller scale. Stella also taught her two daughters to pot, Denise Chavarria and Sunday Chavarria. Here, Stella has selected the classic Santa Clara water serpent, Avonyu, and surrounded it with clouds. Water symbols – clouds, lightning, Avonyu, etc.– are frequently used, because they stand for life-giving rain, a necessity in the arid climate of the pueblos. The top portion has the symbols for eagle feathers, a sign of strength.
Size: 6" high by 4 1/2" diameter.
Price: $320.

Item# P905 -Stella Chavarria, Santa Clara.

For this outstanding black bowl, Stella again has gone to the water god, Avonyu. Clouds surround the image, with added symbols for lightening and rain. Stella does an exceptional job of polishing her work, as in this jar.
Size: 3 1/8" high by 4 3/4" diameter.
Price: $275.

Item# P906 -Stella Chavarria, Santa Clara.

In this beautiful jar, Stella has not only included the classic Avonyu, but has added symbols for clouds and lightening. This is another outstanding polish.
Size: 4 1/4" high by 4 1/8" diameter.
Price: $250.

Item# P903 -Stella Chavarria, Santa Clara.

Here, Stella has allowed oxygen to reach her firing, and the result is this beautiful red vase. She has used the Santa Clara Avonyu and clouds for decor, and the eagle feathers around the top band.
Size: 6 1/2" high by 4 5/8" diameter.
Price: $350.

Item# P796 -Stella Chavarria, Santa Clara.

In this beautiful red bowl, Stella has used the classic water-bringing serpent, with rain clouds above. Polish is excellent.
Size: 3 1/2" high by 5" diameter.
Price: $280.

Item# P907 -Denise Chavarria, Santa Clara.

Denise is a fourth generation member of the Tafoya family. Her mother is Stella Chavarria, and her grandmother is famed potter Teresita Naranjo. She has been under her mother's and grandmother's tutelage since she was a small girl. In her forties, Denise has picked up on her mother's style and changed it to her own unique form. Here, Denise has carved a band of feathers around the top perimeter of this jar. The black polish on this piece is excellent.
Size: 3 7/8" high by 4 1/2" diameter.
Price: $200.

Item# P865 -Denise Chavarria, Santa Clara.

This is one of Denise's highly polished black bowls, with the Avonyu design. Denise has won several prizes at the major shows, including the Santa Fe Indian Market, and the Heard Museum Show.
Size: 3 1/4" high by 5 1/4" diameter.
Price: $300 SOLD.

Item# P500 -Denise Chavarria, Santa Clara.

Denise makes a few of her pieces in red. Here she has carved a band of feathers around the top perimeter of this seed jar, while encircling the body with an Avonyu water god.
Size: 2 1/4" high by 3 5/8" diameter.
Price: $150.

Item# P642 -Denise Chavarria, Santa Clara.

This is another example of Denise's red ware, with carved designs of feathers and the classic Avonyu water god.
Size: 2 1/2" high by 3 3/4" diameter.
Price: $165.

Item# P727 -Vickie Martinez, Santa Clara.

This is Vickie's Avonyu water serpent, under eagle feathers. Vickie was taught to pot by her grandmother, Flora Naranjo and her mother, Barbara Martinez. In the late 1980s she dated Stella Chavarria's son and both Stella and Teresita Naranjo encouraged her to improve and take her pottery more seriously. It is clearly evident that she followed their advice. The influence of both Stella and Teresita is apparent in her style. Today Vickie makes elegant pottery at affordable prices. She is certainly one of the better values at Santa Clara Pueblo. This quite large jar is a fine example of Vickie's work – excellent polish, excellent proportions. Making a jar this large is a difficult task, both in forming and in firing. Jars this large are prone to break during the firing process, but not this one.
Size: 11" high by 10" diameter.
Price: $1590 SOLD.

Item# P908 -Sharon Naranjo Garcia, Santa Clara.

Sharon has designed the Avonyu water serpent into this large, classic olla, or water jug. The Avonyu is a Pueblo symbol for water, which translates to "life." The designs around the Avonyu represent rain clouds, so here is the water serpent up in the sky, among the clouds. The lid is a design representing kiva steps, a sign that refers back to Native American religious symbols. Sharon's work is noted for the relatively light weight of the pot in proportion its size. This means that the thickness of the clay walls are relatively thin, and so her carving must be quite accurate. Less talented potters use thick walls to cover their carving errors. Heft a piece of Sharon's work and you will notice the difference.
Size: 10 1/2" high by 10" diameter. Lid: 1 1/2" high.
Price: $1,200.

