Rachel Aragon has long been one of our favorite traditional style Acoma potters.  Her vessels remind us of the old-style ollas, with the narrow base, wide shoulder and slight rim.  As well, they are thin walled and beautifully designed.  These two vessels reveal a variety in Acoma pottery designs.  The jar on the left has a central butterfly medallion, with fineline painted designs on the sides.  The jar on the right has a series of fineline rain patterns encircling the piece. Note on each vessel the complexity of the design and also how the designs emphasize the elegant forms!  These are definitely pieces one wants to hold, as the thin walls seem to make them float in your hands!

Left:            Jar with Butterfly Pattern                6.5"w x 5.5"h                    $400.00

Right:         Jar with Fineline Patterns                8"w x 7.5"h                       $500.00 - SOLD

    Wanda Aragon - Acoma     

Wanda Aragon is known for her very traditional style of Acoma pottery.  She is a daughter of Frances Torivio and the sister of Lilly Salvador.  It is all made from native clays and many of her pieces are also native fired.  Here are two fantastic pieces of her pottery, which are in perfect contrast in size.  On the left, this large jar incorporates several different clay slips and some very traditional, old style designs.  The jar on the right has an intricate linear fine-line pattern encircling the entire jar.  Take a closer look at the images and the variety of designs and the precision of the painting is simply elegant!

Left:        Large jar with Old Style Cloud Designs       9"w x 9"h               $1500.00

Right:     Fineline Miniature Jar                                       2.25"w x 2.25"h    $150.00 - SOLD

Barbara & Joseph Cerno - Acoma     

Barbara & Joseph Cerno are known for their large scale pottery.  It is amazing to see one of their miniatures in contrast!  This canteen is beautifully formed.  It is painted with native clays and has a parrot as the central design.  Note the intricacy of the plant patterns below the bird!  This is a wonderful miniature and a beautiful example of how a potter can recreate a large vessel on a small scale!

1.25"w x 1"h

$250.00

Marie Z. Chino (1907-1982) - Acoma   

Marie Z. Chino is one of the Matriarchs of Acoma pueblo.  Her children and grandchildren are numerous and include potters Grace Chino, Rose Chino, Tena Garcia, Carol Chino and others.  Her pottery forms are amazingly uniform and typically a perfect blend of form and design.  This bowl is an open dough bowl, a very classic shape.  The design is perfectly painted on a white background.  The pattern is a series of water serpents with cloud and rain patterns, encircling the bowl.  This is a very unusual design to be seen on Acoma pottery.  However, it seems to be perfect for this classic shape.  This bowl is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

12.5"w x 5.75"h

$3500.00

Carolyn is known for her beautifully painted pottery using Mimbres style figures.  This canteen is a wonderful example of her work with a flute player as the central design.  The variety of colors are derived from native clay slips.  The use of the canteen form adds to the distinctive nature of the piece.

3"w x 3.5"h

$175.00

Rachel Concho is well known for her tightly painted Acoma pottery.  Each piece is coil built and beautifully designed to complement the form. This seedpot has a series of triangular designs which are complmented by fine-line patterns.  The round shape and angular designs are striking on this piece!

4.75"w x 3.5"h

$400.00

This is an unique piece from Jessie Garcia.  She was the mother of noted potter, Stella Shutiva, also renown for her corrugated pottery.  This bowl is a wonderful shape, with a round shoulder and a slightly downward turned lip!  The piece is from the early 1970's and it is fully corrugated in a triangular manner.   The wedding vase is also fully corrugated and has been outdoor fired, so there is a slight brownish firecloud to the coloration.  Both pieces are in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is definitely an important piece from one of the matriarchs of Acoma pueblo!

