Frederica Antonio is renown for her intricately painted pottery. This jar is coil built and the walls are amazingly thin.  The shape captures a classic Acoma olla with a narrow base, high shoulder and slightly elongated neck.  However, it is the intricacy of the design which is so spectacular.  Typically these "double geometric" patterns are painted in small squares, which are then filled in with black or red slips.  The vertical black and white bands have alternating rain and eternity band designs.  The red, black and white vertical bands have alternating eternity band and wind and rain patterns.  The neck has a triangular cloud pattern encircling the piece.  While it is a smaller piece of her work, it is amazingly complicated and varied in design!   This is definitely a spectacular jar and perfectly executed in a smaller size, by this renown and creative Acoma potter!

4.75"w x 4.75"h

John Aragon is the son of noted potter Rachel Aragon.  While his mother is renown for her traditional style of Acoma pottery, John has utilized Mimbres designs on his work. The Mimbres designs are derived from petroglyh patterns which were painted or carved into rocks and have been revived by numerous artists.  This bowl is thin walled and fully painted with a variety of animals.  The overall complexity of the bowl is striking as the variety of animals intertwine creating larger images.  Note how the animals range from insects to larger animals and how many are also painted with fine-line designs for their bodies!  John has won numerous awards for his pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market and definitely has a distinctive style to his work.

6"w x 4.75"h             

$500.00

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 is a stunning larger water jar by this amazing potter!  It incorporates several different clay slips and some very traditional, old style designs.  Take a closer look at the images and the variety of designs and the precision of the painting is simply elegant!

9"w x 9"h

$1500.00

Barbara & Joseph Cerno - Acoma     

Barbara & Joseph Cerno are known for their very large vessels.  This jar is a more moderate size, but it is amazingly intricate in design.  The jar is fully painted and has four birds above and below the two-tone rainbows.  The rainbows are created with natural clay slips and then stone polished.  Surrounding the birds are numerous plant and flower designs.  The jar based on the historic Acoma "polychrome" jars which include four or more colors!  The shape of this jar perfectly complements the intricate design, as it has a narrow base, round shoulder and an elongated neck.  Barbara & Joseph are among the most renown contemporary Acoma potters for their revival of historic patterns.  They have won numerous awards at Santa Fe Indian Market the Heard Market and other prestigious events.

6.5"w x 5.25"h

$1000.00

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 renown for being a perfect blend of form and design.  This olla shaped jar is a classic of her work from the early 1970's.  It has a wide shoulder and longer neck.  The design is a lightning pattern which encircles the entire piece, with fineline pattern inside the "lightning" area.  It is pottery of this style with thin walls and intricate painting which are part of her important legacy.  This jar is in very good condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair, but some slight spalling in the clay.

10.5"w x 8.5"h

$3600.00

Carolyn is a sister of noted potters Rebecca Lucario, Judy Lewis and Diane Lewis.  Carolyn is well known for her beautifully painted pottery using Mimbres style figures.  These two seedpots reflect the creative spirit in her pottery.  The seedpot on the left has two ladybugs as the main design.  One is painted flat, the other is in relief.  They are surrounded by classic Acoma fineline and geometric patterns.  The seedpot on the right has a rabbit as the main design, and one of its ears in raised in relief from the surface of the seedpot.  Again there are fineline and geometric pattern surrounding the rabbit.  Carolyn has won numerous awards for her intricately painted pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Museum Market.

Left:        Seedpot with Ladybugs            2.5"w x 1.25"h        $100.00 - SOLD

Right:     Seedpot w/ Rabbit                     2.75"w x 1.5"h        $150.00

Lolita Concho was among those potters helping to revive historic Acoma pottery designs and forms in the 1970's.  She was the mother-in-law of noted potter Dorothy Torivio and taught her the techniques for painting tight even lines.  These two pieces are from the early 1970's at a time period when they re-introduced a fourth color back to Acoma pottery, recreating the historic "four color" pieces.  The tall water jar on the left is amazingly thin walled  and has parrots around the neck and classic geometric patterns around the shoulder.  Note the various colors of clay used throughout the entire piece!  The large jar on the right combines both the parrot design and very intricately painted fineline patterns around the entire piece!  The shape of the jar is also exceptional, reminding one of the early ollas.  Both pieces are in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  The jar on the right has a few areas of spalling which is typical of the 1970's period.  These wonderful vessels are an exciting moment in the history of reviving ancient styles in Acoma pottery.