Item# P912 -Sharon Naranjo Garcia, Santa Clara.

Shown here is Sharon's view of the traditional Pueblo water serpent, Avonyu. There are still bargains left in this world, and Sharon's work is one of them. We have shown Sharon's work for several years, and think her efforts are superior. Her work is always tops, but her prices are significantly lower than most accomplished Santa Clara potters. She was raised by her grandmother, Christina Naranjo; and Christina is the matriarch of a large family of famous potters, like Cain, and Eckleberry, and Naranjo. Christina not only taught Sharon the Pueblo Indian way of life, but also started her on the trail of becoming an excellent potter. Sharon has lived the last 25 years in the Pueblo of San Juan, with her husband, Peter, and family.
Size: 6 3/4" high by 7 1/2" diameter.
Price: $650.

Item# P909 -Sharon Naranjo Garcia, Santa Clara.

Here is a smaller version of Sharon's view of the water serpent, Avonyu. Sharon's comment, "Smaller is more difficult." She has added eagle feathers around the neck of the jar. This is an exquisite Santa Clara jar.
Size: 7" high by 6 3/4" diameter.
Price: $550.

Item# P846 -Sharon Naranjo Garcia, Santa Clara.

This is a red version of the classic Avonyu jar. Sharon says that red ware is more difficult to make than the black ware. A puff of breeze, a change in humidity, falling ashes, all can ruin the piece. The clay, the slip and the polishing are the same in both red and black ware. The color difference is in the firing. The black ware is achieved in the traditional firing by smother the pieces, so no air reaches the pottery. To get the red color, the traditional kiln is opened up so air reaches the very hot pottery. We have a pottery firing story by Cliff Roller, which explains the traditional firing process. You may read this by going to our page "Cliff Roller On Traditional Firing," Click Here.
Size: 5 5/8" high by 6 1/4" diameter.
Price: $500 SOLD.

Item# P910 -Sharon Naranjo Garcia, Santa Clara.

This piece shows Sharon's versatility. Here she has crafted another style of an Avonyu water jar. The beautiful, smooth rim makes this a "different" jar.
Size: 6 3/4" high by 7 1/2" diameter.
Price: $550.

Item# P911 -Sharon Naranjo Garcia, Santa Clara.

Sharon says that she keeps pushing herself to achieve more artistic pieces and designs. Here is an example of her artistry. She has designed this wide pot so she has more room for designs around the circumference. She has taken the classic Avonyu water serpent and the added symbols representing rainbows with clouds. All are Santa Clara symbols for water, water meaning life for the Pueblo Indians. This is an unusual and beautiful piece. Sharon's artistry is gaining more recognition. One of her large, lidded water jars won Best of Division at the 2006 Heard Museum Show.
Size: 5 3/4" high by 8 3/4" diameter.
Price: $650.

Item# P848 -Sharon Naranjo Garcia, Santa Clara.

Sharon has designed the Avonyu water serpent into this classic wedding vase. According to tradition, the symbol of one vessel with two spouts represents the lives of the man and wife, who after their wedding day become one. In the traditional Native American ceremony, pure water is placed in the vase, which is then given to the bride. She drinks from one spout, then turns the vase around and hands it to the groom. He drinks from the other spout. They are then united as one. The vase then becomes an heirloom for the couple and their family.
Size: 7 1/2 high by 5 1/2" diameter.
Price: $375 SOLD.

Item# P853 -Sharon Naranjo Garcia, Santa Clara.

Sharon's water jar with bear paw design. This was the style of jar that brought Sharon the Best of Division ribbon at the 2006 Heard Museum Show. The bear paw design on the jar is an ancient design by used by several of the Rio Grande Pueblos. According to Santa Clara tradition, a female bear brought their ancestors to the banks of the Rio Grande River, where the Pueblo is now located. Hence the bear paw design. This is an all-polished piece, with the bear paw design indented on two sides.
Size: 9 3/4" high by 8" diameter.
Price: $650 SOLD.

Item# P852 -Sharon Naranjo Garcia, Santa Clara.

Another of Sharon's water jars with the bear paw design, in red. Again, this is an all-polished piece, with the bear paw design indented on two sides.
Size: 9 1/2" high by 8 3/8" diameter.
Price: $650.

Item# P771 -Sharon Naranjo Garcia, Santa Clara.