Left:            Corrugated Bowl                        9"w x 6"h                $400.00 - SOLD

Right:         Corrugated Wedding Vase       7"w x 8.5"h             $500.00

Adrienne Roy Keene is well-known for her intricate miniatures, yet this is one of her larger vessels.  This seedpot is amazing in its complexity!  The base is fully painted with a fineline star pattern.  Around the shoulder there are a series of medallions, each with a different style of Acoma or Mimbres imagery.  The top is corrugated in a triangular manner for which Adrienne is famous.  Note how the corrugation goes from large to small at the mouth!  This is simply a fantastic piece from this important Acoma potter!

5.5"w x 2.25"h

$1800.00 - SOLD

Diane Lewis is from a family of well-known potters, including Carolyn Concho and Sharon Lewis.  These three miniatures are wonderful examples of her pottery. On the left is a miniature seedpot with a painted bird and fish.  There is also a cut-out section in the clay where the bird is holding the fish..or the fish that got away!  The center seedpot has a series of Mimbres style birds, fish and insects painted with a variety of clay slips.  Note as well the top where it has a fineline pattern!  The third pieces is one of the most intricately painted pieces we have seen from Diane!  There is a corn in relief on the rim and flowers and parrots around the shoulder. Descending from the shoulder are a series of feather and geometrics which spiral to the base.  STUNNING!  Definitely three great pieces by this talented potter.

Left:            Seedpot w/ Birds and Fish Cut-Out            2"w x 1"h              $100.00

Center:       Seedpot w/ Birds and Bugs                          2.25"w x 2.25"h    $200.00

Right:         Jar with Birds and Corn in Relief                3.75"w x 3.5"h      $300.00

This is definitely one of the most unusual, but charming pieces we have had by Lucy Lewis.  She was renown for the innovation and creativity of her pottery.  While she may be best known for her "fineline" vessels, it is often the unique forms and designs which reflect her ability to experiment and not simply create the same design or form in a boring repetition.  This jar is from the early 1970's, and one of the only ones we have ever seen with appliqué animals.  This jar is polished white and has four turtles on the sides, each painted with native clay slips.  Note on one section the greyish coloration, which is from the native firing.  Before almost all Acoma pottery was kiln fired, traditional outdoor firings would often result in these types of colorations.  They certainly add to the charm of this jar's design!  Lucy Lewis is one of the great Matriarchs of Pueblo pottery. She helped to revived traditional Acoma imagery on her pottery, along with utilizing pre-historic Mimbres designs.  This jar is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. 

6"w x 5"h

This is certainly one of the most unusual pieces we have ever come across by Lucy Lewis.  It is signed and dated from 1968.  It is a large seedpot with an incised design!  This was at the time when artists where just beginning to etch into the surface of the clay, and this would certainly have been an experimental piece of her work.  In addition to the unusual designs, there is a fantastic fire cloud on the bowl, signifying that it was native fired.  It is the fire cloud which really gives the bowl depth and character.  This piece is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is always interesting to find a piece that reveals the true innovative spirit of an artist such as Lucy Lewis!

10"w x 8"h

This is an unusual piece from Lucy Lewis, one of the Matriarchs of Acoma pueblo.  It is signed by both Lucy and her daughter, Emma.  Looking at the signature, the form and the design, it is most likely that Lucy made the bowl and then Emma did the painting.  The design is a series of traditional birds or parrots encircling the bowl.  Note the wonderful scalloped rim!  This bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is definitely a unique piece of Lucy Lewis's pottery!

8"w x 6.5"h

Lilly Salvador is a sister of noted potter, Wanda Aragon and the daughter of Frances Torivio.  Lilly is renown for her thin walled pottery and her intricately painted designs. She is one of the few at Acoma who continues to traditionally fire her pottery out-doors.  These two pieces are among the larger vessels of her work we have had in the gallery.  The jar on the left is a large piece with bird and flower patterns.  It is a true polychrome with over three different natural clay slips.  On the bottom of this piece she has written, "Original pot is at the Smithsonian Collection.  Dating back to 1800". The jar on the right has a classic olla shape with a narrow base and high shoulder.  The design is a delicately painted flower and geometric design.  On the bottom she has written, "Renewed from an old water jar.  Dating back to 1800".  Note the perfect symmetry of the design patterns above and below the shoulder!  Lilly has won numerous awards for her pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market and is instrumental in keeping alive and reviving historic Acoma designs!