Left:                Tall Water Jar with Birds                                      8"w x 11"h                $1400.00

Right:             Large Jar with Parrots and Fineline patterns    12"w x 9.5"h             $1200.00          

Darla is a daughter of potter Rachel White and the mother of Alicia Kelsey.  She is well known for her large, traditionally designed Acoma pottery.  This jar is a larger piece of her pottery.  It has classic bird pattern on each side.  The various additional colors which create the rainbow design over the bird and also the color of the bird's body are all native clay slips.

12"w x 10.25"h

$300.00

Paula Estevan is renown for her intricately painted Acoma pottery. She has been making pottery for over 20 years, and each year the work seems to become more intricate and delicate in design and form.  This seedpot is very thin walled and perfectly painted with with a lightning design.  Note how tightly the lines are painted on this piece!  Intricate and perfect!

5"w x 3.75"h

$500.00 - SOLD

Marietta Juanico learned to make pottery from her mother, Frances Concho.  She has developed an unique style of coil built pottery with elegant forms and very intricate handpainted designs.  This long neck jar has a triangular patter around the neck and a fineline pattern emanating down from the shoulder.  The additional fineline rainbow patterns separates these two bands of fineline designs.  This is definitely among the more intricate pieces of her pottery!

5.5"w x 7"h

$650.00

Left:      White Corrugated Seedpot with Medallions & Spiral        3.75"w x 2.5"h        $900.00       

Right:    White Corrugated Seedpot with Rain Designs                    3.25"w x 2"h          $800.00

Left:            Large Corrugated Seedpot                7"w x 3"h                        $2200.00

Right:         Red Corrugated Seedpot                   2.5"w x 1.75"h                $600.00

Juana Leno may best be remembered for her triple lobbed jar which appeared in the 1970's National Geographic magazine highlight Native American art.  However, she along with other Acoma potters such as Lolita Concho, were part of a significant moment in Acoma pottery history.  In the 1970's they re-introduced an additional clay color, recreating the classic "four color" Acoma pottery so prominent in the 1800's.  This wonderful "four color" jar is from the early 1970's and it is both thin walled and beautifully constructed.  There is a parrot design and a rainbow pattern above the parrot.  It is in wonderful condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Take a closer look at this wonderful bowl and the intricacy and complexity of the painted design!

12"w x 9"h

$1350.00

Diane Lewis is from a family of well-known potters, including Carolyn Concho and Rebecca Lucario.  These two miniatures are wonderful examples of her pottery. On the left is a seedpot with a Mimbres style deer as the central design. The remainder of the piece is fully painted with traditional Acoma finelie and geometric patterns.  Note the intricacy of the design elements and the use of a variety of colors!  On the right is a miniature seedpot with painted quail in the center and a butterfly pattern around the remainder of the piece.  Diane Lewis continues to be on the creative innovators at Acoma pueblo, reviving historic designs and re-creating them with her tightly painted perfection!

Left:               Seedpot w/ Deer                   3.25"w x 1.5"h     $150.00        

Right:           Seedpot w/ Quail                  2.5"w x .5"h         $100.00

Dolores Lewis is a daughter of renown potter, Lucy M. Lewis.  Learning from her mother, she continues to make classic style Acoma pottery with very traditional designs.  On the left, this wonderful bowl has a series of heartline deer encircling the piece while there are rainclouds painted around the mouth for the four directions.  The heartlines in the deer are painted with a red clay and symbolize the heart being the center of the animal.  This imagery has been used for hundreds of years on Acoma and Zuni pottery.  On the right are a pair of snakes, each painted with clay slips and semi-circular designs.  They are charming smaller pieces of her work!

Left:        Bowl with Heartline Deer                7"w x 4.25"h                    $425.00 - SOLD

Right:     Pair of Snakes                                    1.75" long each               $60.00 Pair

Drew Lewis is the son of renown potter, Lucy M. Lewis.  Learning from his mother, makes classic style Acoma pottery with very traditional designs.  This piece is a classic wedding vase with parrots on both sides.  The sides have flowers as the main pattern.  This is classic imagery seen on Acoma pottery and certainly influenced by the work of his mother. 

3.25"w x 4.5"h

$300.00

Emma Lewis is a daughter of renown potter, Lucy M. Lewis.  Learning from her mother, she makes classic style Acoma pottery with very traditional designs.  This miniature bowl is amazingly complex for its size!  It has a cloud and rain pattern encircling the top half of the bowl.  The red is a natural clay slip.  This is classic imagery seen on Acoma pottery and certainly influenced by the work of her mother. 

