Annie Baca is a daughter of noted potter Cresencia Tafoya, and the sister of Harriet Tafoya and Pauline Martinez.  Annie is known for her miniature pottery, which is beautifully formed, highly polished and tightly painted.  This bowl has a feather and geometric pattern as the design.  The precision of the painting is in perfect complement to the sharp edge of the form and the high polish.  Annie has won numerous awards for her pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market and Gallup Ceremonials. 

4"w x 2.5"h

$250.00

Jerome Ebelacker (b. 1977)- Santa Clara   NEW

Jerome has been following in his illustrious family's path by making stunning larger vessels.  His pottery is focused on traditional shapes and classic forms. This is a smaller water jar with incised bear paws and a double shoulder.    Jerome is the elder son of Richard Ebelacker and great-grandson of Margaret Tafoya.  He has only been making pottery for a few years, learning from his father.  There is something both modern and yet classic about this vase.  It is exciting to see new work by this exceptional potter and Jerome is definitely an "up and coming" potter from Santa Clara in the traditional style of pottery, and one to watch! 

5.75"w x 6.25"h

$800.00

Jerome Ebelacker (b. 1977)- Santa Clara  

Jerome is the elder son of Richard Ebelacker and great-grandson of Margaret Tafoya.  He has only been making pottery for a few years, learning from his father.  His pottery is focused on traditional shapes and classic forms.  Complicated forms seem to be his specialty. This wedding vase is an elegant form, with the spouts extending up from a high shoulder vessel.  There is a single bear paw on each side, part of a Santa Clara legend of the bear bringing the people to water during a drought.  The piece is highly polished which complements the firing, which is somewhere between dark brown and black.  There is something both modern and yet classic about this vase.  It is exciting to see new work by this exceptional potter and Jerome is definitely an "up and coming" potter from Santa Clara in the traditional style of pottery, and one to watch! 

9"w x 6.5"h

$1200.00 - SOLD

Jerome Ebelacker (b. 1977)- Santa Clara  

Jerome began making pottery several years ago and then quit to be a fire-fighter.  He learned to make pottery from his father, Richard Ebelacker and he is a great-grandson of Margaret Tafoya.  Jerome has focused on traditional forms for his pottery.  He was inspired to make this jar after seeing one that his father made this past fall.  The jar has a mountain pattern and interestingly there is a similar design on a jar by Margaret Tafoya from the 1970's below.  On this piece, the area below the design is polished red while the area above is polished tan.  This is the first time Jerome has polished tan on his pottery, as this is one of the most difficult techniques to master in polishing.  It is difficult to get the tan to achieve a high shine and also difficult to fire. The jar has turned out with an elegant appearance as the contrast of the red and tan are visually striking. Jerome certainly has an extraordinary sense of form and proportion in his pottery.   He is definitely an "up and coming" potter from Santa Clara in the traditional style of pottery, and one to watch! 

8"w x 9"h

$2500.00

Richard Ebelacker - Santa Clara  

Richard Ebelacker is renown for his large scale pottery, being one of the few to make storage jars which almost reach three feet in height!  He is a son of noted potter Virginia Ebelacker and a grandson of Margaret Tafoya.  This is a low shoulder jar with a spiral cloud design carved into the clay. The high polish is a beautiful complement to the form.  Richard has won awards for his pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market every year he has entered his work.  He is among the most sought after of Santa Clara potters and work of this elegance certainly reflects the calibre of his art!

9"w x 9"h

$2800.00 - SOLD

Virginia Ebelacker (1925-2001) - Santa Clara   NEW

Virginia Ebelacker was the first child of Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001) and a matriarch of a family of renown potters including her son, Richard Ebelacker.  As a child, Virginia remembered helping her grandmother, Sara Fina Tafoya, polish her large storage jars.  She worked in Los Alamos and only began making pottery full time in the late 1960's.  She quickly developed a reputation for her large scale pottery and amazing even polish!  This wedding vase is a classic example of her pottery with a rounded body and elongated spouts which square off at the ends.  There are bear paws on each side, carved into the clay and polished.  The vase is in near perfect condition, with one small chip on one of the necks of the vase which has been repaired.  Work of hers is always a wonderful find and an important addition to any collection!

8"w x 11.5"h

$3000.00

Jody Folwell - Santa Clara  NEW

It is not often that Jody makes miniatures.  However, we are very pleased to have such a stunning smaller jar by this renown potter.  The jar has a low, wide shoulder and an asymmetrical rim, which is a classic shape for her pottery. While it is plain, it has a highly stone polished surface.  The coloration is derived from the firing, with colors ranging from black to red.  Jody is a daughter of Rose Naranjo and the mother of potters Polly Rose Folwell and Susan Folwell.  Her pottery can be found in museums around the country and her work has been featured in numerous books, including "The Art of Clay" and "Legacy of Generations".  She is currently part of the outstanding exhibit at the Heard Museum, "Mothers and Daughters".