Sharon chuckles about this one. By tradition, this is a "gourd jar." She calls this her "thumb jar." As she starts to bring the moist clay in for the neck opening, she presses her thumbs into the soft clay and makes shallow indentations. What's in a name? Gourd jar? Thumb jar? In this jar, she has made six thumb indentations, another way to bring interest to her art.
Size: 7 1/2 high by 8 1/2" diameter.
Price: $575.

Item# P850 -Sharon Naranjo Garcia, Santa Clara.

Here is Sharon's "thumb jar," in red. She said this shape is the hardest to polish, so she makes very few.
Size: 6 high by 7" diameter.
Price: $450 SOLD.

Item# P689 -Alvin Baca, Santa Clara.

Taught by his mother, Angela Baca, Alvin frequently makes this style of melon jar, here in polished black. While his mother's melon pots are usually low and wide, Alvin's have a more slender and graceful shape. In his mid-30s, Alvin has been a successful potter for the past 17 years.
Size: 5 1/2" high x 5" diameter.
Price: $300.

Item# P249 -Madeline Naranjo, Santa Clara.

We like the contrast of matte and polish on Madeline's pottery. This bowl features a sun face, on the front quadrant, with an incised, multi-level pueblo village around the remainder of the perimeter. Quite creative and unique.
Size: 5" high by 6 3/4" diameter.
Price: $1,125.

Item# P567 -Madeline Naranjo & Adrian Garcia, Santa Clara.

Madeline often works with her husband, Adrian, and here is an example of their work. Here, these contemporary designers have fashioned a parrot on either side of this polished and matte jar.
Size: 3 1/2" high by 4 1/8" diameter.
Price: $390 SOLD.

Item# P569 -Madeline Naranjo & Adrian Garcia, Santa Clara.

The good-luck Gecko graces this small gem.
Size: 3" high by 3 3/4" diameter.
Price: $360 SOLD.

Item# P259 Emily Tafoya, Santa Clara.

The wife of the late Ray Tafoya, Emily is continuing on in the couple's sgraffito of making miniatures. Here, she has carved the mythical flute player, Kokopelli. On the back side of this piece, she has carved a coyote, howling.
Size: 2 1/8" high by 1 1/2" diameter.
Price: $330 SOLD.

Maria Martinez

The legacy of San Ildefonso pottery began with Maria Poveka Martinez. As Nampeyo is the matriarch of contemporary Hopi pottery, so is Maria the matriarch of contemporary San Ildefonso pottery. Born in 1887, she married Julian Martinez in 1904. In 1907, after seeing prehistoric shards of pottery excavated by the School of American Research, she and Julian began to venture into pottery making. Encouraged by the expedition leader, Dr. Edgar Hewett, they went on to make polychrome pottery with great artistry. In 1919, Maria and Julian began to experiment with black-on-black. At the time, the couple were already making prize-winning polychrome pottery, with superior designs and technique. Collectors acknowledge that Maria had the best finish of all San Ildefonso potters, a deep luster of polished jet black. Until his death in 1943, Julian painted all of the designs on Maria's pottery, hence the signature of both. Maria made the pots, polished and fired them, but never made the designs. After Julian, other members of Maria's family did the designs. Maria made many pots with no designs, just her famous polished black finish. The photo of Maria, above, was taken by a family friend in October, 1930. He hand-tinted the original black and white print. [Information for this bio was taken from the Richard Spivey book, Maria.]

Item# P867 -Maria and Julian Martinez, San Ildefonso.

In this small jar, you see Maria's fine polish. Julian has painted a reverse design in matte black. In one quadrant, he has painted the prehistoric circle design or labyrinth. In the other quadrant he has painted a wing and cloud design. Because of the signature, this piece has been dated circa early 1930s. The piece is in remarkable condition, no major scratches, no chips, no water marks. It is signed "Marie & Julian." At the time, Maria used the name "Marie," because she thought it would be "better understood." Click here, for an image of the signature. This is a collector's prize. If you do not have a Maria, or a Maria and Julian, this is an opportunity to add to your collection. (If you are interested, we have a 10-day examination period, call us for this service.)
Size: 3 1/8" high by 4 3/4" diameter.
Price: $2,700.

Dora Tse Pé

Dora has been entering and winning awards in major shows since 1969, and is still winning. She was recently honored as one of the "Masters" of Indian Market. Although a Zia by birth, she married into the San Ildefonso Pueblo, bringing with her some of her Zia shapes. However, most of her pottery reflects the San Ildefonso styles. She was one of the first to add the idea of a turquoise inset, an innovation by her, Popovi Da and Toni Da. She was also one of the first to use the refiring techniques that create the sienna duotone rims and feature spots. Dora is truly one of the great contemporary Indian potters.