2"w x 2"h

$100.00 - SOLD

This is an unusual collaborative jar by Lucy Lewis.  It was most likely made by Lucy and then painted by her daughter, Emma.  It is a wonderful shape with a "pie crust" rim and the entire piece is fully polished. The birds are all painted with the red clay and outlined in black and they are all painted below the shoulder of the piece.  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!

8"w x 7"h

$3600.00

It is not often that we come across such a classic bowl by Lucy Lewis.  She was a self taught potter, inspired by the pre-historic Mimbres pottery found near Acoma Pueblo.  The linear patterns found on the pre-historic pottery influenced the creation of these fineline painted patterns.  This bowl is a wonderful shape with a slightly curved rim.  The bowl has a series of panels alternating both horizontally and vertically. The imagery consists of the fineline rain designs and triangular mountain patterns.  The bowl was made at the height of Lucy's creativity in 1969.  The pieces from this time period were traditionally fired outdoors, creating a wonderful coloration to the clay.  The black was painted using bee-weed for the black.  Note the crisp lines and the tightness of the designs as well how they  perfectly fit the shape of the bowl!  This piece is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is definitely a classic style of pottery by one of the great Matriarchs of Pueblo pottery!

8"w x 5.75"h

$3600.00

Lucy Lewis is inspirational, as she was a self taught potter, inspired by the pre-historic pottery fragments found near Acoma pueblo.  Her thin walled vessels have an amazing sense of proportion and flow of design which reflect her talent as both potter and artist.  This jar is a classic water olla shape with a narrow base, a wide shoulder and short neck. The jar has a very traditional appearance with the red clay slipped squares, divided by lines.  Between them are white squares with flower or plant imagery.  This bowl is a beautiful example of her pottery which has been traditionally fired. The various colors of the red reflect the smoke from the fire, which has given each of them a different depth, from red to dark brown. The jar is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is one of the larger pieces of Lucy's pottery we have had in the gallery for a while, and it is exciting to see such classic designs and form!

11"w x 8.25"h

$4500.00

Lucy Lewis was a self taught potter, inspired by the pre-historic Mimbres pottery found near Acoma Pueblo.  This jar draws on the historic significance and impact of the Mimbres pottery on Lucy's work. The jar has three different animals, an antelope, deer and elk, painted around the neck.  Separating the three animals are triangular designs with lightning and rain patterns.  The piece has been native fired outdoors so there is just the slightest greyish hue near the base, which is really wonderful to see!  The jar is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is exciting to see such an whimsical yet sophisticated piece by one of the great Matriarchs of Pueblo pottery.

4"w x 6"h

$1500.00 - SOLD

Rebecca Lucario - Acoma      NEW

Rebecca Lucario is among the most renown of contemporary Acoma potters for the fine detailed designs on her pottery.  While she is best known for her plates, she also creates wonderfully detailed bowls and jars.  Rebecca is a granddaughter of Dolores Sanchez and a sister of Carolyn Concho, Diane Lewis, Judy Lewis and Rebecca Lucario.  This is the first time we have had a bowl by her which has been slipped in red clay and then painted with the black bee-weed plant for the black. The bowl is thin walled and perfectly painted with classic Acoma imagery.  There are alternating sections of cloud and rain patterns.  Take a closer look at the piece and note the perfection of the lines representing the rain!  Rebecca has won numerous awards for her pottery and been featured in books and museum exhibits around the country. 

3.5"w x 2.5"h

$450.00

Marilyn Ray - Acoma      NEW

Marilyn Ray is among the most renown of the Acoma storyteller potters.  Her work combines a whimsical sense of humor with amazing detail in form and design.  Marilyn is a granddaughter of Dolores Sanchez and a sister of Carolyn Concho, Diane Lewis, Judy Lewis and Rebecca Lucario.  This storyteller with four children is a perfect example of the intricacy of her pottery. First note the face, as it is always wonderful when she sculpts the lips with the clay, which is more often seen on her larger works. In this piece, the mother is holding a seedpot with a Mimbres style fish painted on the top.  The children are looking at a butterfly which has landed on the seedpot. One of the children is sitting on her leg eating a piece of watermelon and being watched by two birds on the other leg!  There is a single child who has crawled up and is sitting on her head. Note the variety of colors on this piece along with the detail in the hem of her dress and on the faces of the children!  Marilyn has won numerous awards for her pottery, and the beauty and elegance of her work is certainly evident in every piece.