3"w x 3.25"h

$400.00

Jody Folwell - Santa Clara  

Jody Folwell is has long been an innovator in Pueblo pottery, since her evolutionary work of the 1970's when she began firing her pottery with brown colorations and utilizing non-traditional design elements.  Today, Jody continues to evolve in her art and each piece brings together different aspects of her long history of making pottery.  This beautiful bowl is highly polished and fired a dark brownish-red.  The design is a series of three birds etched into the clay.  Around the rim are a series of traditional style eagle feathers and in the background of the piece it is fully incised with "x's".  However, take a closer look at the birds, they have each caught one of the "x's" in their beaks! The depth of the incising makes it almost appear as if the "x's" have been pulled off the bowl itself!  Jody is a daughter of Rose Naranjo and the mother of potters Polly Rose Folwell and Susan Folwell.  Her pottery can be found in museums around the country and her work has been featured in numerous books, including "The Art of Clay" and "Legacy of Generations".

4.5"w x 4"h

$2000.00

Jody Folwell - Santa Clara  

This stunning bowl by Jody Folwell is a signature of her style and impact on Santa Clara pottery.  In the 1970's, she was among the first at Santa Clara to begin firing her pottery red and then placing the cow manure directly onto the top of the bowl to give it a black rim.  This seemingly simple alternation was met with resistance at the Pueblo at the time, yet today it is a style which is not only seen there but at various other pueblos. This bowl is fully polished and a fantastic form with a wide shoulder and asymmetrical rim.  The various colors of black are derived from the end of the firing when the bowl is still hot and the smoke from the manure placed against creates the reduction process which turns it black.  Note in the first image there are also small dots of black, created by placing hot ash on the surface of the bowl.  The final result is both elegant and simple, yet inspiring.   Jody is a daughter of Rose Naranjo and the mother of potters Polly Rose Folwell and Susan Folwell.  Her pottery can be found in museums around the country and her work has been featured in numerous books, including "The Art of Clay" and "Legacy of Generations".  She is currently part of the outstanding exhibit at the Heard Museum, "Mothers and Daughters".

8"w x 5.5"h

$2000.00

Polly Rose Folwell - Santa Clara  

Polly is a daughter of Jody Folwell and a sister of Susan Folwell. While Polly is well known for her incised patterns, she also creates stunning classic forms.  This tall jar has a double shoulder and it is fully polished.  There is a feather pattern painted around the shoulder of  the piece.  The entire jar has been native fired black and the matte area is in perfect complement to the highly polished surface.  Polly has won numerous awards for her pottery, including "Best of Pottery" at the Heard Museum Market.

5.5"w x 10.5"h

$1200.00

Susan Folwell - Santa Clara    

Susan Folwell continues to excel in both her pottery forms and the creativity of her designs.  Her family includes mother Jody Folwell and sister Polly Rose Folwell.  Here are two unique smaller pieces of her pottery. The seedpot on the left has an asymmetrical form and it is incised with a single bird on a tree. The area below the bird has a traditional styled Santa Clara design. The piece is tan polished and highlighted with stains.  The jar on the right is incised with horses and a mosaic "panel" on one side.  The mosaic design complements the dorm of the jar and creates a stunning visual of circles and squares.  The horses are surrounded by little saint-like talismans or milagros.   Take a closer look at the images of this jar, as there is an incredible amount of intricately incised design across the entire surface of the piece!     Susan has won numerous awards at event such as Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Indian Market.  She has been featured in several books, including NDN, Free Spirit and others.  She is currently part of a fantastic exhibit at the Heard Museum entitled, "Mothers and Daughters".