"Everything I learned while growing up at Zia applies to life at San Ildefonso. However, pottery, clay and style are somewhat different between the two Pueblos. I adapted with help of my former/late mother-in-law, Rose Gonzales, a well-known potter of San Ildefonso Pueblo.

"My mother, Candelaria Gachupin, was one of Zia Pueblo's most outstanding potters. My first experience with my mother's clay was when I was about six years old. She taught be the sacredness of clay. All have spiritual significance. I treat my clay with much respect."

Item# P613 -Dora Tse-Pé, San Ildefonso.

The typical Dora-style jar is polished black with a reddish-brown sienna duotone feature, and frequently with a turquoise inset. One of her innovations is adding a micaceous slip to portions of her work, as is this black central band – an Avonyu water serpent with a beautiful turquoise cabochon from the Crescent Valley Turquoise Mine, Utah.
Size: 5 3/4" high by 5" diameter.
Price: $2,900.

Item# P839 -Dora Tse-Pé, San Ildefonso.

One of Dora's classic pieces is this small water jar, with a turquoise cabochon set in a field of tan. The tan color is achieved by refiring the area that she wants to change color from the black. Dora is noted for her very fine polishing, as shown here.
Size: 3 1/4" high by 2 3/4" diameter.
Price: $750 SOLD.

Item# P840 -Dora Tse-Pé, San Ildefonso.

Here, Dora has combined a highly polished, black body, with a tan, micaceous top, separated by a band of small turquoise beads. Dora has been a pioneer in combining colors and textures, with turquoise accents.
Size: 3 1/4" high by 2 3/4" diameter.
Price: $650.

Item# P765 -Dora Tse-Pé, San Ildefonso.

In this beautiful jar, Dora has fired it in an oxygen rich atmosphere, which makes the ceramic red. She has used a micaceous slip on the jar, itself. A bear symbol is featured in the center. All of this is surrounded by fine shell hishi, and turquoise and coral beads, inlaid in the margin of the black circle. The lid is another form of the bear symbol. In Pueblo tradition, the bear was sent to lead the Pueblo People to the Rio Grande Valley and it abundant agricultural productivity.
Size: overall 3 7/8" high by 4" diameter.
Price: $2,500.

Item# P841 -Dora Tse-Pé, San Ildefonso.

Here, Dora has used her micaceous clay, with a red, polished rain drop, set with a turquoise cabochon. Symmetry and beauty.
Size: overall 3 1/4" high by 3 1/2" diameter.
Price: $1,000.

Item# P791 -Carol Gutierrez, San Ildefonso.

Carol Gutierrez-Naranjo is one of the daughters of the late, well-known potter, Helen Gutierrez. Helen was from San Ildefonso Pueblo and married into the Santa Clara Pueblo. Consequently, her daughters are half, each, but were raised at Santa Clara. After her marriage, Helen continued to pot in the traditional San Ildefonso style and always signed her potter as "San Ildefonso." Her daughters, Carol and Kathy, continue to do the same, both to reflect their heritage, and the fact that their pottery is styles as the classic San Ildefonso. Carol works full-time at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Size: 4 1/2" high by 4 7/8" diameter.
Price: $495.

Item# P792-Kathy Gutierrez, San Ildefonso.

Kathy is another daughter of the late Helen Gutierrez, a well known and respected San Ildefonso potter. Kathy and Carol live near each other, and work together on their pottery. However, they sign individually. It is virtually impossible to tell their work apart. Again, these two sisters have captured the revival of the classic San Ildefonso black on black style. Like many with a San Ildefonso ancestry, Kathy and Carol are rather distantly related to Maria Martinez. Art runs in the family, their uncle is Gilbert Atencio, a noted painter.
Size: 4" high by 5 1/2" diameter.
Price: $450 SOLD.

Item# P372 -Kathy Gutierrez, San Ildefonso.

Here, Kathy has executed the classic Avonyu, or water serpent design for this red jar. Kathy has added a lid.
Size: 3 1/4" high jar + 2" high lid x 5 1/4" diameter.
Price: $490.

Item# P507 -Martha Appleleaf Fender, San Ildefonso.

Martha is the daughter of famous San Ildefonso potter, Carmelita Dunlap. She is on of the few San Ildefonso potters to maintain the classic style of the pueblo. Her mentor was her mother, Carmelita. She also received early training from her aunts, Maria Martinez and Disideria Montoya. Carlos Dunlap was her brother and the two often worked together. This cream on red jar is in the tradition she learned from her uncle, Albert Vigil.
Size: 8" high by 9 1/2" diameter.
Price: $1,950.