Left:        Jar with Bird and Flowers            7"w x 5.5"h        $1000.00

Right:     Jar w/ Flowers and Diamonds     4.5"w x 4.25"h   $700.00

Dorothy Torivio was among the first to utilize and then refine the "op-art" style in her Acoma pottery. She has taken classic Acoma pattern and then repeats them on a vessel, ranging the size from small to large and then small again, in accordance with the shape of the vessel.  The piece on the left is one of her larger jars.  The wide shoulder and long neck are a perfect for for the tightly painted designs to encompass the surface of the vessel.  The pattern is a butterfly design, each inter-locked to create the appearance of butterflies encircling the jar!  The second and third pieces are both miniatures.  They are both tightly painted, one with a plant design and the other with a star design.  Dorothy has won numerous awards for her pottery, including Best of Pottery at the Heard Indian Market and has been featured in books such as "The Art of Clay" and "Legacy of Generations".

Left:               Large Jar with Butterfly Design            9"w x 6"h                 $3600.00

Center:          Miniature w/ Flower Design                 1.75"w x 1.25"h        $300.00

Right:            Miniature Jar w/ Star Pattern                2"w x 1.25"h             $325.00

Dorothy Torivio - Acoma     

Dorothy Torivio has long been an innovator in Acoma pottery.  She was among to utilize and then refine the "op-art" style in her pottery. She has taken classic Acoma pattern and then repeats them on a vessel, ranging the size from small to large and then small again, in accordance with the shape of the vessel.  This is a medium sized piece of her pottery and has an angular mountain or "sawtooth" design. Among all her designs this is one of the most visually dynamic, especially when looked at from the top!  Dorothy has won numerous awards for her pottery, including Best of Pottery at the Heard Indian Market and has been featured in books such as "The Art of Clay" and "Legacy of Generations".

7.5"w x 5"h

$2600.00 - SOLD

Sandra Victorino - Acoma     NEW

Sandra Victorino is  a nice of noted potter Dorothy Torivio.  Under the tutelage of both her mother and her aunt, Sandra has developed her own unique style of pottery.  Each piece is coil built and then painted with bee-weed, a plant used to create the black (or brownish) coloration against the white clay.  The red is a native clay slip.  Sandra has her own unique style of "op-art", where the patterns start small, then get larger and then smaller again on the vessel. The jar on the left has a classic form and is painted with a butterfly pattern. The seedpot on the right in amazing in the intricacy of its designs!  It is partially painted with a fineline pattern, the other section has a checkerboard pattern.  They are connected by a red clay swirl pattern, painted with a kiva step design.  Spectacular!  Sandra has won numerous awards for her pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market and her work can be found in numerous museums around the country.

Left:            Jar with Butterfly Pattern            6.5"w x 7.5"h           $1100.00

Right:         Seedpot with Fineline Swirls     8"w x 6"h                 $1200.00

Inez Ortiz was a daughter of noted potter Seferina Ortiz and the mother of potter Lisa Holt.  Inez was best known for her figurative pottery, often reflecting cultural icons or imagery.  On the left is one of her Dalmatian dogs licking  his paw.  On the right is one of her figurative pieces, this one is Marilyn Monroe.  Inez won awards at Santa Fe Indian Market for her clay figures of "The Rug Rats", "The Wizard of Oz" and others.  These figures are made from native clay and painted with native clay slips and wild spinach (black).  Typical of her work it is charming and well constructed and painted.