4"w x 6.76"h

$1200.00

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 beautiful examples of her pottery and the intricately painted designs.  The jar on the left 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! The jar on the right is one of her larger pieces 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  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 w/ Flowers and Diamonds     4.5"w x 4.25"h   $700.00

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

Stella Shutvia was renown for her corrugated pottery vessels.  She was a daughter of noted potter Jessie Garcia and the mother of Jacquie Shutiva-Hista.  Her corrugated style of pottery was inspired by pre-historic style corrugated pottery.  The bowl is coil built and the exterior of the coils is left exposed and then impressed with a triangular design.  This bowl is from the late 1980's and has a single turtle on the side of the bowl.  The backs of the turtle is also corrugated!  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is definitely an important piece from one of the important potters of Acoma pueblo!

8"w x 6"h

$325.00 - SOLD

       Dorothy Torivio - Acoma      NEW

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.  Here are two wonderful miniatures in her extraordinary style.  The jar on the left has a wide shoulder and a "butterfly" design. The oval wings are highlighted with the red dots.  The jar on the right is even smaller and beautifully painted 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:                Miniature Jar w/ Buttefly Design        2.5"w x 1.5"hy         $400.00

Right:            Miniature Jar w/ Star Pattern                2"w x 1.25"h             $300.00

    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 large jar has a butterfly pattern as the overall design.  Each butterfly is interlocked and tightly painted to encompass the surface of the vessel, creating the appearance of butterflies encircling the jar!  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".

9"w x 6"h

$3000.00

Sandra Victorino - Acoma     

Sandra Victorino is  a niece 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. This seedpot has a short, narrow neck with a butterfly pattern painted on the top of the piece.  The remainder of the jar has a series of spiral patterns with fineline and checkerboard imagery.  Note how the designs get smaller as they get closer to the base!  Typical of her work, it is intricately painted and there is a beautiful sense of balance between the form and design.   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.

4"w x 4"h

$300.00 - SOLD

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.  This simply has to be both one of the most charming pieces of hers we have seen, but also one of the most complicated!  It is "Noah's Ark", and there are pairs of animals encircling the ark and on top.  Take a closer look at both images and note all the different animals, their whimsical expressions and even the birds and ladybugs on on the top!  The figure of Noah is separate, while the rest is all one piece!  This piece is in perfect condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. These figures are made from native clay and painted with native clay slips and wild spinach (black).  It is definitely a classic of Inez's pottery!  

11" long x 6"w x 7"h

$1600.00 - SOLD

     Janice Ortiz - Cochiti  

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.  Both of these figures are based on the classic "Directional Figures", each representing the four cardinal directions (north, south, east and west) and are a specific color.  The figure on the left is the South Direction (Red) and has suns painted as the design on the body.  The figure on the right is the West Direction (Blue or black, since there isn't a native blue clay at Cochiti Pueblo) and has lightning pattern painted on the front and back of the body.  The figures are both coil built and  painted with native clays (red, cream) and wild spinach (black).  The additional clay tabs on the head and ears are slipped with a red clay and added after firing. 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:           South Directional Figure      12"w x 18"h         $1600.00

Right:        West Directional Figure        13"w x 16"h         $1600.00

   Janice Ortiz - Cochiti  

Creativity and innovation are the hallmarks of Janice Ortiz's pottery.  She 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.  On the left is a bust of Father Sky, with the "Four Directional" figures sitting on his tablita.  They are each separate pieces, which makes it incredibly complex to create and fire!  The Four Directional figure represent the four directions (North - Yellow, South - Red, East - White, West-Black/Blue) and are designated by a specific color.  The large figure on the right is also coil built.  The Father Sky figure has the Four Directional figures sitting on his arms and shoulders.  Again, there are 5 separate pieces to this figure!  The designs around the four figures are very tightly painted with spinach leaf and cloud patterns.  There is something very elegant about both pieces as they combine ethnographic and cultural imagery with more modern representations. Janice has won numerous awards for her pottery  at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market and at the Heard Market. Her pieces can also be found in museums around the country.

Left:        Directional "Bust" with 5 pieces        9"w x 12.5"h            $2000.00

Right:     Father Sky Figure with 5 pieces        18"w x 17"h             $3000.00

Over the past year, Janice has begun making a few collaborative pieces which her husband, Alfred Woods.  He has been designing them with his own style of carved imagery.  Alfred made the plate on the left and then it was painted with a stylized flower design by Janice.  The plate on the right has a West Directional Figure carved into the piece as the design.  The rim has four points which are each painted with a spinach leaf design.  The figure in relief in the center has additional tabs added to the arms, neck and headdress, just like on the larger figures!  These are exciting pieces and we certainly expect to see more collaborative work from Janice and Alfred in the future.