Left:            Seedpot with Bird & Feather pattern            5"w x 6.5"h        $1200.00 - SOLD

Right:         Jar with Horses & Mosaic                                5"w x 8"h           $1200.00

Susan Folwell - Santa Clara    NEW

This is a fascinating and though provoking jar by Susan Folwell.  Technically, it is a stunning shape for a coil built vessel. The the shoulders push forward and then backward in an undulating movement.  The design is is dramatic, with a white deer on one side.  This is meant to represent one's dreams.  Susan herself is often inspired by her dreams to create the imagery for her pottery.  As the jar is turned, there is a complicated section of "mosaic" pattern, with a coloration which almost reminds one of falling leaves or the landscape seen from the corner of ones eye in a moving vehicle.  The opposite side has another deer, yet this is the deer of transformation.  Note that the antlers have become trees while the back leg of the deer is that of a bird.  The white deer of dreams has transformed into a complex figure, combining numerous aspects of nature in one figure.  Near the top Susan has also incised a lightning design, another symbolic image.  This jar is incised and then painted with clay slips and underglazes. The coloration on this jar is subdued and yet elegant.  The flow of the imagery and the form seems to be in perfect balance.  The form and the texture of the incised designs creates a unique sensation when holding the vessel   Susan's pottery is meant to not only connect with us visually, but also with touch and meant to make us think.  Few potters working today have such a profound sense of their pottery as a cultural or social statement.  Susan has won numerous awards at event such as Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Indian Market.  She has been featured in several books, including NDN, Free Spirit and others. She is currently featured in the "Mothers and Daughters" exhibit at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ.

7"w x 12.75"h

$4000.00

Susan Folwell - Santa Clara    

This jar is a fascinating evolution of Susan's pottery, and one which is full of surprises on every level. The vessel itself is thin walled and beautifully constructed using native clay and coil techniques.  There are areas which are incised and carved along with those which are slipped with clay and other areas which are "painted" with wood stains and acrylics.  The jar has a series of roses which are carved in panels around the entire piece.  They are highlighted with wood stains to create the subtle variations to the design, and the first time she has created such a distinctive appearance of shadow and highlights using the stains and knife.  The idea behind the jar is to have contrasting yet similar imagery.  There are roses but no thorns, those are represented by the guns and nails encircling the piece.  While it may appear to be strong imagery, there is a delicate nature to the design and it fits the delicate form of the jar.  Susan Folwell's innovative work was initially inspired by her mother, Jody Folwell, who broke many of the traditional conventions in the 1970's.    Susan has won numerous awards at event such as Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Indian Market.  She has been featured in several books, including NDN, Free Spirit and others.

11"w x 10"h

$4500.00 - SOLD

Susan Folwell - Santa Clara    

This open bowl by Susan Folwell is from the late 1990's.  It has been rag polished on the outside and painted on the inside with a series of buffalo.  The rim of the bowl is folded over and the coloration of the firing has the appearance of leather or buffalo hide.  The bowl was native fired and at the end of the firing, the hot ash fell into the center of the bowl and the rim, creating the various colorations.  Susan has won numerous awards at event such as Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Indian Market.  She has been featured in several books, including NDN, Free Spirit and others.

9"w x 5"h

$1000.00

Goldenrod (Gloria Garcia) - Santa Clara   NEW

Gloria Garcia is a daughter of Petra Gutierrez and a sister of potters Minnie Vigil, Lois Gutierrez and the mother of Jason Garcia.  Gloria is known for her intricately incised miniature pottery.  These two pieces are highly polished and etched with realistic animal scenes. The seedpot on the left has two mustangs as the central design.  There is a cloud pattern highlighted with a white clay slip on one side.  Note in the second image above the little rabbits near the rocks and sagebrush by the feet of the mustang! The bowl on the right is polished and fired red and there are herd of buffalo encircling the piece.  The action on the bowl ranges from a mother with a baby buffalo to two male buffalos fighting.  Gloria has won numerous awards for her pottery over the years at Santa Fe Indian Market and has work in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

Left:        Seedpot w/ Mustang     2.5"w x 2.75"h             $500.00

Right:     Bowl with Buffalos        3"w x 2.5"h                 $650.00

Golden Rod (Gloria Garcia) is renown for her wonderfully incised miniature pottery. Each piece is coil built, stone polished and then the designs are delicately etched into the surface of the clay.  These two bowl are highly polished and fired black.  The bowl on the left has a series of hummingbirds, butterflies and flowers as the main design.  It is an intricate series of patterns, all seemingly connected.  The red clay slip is applied after the firing and used to highlight both the hummingbirds and the butterflies.  The bowl on the right is one of the large pieces we have had of her work with a water serpent as the design.  This is a classic shaped bowl with a very traditional design.  The area below the design is highly polished and a beautiful complement to the traditional style of the imagery.  Gloria Garcia is a daughter of Petra Gutierrez and a sister of potters Minnie Vigil, Lois Gutierrez and the mother of Jason Garcia.  Gloria is known for her intricately incised miniature pottery.  Gloria has won numerous awards for her pottery over the years at Santa Fe Indian Market and has work in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

Left:        Bowl with Hummingbirds            3.25"w x 2.5"h        $650.00

Right:     Bowl w/ Water Serpent                  3"w x 2.5"h             $600.00 - SOLD