Left:        Dalmatian Dog                    2.25"w x 3.5"h            $100.00

Over the past year, Janice has begun making vessels in addition to her outstanding figurative pottery.  These are among the first plates which we have had in the gallery.  Typical of her work, the designs are beautifully painted onto the clay.  The imagery is traditional using native clay slips and wild spinach (black) for the coloration.  Above, the plates have deer, flower and fish imagery. Many of the designs are taken from historic Cochiti pottery, which Janice has been studying to revive historic designs.  They are simply elegant, and wonderful examples of work by this award winning potter!

Left:                    Plate with Deer Design              5" diameter                      $150.00 - SOLD

Center:               Plate w/ Flower Pattern            10.25" diameter                 $425.00

Right:                 Plate w/ Fish Design                 5" diameter                        $150.00 - SOLD

Janice learned to make pottery from her mother, Seferina Ortiz.  She is the sister of noted potters Virgil Ortiz and Inez Ortiz.  While each member of the family has their own unique style, Janice continues to focus on traditional imagery and figures in her pottery.  The figure on the left is a "Munos" style figure, which is typical of the human form clay figures made in Cochiti Pueblo in the 1880's.  This figure is similar to many of the "opera singers" she has made in the past.  Here the figure has traditional imagery, such as cloud, rain and plant patterns making up the designs on his clothes.  The additional clay tabs on the head and ears are slipped with a red clay and added after firing.  The figure on the right is one of the Directional Figures, which are meant to represent the four cardinal directions (north, south, east and west) and are a specific color.  This figure is the West Direction and should be blue (or black, since there isn't a native blue clay at Cochiti Pueblo).  The figures are both coil built and  painted with native clays (red, cream) and wild spinach (black).  Pieces such as these figures combine the ethnographic and cultural imagery with more modern representations. Janice has won numerous awards for her pottery  at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market.

Left:            Munos Style Figure               12"w x 18"h         $1800.00

Right:        West Directional Figure        13"w x 16"h          $1800.00

Virgil Ortiz- Cochiti      NEW

Virgil Ortiz is one of the most dynamic potters working today.  His pottery designs have become the influence for his entrance into the world of fashion.  He learned to make pottery from his mother, Seferina Ortiz.  His pottery combines traditional techniques with creative and innovative designs.  This jar is one of the few which combine the traditional and his own innovative designs. There are corn plants on two sections of the jar.  On the other two sides are the spinach leaf tendrils, the plant which is used to paint the areas black on the jar.  This jar is an elegant shape with a high shoulder and slight neck.  The corn and plant designs just seem to reach up to the rim.  In the first image, the red painted area is meant to represent the sun.  Virgil has won numerous awards for his pottery and been featured in numerous magazines, both nationally and internationally.  His work can be found in numerous books, including "Free Spirit", "NDN Art" and "Changing Hands".

9"w x 9.25"h

$4800.00

Few artists have the creativity to evolve their work with such dynamic force as Virgil Ortiz.  His pottery designs have become the influence for his entrance into the world of fashion.  He learned to make pottery from his mother, Seferina Ortiz.  His pottery combines traditional techniques with creative and innovative designs.  This jar has both contemporary and traditional designs.  The cloud pattern in the central two images is one derived form historic Cochiti pottery.  Here it is still in the center of the jar, but with a stylized appearance.  The remainder of the jar is painted with tendrils which curl and flow across the surface of the vessel.  Note in the first image how there are three small areas of the design which he has painted with the red clay slip instead of the black wild spinach.  In the second image there is also the "spirit line" in the design of the neck, which is Virgil's connection to the historic pottery of his pueblo and can be found on all his pottery.  As all of Virgil's pottery if fired traditionally outdoors, the color of the cream background is always different.  This jar has some darker areas from the firing which don't distract from the imagery but give the jar a enriched appearance.  Virgil has won numerous awards for his pottery and been featured in numerous magazines, both nationally and internationally.  His work can be found in numerous books, including "Free Spirit", "NDN Art" and "Changing Hands".