Left:                    Plate with Flower Design                      10" diameter                 $300.00

Right:                 Plate w/ West Directional Figure         11" diameter                 $500.00 - SOLD

     Virgil Ortiz- Cochiti    NEW

This is one of the few larger canteens we have had from Virgil Ortiz.  While much of his work has a modern play on traditional designs and forms, this piece harkens back to a very traditional form. The designs are a series of inter-connected tendrils with lighting and dragonfly designs.  The entire surface of the piece is fully designed, adding to its elegance.  Virgil learned to make pottery from his mother, Seferina Ortiz.  His pottery combines traditional techniques with creative and innovative designs.  Note as well in the first image above the "spirit line" on the rim, where the painted line around the rim is left open.  This is seen on traditional Cochiti pottery and Virgil continues this connection to the historic past of his art.  In his pottery, the black is derived from wild spinach (a plant) and remainder are all natural clays.  The use of such traditional and contemporary imagery has become a standard for Virgil's pottery, continuing to push the boundaries of contemporary Native clay.  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"long x 9"w x 4"h

$3800.00

Virgil Ortiz- Cochiti    NEW

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. Virgil made his first jar with "faces" on it for our "Saints and Sinners" show in 2005.  This jar is among the most complicated pieces with faces to date.  The faces relate to the fashion designs of his clothing and note as well how they are comprised of the various designs found on the traditional pottery.  Note in the first image above how the hair 'streaks' backward, as Virgil simply let the black (wild spinach plant) run to create the effect.  The same appearance is created in the second image above and on the eyes in the fourth image.  This intricate and varied nature of the jar is simply phenomenal, capturing the elegance and sleekness of the fashion world in clay.  Check out some of the early "face pots" in the book, Free Sprit: The New Native American Potter. Note as well in the third image above the "spirit line" on the rim, where the painted line around the rim is left open.  This is seen on traditional Cochiti pottery and Virgil continues this connection to the historic past of his art.  In his pottery, the black is derived from wild spinach (a plant) and remainder are all natural clays.  The use of such traditional and contemporary imagery has become a standard for Virgil's pottery, continuing to push the boundaries of contemporary Native clay.  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".

8"w x 9.25"h

$4400.00

Diego Romero has been considered one of the creative innovators in Pueblo pottery for nearly twenty years.  His open bowl forms are base on pre-historic bowls shapes and his imagery has a "cartoon" style, while capturing the life of his main characters, the Chongo brothers.  This bowl is his classic style with a fully polished back and the interior painted with Mimbres style figures.  The use of the checkerboard design around the rim and the figures in the center creates a great visual appearance.  The figures are all standing on each other's shoulders, but take a closer look at the expressions!  It is really wonderful! Diego's pottery can be found in museums around the world, including the British Museum in London.  He has also been written about in numerous books including "Free Spirit: The New Native American Potter".

8.5"w x 4"h

Ada Suina is among the best known 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.  This figure is a female storyteller with nine children.  It is beautifully painted and note the complexity of the design on the back.  Note the sculptural quality to the face  and the scarf, 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!

10"h

$1800.00

Vangie Suina is renown for her intricately painted storytellers.  She is a daughter of Louise Suina who taught her to make pottery.  This wonderful storyteller has 20 children, each distinctively painted and designed, around the mother.  The detail to the painting on the shawl and the children is striking.  As well, the deep coloration from the firing creates a distinctive appearance to her work.  Vangie has won numerous awards for her pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market is continues to innovative in this classic style of Cochiti pottery.

4.25"w x 6.75"h

$1100.00

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   

This is an amazing sculptural piece from Robin Teller.  She is the daughter of noted potter Stella Teller.  She has entitled this piece, "My Spirit Within".  The outside is in the shape of a kiva, and there are four animals carved in relief on the sides, in areas where it would seem the plaster has fallen away. There is a deer, eagle, bear and mt. lion.  They are each painted with native clay slips.  The "lid" to the kiva has fully painted vigas in clay on the under side.  The top has a ladder and when the bowl is opened there are four separate animal figures on the inside. They are the same animals as painted on the outside of the bowl.  There is also on human figure, meant to represent "our spirit within" the kivas.  This is an amazing piece in complexity of form, technique and concept.  Robin's technical skill shines throughout this entire piece.  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 5.25"h (w/o ladder)

$1800.00 for 8 pieces

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

$2000.00

Here are three exquisite pieces from Glendora Daubs 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 in the center 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!  The seedpot on the right is an earlier piece of her pottery with the central medallion fully polished and then incised with a corn and feather pattern.  The remainder of the piece is matte and highlighted with additional clay slips to create cloud and rain patterns.  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