Jason Garcia - Santa Clara   NEW

Jason Garcia continues to intrigue and excite us with each new tile! As with many of his tiles, he attempts to capture a moment in Pueblo culture.  This piece has a woman polishing a large water jar.  The simplicity of the piece is the use of little design in the background, allowing for one to focus on the potter and her polishing.  Take a closer look at the dress on the potter, Jason has beautifully painted all the folds and give it a fantastic sense of dimension.  Note that the jar she is holding is off-white, which is the color of the clay before it is polished or fired.  Behind her is a black water jar which has been fired black.  The colors are all natural clay slips which are painted onto the native clay surface before it is fired.  Jason has won numerous prestigious awards for his tiles at Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Market and was the 2007 recipient of the prestigious Dubin Fellowship at the School of American Research in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Click here to check out Jason's tiles at the new "Comic Art Indigene" at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

9" x 6"

$1100.00

Jason Garcia - Santa Clara   NEW

After completing his first box this past winter, Jason has continued to make a few vessels, and has primarily focused on traditional design elements for the imagery.  The box on the left has cloud and rain patterns on the sides.  The lid has a kiva step design.  The lid has been designed so that it fits onto the top of the box.  The canister on the right is his first attempt at a more circular form. The piece has a band of clouds around the neck and then rain cloud and feather patterns around the central part of the canister.  The base is fully painted with feather and kiva step designs.  Note the intricacy of the painting on both pieces!  The colors are all derived from natural clay slips.   Jason has continued to be inspired by the work of Luther Gutierrez and their amazing polychrome pottery.  It is definitely exciting to see him continue with various forms and continue to watch his work mature and evolve!  Jason has won numerous prestigious awards for his tiles at Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Market. Click here to check out Jason's tiles at the new "Comic Art Indigene" at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

Left:            Box with Lid & Cloud Pattern Designs        5"long x 4.5"w x 3.5"h        $975.00 - SOLD

Right:         Canister with Rain Patterns                            3.5"w x 4.75"h                      $500.00

Left:            Pueblo Madonna            4.5"w x 5.25"h       $450.00

Tammy Garcia - Santa Clara  

This wonderful small seedpot is created in a "storybook" style made famous by Tammy Garcia. The seedpot is from 2001 and has a female figure as the central design.  She is sitting next to a carved water jar and there are melon ribs extending from the rim to the base which represent water.  On the other side of the figure are two plants.  The seedpot incorporates two different red clay slips and also tan polished areas. Typical of her work is fully carved with intricate designs encompassing the entire surface.  The seedpot is in perfect condition and an exciting addition to any collection!  Tammy has won numerous awards for her pottery and most recently was the subject of a one-woman exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. This seedpot is accompanied by a copy of her book, "Tammy Garcia: Form Without Boundaries".

4.5"w x 4"h

$8600.00 - SOLD

Tina Garcia was a sister of Greg Garcia and granddaughter of Severa Tafoya.  She was renown for her re-creation of classic Santa Clara forms.  Her vessels are thin walled and highly polished.  It is the balance of form and the simplicity of design which was definitely a hallmark of her pottery.  These are two outstanding pieces of her smaller pottery.  The jar on the left is a classic water jar with a fluted rim and a sharp double shoulder.  The jar on the right has a "gourd" design, with the impressed sections around the shoulder.  This jar has a 3rd place ribbon from the 1986 Santa Fe Indian Market. Both pieces are fully polished with her stunning glassy polish.  They are both in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.   Tina won numerous awards for her pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Market, and her work can also be found in museums around the country.

Left:        Black Water Jar with Fluted Rim            6"w x 6.5"h        $500.00 - SOLD

Right:     Black Gourd Jar w/ Ribbon                     8"w x 5"h           $500.00 - SOLD

Tina Garcia was a sister of Greg Garcia and granddaughter of Severa Tafoya.  She was renown for her creation of classic Santa Clara forms.  Her vessels are thin walled and highly polished.  It is the balance of form and the simplicity of design which was definitely a hallmark of her pottery.  This jar is a classic "storage jar" shape which traditionally was a form used for storing grain or corn.  Tina created a beautiful form with a very round form and full shape and just a slightly turned out neck.  She also impressed four bear paws into the clay. While these may seem to be a very simple shape, they are among the most difficult to polish, as there is a lot of surface area!  This jar is beautifully polished with a deep red coloration.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Tina won numerous awards for her pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Market, and her work can also be found in museums around the country.