9"w x 9.25"h

$4800.00

Virgil Ortiz is certainly one of the most innovative potters working today.  His pottery designs have become the influence for his entrance into the world of fashion.  He learned to make pottery from his mother, Seferina Ortiz.  His pottery combines traditional techniques with creative and innovative designs. This Spring he premiered a new direction in his pottery with his gallery show, "Turmoil". The imagery is based on the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.  In addition to the images on his pottery, he has created the first in a series of four "comic books", highlighting the story of the revolt through his eyes and characters of his creation.  He has also created a limited edition (series of 20 signed and numbered) prints which feature the covers of each of the upcoming "comic books".  They are creative and striking images, bringing a new dimension to his artwork.

12" x 15" each individual print, Limited Edition of 20 (Only 3 sets left!)

$100.00 for set of 4 separate prints

Diego Romero - Cochiti    

Diego Romero is one of those few potters who have changed the direction of their medium.  Using the open pre-historic Mimbres bowl as his "canvas", he has created his own world of simple, almost comic-like imagery.  The bowls often depict images of the Chongo Brothers, who are his main characters.  They are painted in a variety of activities.  This bowl is entitled, "Falling Down" with one of the brothers falling off a ladder.  Note as well the beautifully painted checkerboard design encircling the bowl.  Diego has won numerous awards for his pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market. He was also one of the artists featured in last year's "Free Spirit" exhibit in Amsterdam. 

7.75"w x 3.25"h

$2400.00

Ada Suina is among the best know living storyteller potters from Cochiti Pueblo.  Along with Mary Trujillo, their work continues in the classic style of Helen Cordero.  Ada's work is probably the most closely related, as when Helen died she purchased all her remaining clay slip.  The coloration of her pieces remains very similar to those Helen made thirty years ago.  The figure on the left is a female storyteller with nine children.  It is beautifully painted and note the complexity of the design on the back.  There is actually one of the small children which is a separate piece, standing beside her leg!  The second figure is a male storyteller.  Again, he is intricately painted, note she has even painted rings on his fingers! This piece has four children.  Note the sculptural quality to the face  and the banana, which are simply outstanding!  Ada's storytellers have long been among the most sought after at Cochiti the intricacy and beauty of them is certainly evident in her work above!

Left:         Female Storyteller with 9 Children            10"h            $2000.00

Right:      Male Storyteller with 4 kids                        10"h            $1500.00 - SOLD

Mary Trujillo - Cochiti      

Mary Trujillo learned to make storytellers from her mother-in-law, Helen Cordero.  Her figures harken back to the earliest storytellers, which were most often males. This one is a drummer, with a separate clay drum and a wooden mallet.  While many of the drums on her figures are wooden, it is not often that we see one from her where it is made of clay.  Mary has won numerous awards for her figurative pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market and she was highlighted there this year for the long term importance of her pottery.

7"w x 8.5"h

$1200.00

Ron Looking Elk Martinez - Isleta    

This is a beautifully incised seedpot from Ron Martinez.  It is highly polished and has a series of stars or crosses in the sky above a river, as the design. The brown firing gives the seedpot a more dramatic coloration. 

2.25"w x 2.75"h

$150.00

Chris Teller - Isleta     

Chris Teller is a daughter of Stella Teller.  She is the only one of her daughters who uses the grey coloration which her mother made famous.  This figure is a Hopi style storyteller with her hair in swirls on the side of her head.  She has four children in her arms.  Note the beautifully painted designs on the cloak! 

5.5"h

$400.00

Robin Teller - Isleta   

Robin Teller is the daughter of noted potter Stella Teller.  Robin continues to be one of our favorite potters who makes the traditional style of storytellers.  It is not only her unique ability to make each piece truly tell a story, but the quality of her painting and design which make them works of art.  This is one of the larger pieces we have had from Robin in a while, and it is striking in the intricacy of the design.  The storyteller is entitled "Turtle Woman".  The central figure is a woman with Hopi style hair made into buns on the sides of her head.  She has eight children on her and she is holding a canteen for water.  Surrounding the children are turtles, which are representative of the migration stories of the pueblo people, of water and of longevity.  The children are playing with the turtles, riding them and giving them water.  The shawl surrounding the figure is beautiful in the intricacy of the painting and the variety of colored clay slips.  There are a series of turtles on her shawl, as well as rain clouds and the symbol for father earth/mother sky.  Robin has won major awards for her pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market, Gallup Ceremonials and the Heard Indian Market.  While she makes few pieces each year, they are unique and the story of each piece conveys a deeper message from the artist to the viewer.