Center:      Red Bowl w/ Lid                   5"w x 4.75"h        $800.00

Right:        Seedpot w/ Corn Design     2.25"w x 3.25"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

$225.00

     Yvonne Lucas - Laguna/Navajo    

Yvonne Lucas continues to create her own path in reviving historic Laguna pottery.  She is married to Steve Lucas, and learned to make pottery from him and his aunt, Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo.  Here are two elegant examples of her pottery.  The jar on the left is amazingly thin walled and painted using the bee-weed plant to create the black coloration.  The designs are feather, rain and lighting patterns.  The jar is then native fired, creating a beautiful coloration to the white area.  The jar on the right includes not only the black painted areas but also the polished red clay slip.  The design on the sides of the pieces are a flower pattern which is then connected to the next flower medallion with a geometric and fineline pattern.  The top of the jar has a star pattern which connects the four medallions and the cloud patterns.  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.  She has won numerous awards for her work and her pieces can be found in museums around the country.

Left:        Small Jar with Geometrics        7"w x 6.75"h        $1600.00

Right:     Flat Jar w/ Star Pattern              11"w x 7"h            $4000.00

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

$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 - SOLD

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

Picuris Pueblo __________

Virginia Durran  - Picuris   

Virginia Durran is one of the few potters from Picuris Pueblo in Northern New Mexico. The pottery is made from micaceous clay and then rag polished with a micaceous clay slip.  The pitcher is made from micaceous clay and has a wonderful sense of form with a round body, handle and spout.  It is typical of much of her work as it has a very functional appearance and use.  The micaceous clay is one of the which is actually fired hot enough that it can be used.  Note the fire cloud near the base which signifies that the piece was traditionally fired.

8"w x 7.5"h

$350.00

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

$975.00 - SOLD

       Kevin Trancosa (1968-1997) - San Felipe  

It is not often that we come across work by Kevin Trancosa.  We were one of the first galleries to begin working with him when he began making pottery in the late 1990's.  Here are two classic pieces of his pottery.  They are made with the reddish micaceous clay from San Felipe Pueblo.  The deep coloration of the clay is a beautiful contrast to the fineline painted designs. The jar on the left has an elegant form with a wide shoulder and a shorter neck.  The jar on the right has a narrower base and a longer neck.  The design on both pieces is a star pattern which is painted in diamonds and starts small on the neck and gets larger at the shoulder and then smaller at the base.  They are both in excellent condition.  Both pieces were made in 1997 and are a wonderful testament to a young and talented potter!

Left:        Wide Shoulder Jar        7.5"w x 6.75"h            $1200.00 - SOLD      

Right:     Tall Neck Jar                   7"w x 7"h                   $1200.00 - SOLD

Myrtle Cata began making pottery in the early 1980's.  Her pottery is typically plain, emphasizing the form and polish.  This jar is a stunning long neck double shoulder water jar. The jar is stone polished to create the shine.  This is one of the larger pieces of her work we have had in the gallery, and it is a beautiful example of how a classic form can continue to find its own distinction among Pueblo pottery.

11"w x 13"h

$450.00 - SOLD

Tom & Sue Tapia  - San Juan    

Tom Tapia is one of the most renown potters from San Juan Pueblo, creating a very intricate style of incised pottery.  This bowl was made by his wife, Sue and the he has incised the entire surface and then added a reddish clay from San Juan to the background to highlight the design.  Above the shoulder there are two half-circle double rows of incised feathers.  One set is over a pueblo village and the other an incised bear paw.  Between them are a series of katsina figures, both male and female.  There is a Hano Mana, a Broadface Katsina and others. Below the shoulder is an incised avanyu (water serpent) and near the base are again there are arcs of incised feather patterns.  It is simply stunning how intricate the design work is on this pottery and that Tom has been making such complex works for over twenty years.

4.5"w x 3.25"h

$800.00 - SOLD      

Tom Tapia  - San Juan    

Tom Tapia is renown for his polished and incised pottery.  Each piece is coil built and incised with a variety of traditional or animal images.  He often works with his wife, Sue Tapia, who carves the pottery before he etches the designs into the clay.  This small bowl has a series of butterflies as the main design.  They are much more whimsical in appearance and appear very happy to have found a flower!  Note the high polish and the tight placement of the designs. 