Item# P506 -Martha Appleleaf Fender, San Ildefonso.

Martha often pushes the boundary of the San Ildefonso style. However, here she has made a classic matte on polished black jar, typical of the pueblo. The design is the Avonyu water serpent, so often used by her aunt, Maria Martinez.
Size: 5 7/8" high by 6" diameter.
Price: $900 SOLD.

Item# P527 -Eric (Than Tsideh) Fender, San Ildefonso.

Eric, Martha Fender's son, began winning awards for his work in 1987, at the age of 17, and has continued as a regular winner in the best shows. He worked with his grandmother, Carmelita Dunlap; and still works with his mother, Martha. He regularly works with the classic San Ildefonso black on black. However, he is an innovator, experimenting with both clays and paints. Here he has executed a polychrome jar, reminiscent of the old-style San Ildefonso pottery, the style used by his great aunt, Maria Martinez, when she first started potting. If you would like to have an "old style" San Ildefonso jar in your collection, this would be an opportunity. Eric signs his pottery with his Indian name, Than Tsideh, which translates in English to Sunbird.
Size: 7 1/2" high by 7" diameter.
Price: $1,000.

Item# P705 -John Gonzales, San Ildefonso.

Item# P763 -John Gonzales, San Ildefonso.

Here, John has executed a bowl, with a carved Avonyu water serpent circiling the perimeter. Rain clouds are an accent. Shell hishi beads circle the central band. John comes from a family rich in the pottery tradition, including his father, Lorenzo and his grandmother Juanita.
Size: 3 1/2" high x 6" diameter.
Price: $375.

Item# P764 -John Gonzales, San Ildefonso.

Here, John has executed a smaller bowl, with a carved Avonyu water serpent circiling the perimeter. Rain clouds are an accent. Turquoise hishi beads circle the central band.
Size: 2 3/8" high x 4" diameter.
Price: $250.

Family Information

San Ildefonso and Santa Clara

Significant San Ildefonso pottery families include the Martinez family led by their matriarch, Maria. (Actually, Maria formed the pots and polished the black slip while family members did the decoration, namely her husband, Julian, her son Popovi Da, and her son and daughter-in-law Adam and Santana.) Other noted members of this family are Carmelita Dunlop and Blue Corn. Another San Ildefonso family is the Gonzales group, including Rose Gonzales and her son, Tse Pé, and granddaughter, Jennifer Tse Pé, and John Gonzales.

The grand dame of Santa Clara potters is now Margaret Tafoya, 95 year old. Well known Tafoya potters include her daughter, Toni Roller and her sons, Cliff and Jeff. Another noted daughter of Margaret's is Mela Youngblood, now deceased, and her son and daughter, Nathan and Nancy Youngblood. A brother of Margaret, Carmilio Tafoya's two children, Grace Medicine Flower and Joseph Lonewolf, have used sgraffito designs for innovative departures from classic Santa Clara styles. Another well-known daughter of Margaret's is Virginia Ebelacker.

The Chavarria Family includes potters like Reycita Naranjo and Mary Singer.

The Gutierrez Family matriarch was Severa Tafoya, with other important members being brother and sister Margaret and Luther Gutierrez, Angela Baca, Tina, Greg and Virginia Garcia, and Paul Speckled Rock.

Other noted potters include Belen Tapia, Helen Shupla, Anita Suazo, Mary Cain and her grand-daughter, Tammy Garcia.

Recommended reading - Check Amazon.com. They stock most of these titles.

Margaret Tafoya, A Tewa Potter's Heritage and Legacyby Mary Ellen and Lawrence Blair, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., $55.00 (cloth);

Southwestern Pottery, Anasazi to Zuni by Allan Hayes and John Blom, Northland Publishing, $21.95 (paper);

Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery, by Rick Dillingham, University of New Mexico Press, $37.50 (paper);

Hopi Pottery Symbols by Alex Patterson, Johnson Books, $17.95 (paper);

Nampeyo and her Legacy by Barbara Kramer, University of New Mexico Press, $39.95 (cloth);

Talking with the Clay, by Stephen Trimble, $15.95 (paper);

Pueblo Storyteller by Barbara A. Babcock, $25.95 (paper);

Generations In Clay, by Alfred E. Dittert, Jr., and Fred Plog, Northland Press;

Living Tradition of Maria Martinezby Susan Peterson, $45.00 (paper)

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