9"w x 6.5"h

$2400.00

Here are two exquisite lidded pieces from Glendora Fragua.  She is from a family of renown artists, including her mother, Juanita Fragua, sister BJ Fragua and brother, Cliff Fragua.  The jar on the left is polished tan and has a geometric pattern etched into the clay around the shoulder.  The designs are further highlighted by the painted patterns and inset pieces of turquoise.  The jar also has a tan lid.  The bowl on the right has four medallions, each with a sgraffito and painted sunface designs.  The imagery is both etched into the clay and highlighted with native clay slips.  The lid has an open design, always more difficult to make with the clay!  Glendora has won numerous awards for her work and is certainly one of the most sought after potters from Jemez Pueblo!

Left:       Tan Jar w/ Lid        3"w x 5.25"h        $650.00

Right:    Red Bowl w/ Lid    5"w x 4.75"h        $925.00

Reyes Madelina - Jemez    

Reyes is possibly best known for her very large scale pottery and gourd shaped vessels.  The large pieces have won her awards at Santa Fe Indian Market and other prestigious events.  Her pottery is all coil built and painted with native clay slips.  The designs are derived from classic Jemez pottery and this bowl has a wonderful combination of different prayer feathers as the pattern. 

5.5"w x 3"h

$200.00

     Vangie Tafoya - Jemez     

Vangie Tafoya is one of the Jemez potters who began incising into their pottery over thirty years ago.  Her high polish and delicate designs are always astounding to the eye.  The seedpot on the left has two tan melon ribs swirling around its side. The top is highly polished with a butterfly and flower, surrounded by traditional geometric patterns.  The bowl on the right has a classic eternity band around the rim and a feather pattern around the shoulder.  Typical of her work, it is highly polished and the contrast of the matte and polished surfaces is striking.

Left:            Red and Tan Seedpot with butterfly            4.75"w x 3"h            $400.00   

Right:         Red Bowl with Feather Pattern                       3"w x 2"h                $100.00 - SOLD

8"w x 7"h

$1800.00 - SOLD

Yvonne Lucas - Laguna/Navajo    

Yvonne Lucas continues to create her own path in reviving historic Laguna pottery.  This large water jar is among her most intricate, with only black (bee-weed, a plant) painted on a white clay slipped surface.  The designs are a series of plant and flower patterns.  They are enhanced by fineline pattern and the beauty of the coloration from the firing. Yvonne is one of the only potters from Laguna still firing traditionally, and the color variations are stunning, with almost a pinkish, meringue-like cast to areas of the white.  Yvonne learned to make pottery from her husband, Steve Lucas and Dextra Quotskuyva.  She has won numerous awards for her work and her pieces can be found in museums around the country.

9"w x 9"h

$4000.00 - SOLD

Yvonne Lucas - Laguna/Navajo   

Yvonne Lucas is married to Steve Lucas, and learned to make pottery from him and his aunt, Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo.  Her pottery is based on traditional Laguna Pueblo designs, many of which she has revived by studying historic pottery at the School of American Research.  As well, each of her vessels is native fired and they use all native clays!  This is a striking jar with a central flower medallions as the main pattern. The rim and base are both fully polished red while there are additional brown slipped areas.  Note the complexity of the fineline patterns on the leaves encircling the medallion!  This is a jar which shows how perfectly an artist can blend form and design!  As the piece is also native fired, the coloration in the white areas on this jar are nearly opalescent.  The thin walls further enhance the feel of the bowl and the intensity of the design!