2"w x 1.5"h

$100.00

Arthur (1948-1998) and Hilda (1949-2006) Coriz- Santo Domingo  

Arthur and Hilda Coriz were best known for their wonderful large sized pottery and traditional Santo Domingo designs and forms.  Hilda was a sister to noted potter Robert Tenorio and Arthur learned to paint the designs from his brother-in-law.  Together they formed a wonderful partnership in pottery.  This large jar is an outstanding example of their pottery.  The shape is stunning with the low round shoulder, the elongated neck and the slightly turned out rim.  Arthur has painted it with a diamond pattern inside the rim and around the neck.  However, it is the design around the body of the piece which is so unusual, as it has a human form.  This was a period when Arthur was taking inspiration both from Pueblo work but also from pre-historic Mimbres pottery.  The end result is a fantastic blend of ancient and modern.  This jar is in fantastic condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is definitely an important and exciting pieced of their pottery!

11"w x 11.5"h

$1600.00

Dolorita Melchor (d.) - Santo Domingo  

Dolorita Melchor was a daughter of noted potter Santana Melchor, one of the matriarchal potters of Santo Domingo.  This jar is from the 1970's and is a classic water jar form.  The entire piece is fully designed with leaf and sun patterns.  Note was well the spirit line on the rim.  Dolorita did not make a lot of pottery, and often did so with her mother and also her sister-in-law, Crucita.  This jar is in great condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.   It is always exciting to find such unique and yet classic pieces of Santo Domingo pottery.

7"w x 6"h

$700.00

Santana Melchor (1889-1978) - Santo Domingo  

Santana Melchor has long been considered one of the great matriarchs of Santo Domingo Pueblo.  Throughout her career she helped to revived and maintain many of the historic designs and forms found on earlier pottery from the Pueblo.  She is the mother of well know potters such as Dolorita Melchor.  This jar is from the late 1960's and is a wonderful example of her pottery.  While not "perfect" in form, it reflects the folk art era of Pueblo pottery perfectly, with an elegant round shoulder and slightly turned out rim.  The design is a  perfect complement to the shape with a plant design dividing the jar into sections and then with a single flower surrounded by a creame colored "negative space".  This jar is in great condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.   It is always exciting and increasingly difficult to find such unique and yet classic pieces of Santo Domingo pottery.

10"w x 10"h

$1200.00

Robert Tenorio - Santo Domingo  

Here is one of the smallest pieces we have had from Robert.  It is a classic style Santo Doming jar with large feather and cloud patterns.  This jar is based on the historic Santo Domingo designs of the 1800's.  Robert continues to use all native materials for his pottery and utilize traditional imagery.  He has won numerous awards for his pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market and is certainly one of the most influential Santo Domingo potters working today!

2.5"w x 2.75"h

$100.00

Robert Tenorio - Santo Domingo  

Robert Tenorio is renown for his use of traditional imagery on his pottery.  This is one of the more intricately designed bowls we have had in the gallery.  The outside has a classic rain, lightning and rainbow pattern painted above the shoulder.  Note the use of the both the red clay slip and the tan colored clay, which creates a more visually striking appearance.  Below the shoulder is a feather pattern separated by panels with Santo Domingo style birds.  However, it is the inside of the bowl which gives the entire piece such a distinctive sense of complexity.  There are nine turtles painted on the inside of the bowl. In the center, the turtle has a carved handprint with an eternity symbol in the center.  The other turtles are painted with the black (wild spinach) and then highlighted with both the red and tan clay slips.  Robert has won numerous awards for his pottery and is certainly one of the most influential Santo Domingo potters working today!

12"w x 5.75"h

$1400.00

Robert Tenorio - Santo Domingo  

This is one of the most unusual forms we have seen from Robert Tenorio!  It is a classic double canteen, which has been coil built. The two canteens are joined together and there is also a clay handle making it all one piece.  It is always amazing that such technically difficult pieces survive the firing!  The design on the outside is a series of painted male and female deer.  Robert has won numerous awards for his pottery and is certainly one of the most influential Santo Domingo potters working today!

11"long x 7"h

$1000.00

Jacquie Stevens has long been one of the non-pueblo potters who has created some extraordinary coil built pottery.  While she is know for large sized vessels, this is undoubtedly one of the largest pieces of her work we have ever had in the gallery!  This large jar is coil built and stone polished.  It is an organic shaped "melon jar", with 6 ribs pushed out the from the inside to create the form.  The jar is amazingly think walled and spectacular in both scale and form.  Jacquie has won numerous awards at Santa Fe Indian Market and been featured in books such as, "Legacy of Generations".