8"w x 7.5"h

$3200.00

1.  2.    3.   4.   5.

Thomas Natseway - Laguna   

Thomas Natseway is one of the most renown miniaturists in Pueblo pottery.  Rarely does he make a piece which is over 1" tall!  Here is an amazing grouping of his pieces, each made from native clay and painted with native clay slips.  Thomas's pottery encompasses both recreating historic pieces in miniature and also his own innovative designs. The first has three parrots as the stands holding up the bowl.  The second piece is a canteen based on a Zuni style designs with bears as the handles.  The third piece is a set of a pitcher with a melon ribbed bottom.  There are birds painted on the shoulder of the pitcher and there are birds also painted on the bowl the pitcher sits in.  The fourth is a wedding vase with a painted rainbow band over a bird and note as well the twisted handle!  The fifth piece is an open dough bowl in the Zuni style, painted on both the inside and outside!  Thomas has won numerous awards for his pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market and Gallup Ceremonials. 

1.           Three Parrot Bowl                .75"w x .5"h        $350.00

2.           Canteen w/ Bears                .75"w x .75"h       $350.00

3.           Pitcher & Bowl Set              .75w x .75"h        $400.00 - SOLD

4.           Wedding Vase                     .5"w x .75"h         $300.00

5.            Open Bowl                           1"w x .25"h         $300.00                   

1.   2.    3.   4.   

Thomas Natseway - Laguna   

Thomas Natseway is one of the most renown miniaturists in Pueblo pottery.  Rarely does he make a piece which is over 1" tall!  Here is an amazing grouping of his pieces, each made from native clay and painted with native clay slips.  Thomas's pottery encompasses both recreating historic pieces in miniature and also his own innovative designs. The first piece above is a lidded canister painted with triangular mountain designs and a fineline pattern.  The second piece is a shalako katsina figure.  Note the amazing intricacy of the painting on the body and the tablita!  The third piece is a square jar with Zuni style designs and a tablita lid.  The fourth piece is an incredibly creative piece by Thomas!  It is a canister with painted flowers and a flower in relief at the top.  The lid is a hummingbird, which is taking nectar from the flower!  Thomas has won numerous awards for his pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market and Gallup Ceremonials. 

1.           Cylinder w/ Geometrics                  .5"w x 1"h            $400.00 - SOLD

2.           Shalako katsina Figure                   .75"w x .75"h       $400.00

3.          Jar with Tablita Lid                          .5w x 1.25"h         $475.00

4.          Jar with Hummingbird Lid            .5"w x 1"h             $475.00

Thomas Natseway - Laguna   

Thomas Natseway is one of the most renown miniaturists in Pueblo pottery.  This seedpot is an early example of his pottery with a fineline star pattern on the top and a geometric cloud and rain design around the shoulder.  The intricacy of his painting has certainly remained consistent over the years, while the scale of his pottery continues to diminish!  Thomas has won numerous awards for his pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market and Gallup Ceremonials. 

1.5"w x 1"h

$225.00

Maricopa __________

     Vesta Bread (1912-1976) - Maricopa    

There are very few Maricopa potters working today.  They are from just south of Phoenix, Arizona and the pottery has a very "folk art" appearance.  The pieces are made using an paddle-and-anvil technique and they are twice fired.  The black designs are derived from a mixture of mesquite sap and cactus spines.  Vesta Bread was among the most famous of the revivalist potters from this area in the 1970's.  These two bowls are small but classic examples of her pottery. The first bowl has a lightning  and mountain pattern encircling the center of the piece.  The second bowl has a cactus pattern painted onto the polished surface.  Both pieces are in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Left:        Bowl with Geometrics                4.5"w x 3.5"h        $300.00

Right:    Bowl w/ Cactus Design               5"w x 3.25"h         $300.00

Barbara Johnson (d.) - Maricopa    

Today, Maricopa pottery is virtually a lost art.  Located just south of Phoenix, Arizona, there was a revival movement in the 1940's and 50's. Barbara Johnson began making pottery in the late 1970's and her pieces are some of the best forms and also the tightest painting.  This fluted bowl has a rain and cloud pattern painted onto the clay. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

7"w x 3"h

$300.00

         Ida Redbird (1892-1971) - Maricopa    

There are very few Maricopa potters working today.  They are from just south of Phoenix, Arizona.  Each piece is made using an paddle-and-anvil technique and they are twice fired.  The black designs are derived from a mixture of mesquite sap and cactus spines.  Ida Redbird is certainly among the most famous of the Maricopa potters.  She was instrumental in the revival of Maricopa pottery from 1937-40.  She was featured in Arizona Highways in 1948.   She taught numerous others to make pottery.  These two jars are a classic Maricopa form, with a round body and an elongated neck. The jar on the left has a cloud pattern while the one on the right has a cactus design.  Both jars are in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Left:                Long neck vase with cloud Pattern                4.5"w x 5"h            $400.00

Right:             Long neck vase with Cactus Pattern               4.5"w x 6"h           $400.00

    Ida Redbird (1892-1971) - Maricopa    

There are very few Maricopa potters working today.  They are from just south of Phoenix, Arizona.  Among the most renown are Ida Redbird, Mabel Sunn and others, who continued making their pottery through the 1980's.  Ida Redbird is among the most famous from this area.  Each piece of pottery has a very "folk art" appearance.  The pieces are made using an paddle-and-anvil technique and they are twice fired.  The black designs are derived from a mixture of mesquite sap and cactus spines.  The bowl on the left is designed with a mountain pattern around the rim and water symbols encircling the body of the bowl.  The jar has a cloud pattern painted onto the surface.  Both pieces are in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Left:                Open Bowl with Water Designs                6"w x 3"h                $400.00 - SOLD

Right:             Jar with Cloud Patterns                               3.5"w x 4.75"h        $300.00

Nambe Pueblo __________

Lonnie Vigil - Nambe  

Lonnie Vigil is a name synonymous with micaceous pottery.  During his time at the School of American Research he refined his technique of making and firing micaceous pottery.  This bowl is a perfect example of his simplicity of form. The bowl has a high, sharp shoulder. The rim is even but has one section which come to a point.  The firing shows the variations in color near the base.  The bowl is an exciting balance of form and function, color and symmetry.  Lonnie has won "Best of Show" at Santa Fe Indian Market for his large vessels and is among the most sought after of the traditionalist pueblo potters.

12.5"w x 8"h

$2000.00

Pojoaque Pueblo __________

Melissa Talachy - Pojoaque  

Melissa Talachy comes from a family of renown potters, including her grandmother, Petra Gutierrez, parents Joe & Thelma Talachy and aunts Gloria Garcia (Goldenrod), Minnie Vigil & Lois Gutierrez.  This jar is a fantastic example of her pottery with deeply carved butterflies and dragonflies encircling the entire piece. The insects are varied in coloration from micaceous clay to white clay or polished surfaces.  Equally intriguing on her work is the background area between the carving, where she has left the rough texture of the clay visible.  This almost seems to emulate the movement of the insects around the piece!  Melissa has won awards for her pottery at the Heard Museum Indian Market and was part of a recent exhibit at the Po'eh Center Museum.

6"w x 8"h

$800.00 - SOLD

We are pleased to have the work of Daryl Candelaria again after his six year hiatus at the School of American Research in Santa Fe.  However, his time there has given him a new insight into historic and contemporary Pueblo pottery.  This bowl is carved and each section is a different style of pottery shard.  He is amazingly talented to create micaceous, polished and polychrome styles!  Daryl has also hand-drawn a key to the bowl, identifying the different shards.  We definitely look for more exciting work from this young and very talented potter!

9"w x 5.75"h

$1500.00