19"w x 17"h

Elizabeth Medina is known for her classic Zia pottery.  Her work is based on traditional Zia designs, including birds, roadrunners and flowers.  This is a polychrome jar, with over three different clay slips, which are both matte and polished on the jar.  The lid has a turtle with a bird painted on its back. The base of the lid is in painted in the shape of a flower.  The jar itself has birds on each side, and note that their wings and body are fully polished.  They are surrounded by a rainbow band, where the red and tan clay slips are also polished!  The jar has a wonderful balance of color and design, using only native clay slips and it is also native fired.  Elizabeth has won numerous awards for her pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market. 

7"w x 9.5"h (w/ Lid)

$300.00 - SOLD

Marcellus Medina & Elizabeth Medina - Zia   

Marcellus Medina is known for his traditional style of Pueblo painting. However, he also does pottery with his wife, Elizabeth, who makes the pieces which he paints.  This small jar has an buffalo dancer on one side and an Apache style Gahn Dancer on the other.  Note the intricacy of the painted figures as well as the traditional rain and feather patterns surrounding them!

2.5"w x 3"h

$250.00 -  SOLD

Ruby Panana - Zia   

Ruby Panana is known for her very traditional style Zia pottery.  The colors are all derived from native clay slips and her vessels vary with polished and matte surfaces.  This bowl is a striking example with a roadrunner under a polished rainbow.  On the opposite sides there is a flower design, which when looked at from a distance becomes a butterfly!  There is a beautiful balance of form and design in her pottery!

10"w x 7.5"h

$600.00 - SOLD

This jar by Deldrick Cellicion has two lizards in relief on the shoulder of the jar.  The heads of the lizards are extending up from the clay, white the toes and tails encircle the remainder of the piece.  The coloration of the jar is the classic white and red Zuni clay. Deldrick mottles the clay on the surface, creating a fantastic texture.  The shape of the lizards are perfect for the shape of the jar and enhance its overall appearance.

3.25"w x 4.25"h

Alan Lasiloo is one of the young, new innovators in Pueblo pottery.  He has been working on painted micaceous ware pottery for the past several years.  The most recent addition to his clay work is his white-ware pottery.  These pieces combine the traditional Zuni  and kaolin white clay.  They are stone polished and pit fired.  The various colorations are from the firing, where lard is placed on the vessel during firing  and melts into the clay.  This is one of the larger pieces of his work and a graceful form with melon ribs pushed out near the base.  The lard which has burned into the clay has created a stunning appearance against the white!  The variations of color are in elegant contrast to the shape of the vessel and seem to accent just the right area and keep the eye moving.  Alan has been involved and interested in fashion and the connection of form and simplicity of this vessel is certainly a reflection of his aesthetic of creating designs with clay instead of fabric.  We look forward to seeing more from this young artist!

9.5"w x 16.75"h

$1200.00 - SOLD

     Alan E. Lasiloo - Zuni    

Alan Lasiloo is quickly becoming one of the sought after new, young, creative potters.  These two pieces are made from micaceous clay.  They are pit fired to give them coloration from the smoke as they fire.  Note first the size of both pieces!  They are large vessels and each is coil built.  The jar on the left has an elegant form, with the round Zuni style shoulder and the elongated neck.  Enlarge the image and the symmetry of the vessel is evident! One side has a painted design, which is Alan's simplistic interpretation of the story of the Warrior Twins, of Pueblo mythology.  The other side has amazing fire clouds which seem to move ceaselessly across the body of the vessel.  The second piece is a plate, which is micaceous and a rich, orange-red coloration on the front, and nearly black on the back!  The front has a simplified water symbol which Alan has taken from Zuni pottery.  The size of the plate is dynamic and an amazing accomplishment for any potter working in native clay!  It is exciting to see an artist working on such scale, and certainly a reflection of his skills!

Left:        Jar w/ Warrior Twins Design            12"w x 17"h            $1000.00

Right:     Plate w/ Water Symbols                     17.5" diameter       $1000.00

     Randy Nahohai - Zuni   

Randy Nahohai is one of the best known of the traditional style of Zuni potters.  These two bowls represent two different styles of his pottery.  The jar on the left has a star and universe design painted onto the clay.  The jar on the right has heartline deer encircling the jar.  The rim is a micaceous clay slip, in contrast to the white polished surface of the jar.  Randy has won numerous awards for his pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market and been featured in numerous books on both Zuni and Pueblo pottery.

Left:        Jar with Stars            5.5"w x 4.75"h            $300.00 - SOLD

Right:     Jar with Deer            7.5"w x 7.25"h            $500.00 - SOLD