10"w x 10.25"h

$1500.00

Virginia Garcia is from a family of renown potters, including siblings Tina Garcia and Greg Garcia and a granddaughter of Severa Tafoya.  Virginia has long been focused on making very classic style Santa Clara pottery, yet with her own signature style of firing.  The large water jar on the left is a classic shape with a round body and a slightly turned out rim.  There are two impressed bear paws as the design around the neck.  The center bowl is a classic shape and it has been fired to a plum-brown color.  Note as well the polishing in a vertical style.  The bowl on the right is a wonderful shape with a sharp shoulder and a slightly sloping neck. It has been "wet polished" with water on the surface of the clay to create the brown coloration.  The end result is a vessel which almost has the appearance of wood.  Virginia has won numerous awards for her pottery and continues to push boundaries with the colors achieved with her firings.

he has been making

Left:                Red Water Jar           9"w x 10"h                 $900.00

Center:           Brown Bowl              8.25"w x 3.75"h        $350.00

Right:             Tan Seedpot             8"w x 4.5"h                $400.00   

Denny Gutierrez is renown for his unique take on a classic form.  Inspired by the traditional rounded "melon bowls", Denny has flattened the rib, creating a faceted appearance.  This jar is highly polished and each facet or flat edge perfectly reflects the light as they swirl down from the neck to the base. Simple and elegant!

3.5"w x 3.25"h

$350.00

Lois Gutierrez is one of the few potters at Santa Clara pueblo who continues to create polychrome pottery.  Each of the different colors on this piece are derived from different clays!  It is amazing to think of the time to find different clays to create the various colors.  This wonderful seedpot has two bats painted onto the surface with natural clay slips.  They have a fantastic shape and note how when you look down from the top it is like the old "bat wing" design seen on Hopi pottery!  Lois is the sister of noted potters Gloria Garcia (Goldenrod), Minnie Vigil and Thelma Talachy.  She has won numerous awards for her pottery, including "Best of Show" at the Santa Fe Indian Market in the early 1980's.

4.5"w x 3.75"h

$400.00 - SOLD

Art Cody Haungooah began making pottery at Santa Clara Pueblo in the early 1970's.  Married to Martha Suazo, he developed his unique style of incised imagery using Santa Clara coiling and polishing techniques.  Today his son Dean Haungooah continues on in a similar tradition of tightly incised pottery.  Until he passed away in the early 1980's, he was considered very creative for his very distinctive imagery.  These are both larger pieces of his pottery.  The seedpot on the right is a unique brown coloration.  Half the seedpot is incised with a single figure in a medallion.  The simplicity yet elegance of the figure is striking.  The seedpot on the right has a pre-historic Mimbres inspired image, wit the figure walking and holding a cane with a basket on his back.  Again, half the seedpot is incised and the other half is polished red.  Both pieces are in excellent condition and beautiful examples of this talented potter! 

Left:        Brown Seedpot with Male Figure                                        2.75"w x 2.5"h        $550.00 - SOLD

Right:     Red Seedpot with Walking Mimbres Figure                     2.5"w x 2.25"h        $450.00

Dean Haungooah is the son of noted potter, Art Cody Haungooah.  He has continued in his father's style of sgraffito pottery with very detailed imagery.  The seedpot on the left has a incised bird as the central part of the design.  This piece is also featured in the book, "Pueblo Indian Pottery" by Greg Schaaf on p. 47.  The seedpot on the right has a Mimbres style scorpion incised into the clay.  It is surrounded by additional geometric imagery.  Dean is certainly a young potter to watch!

Left:        Seedpot with Bird                           1.5"w x 1.5"h        $150.00

Right:     Seedpot w/ Mimbres Scorpion    2"w x 1.75"h          $150.00 - SOLD

Kelli Little Katchina is a daughter of Lucy Yearflower and a granddaughter of Camilio Tafoya.  This is a beautiful jar with a deep carved avanyu and sunface as the design.  The area behind the carving is incised with linear lines which are left matte.  The contrast of the matte and polished surfaces along with the flowing designs is striking. 

5"w x 4"h

$650.00

Alton Komalestewa - Hopi-Tewa   

Alton is a great-grandson of Nampeyo of Hano.  He learned to make pottery from his mother-in-law, Helen Shupla (Santa Clara).  His work has always been a balance of Santa Clara style and yet they have the thin walls and feel of a Hopi vessel.  This is a new pieces of his work and a stunning swirl melon bowl. The color is actually more of a brownish red than the typical red seen in Santa Clara pottery.  The walls of the bowl are pushed out from the inside, creating the undulating effect of the melon ribs.  The photograph of the bottom of the piece reveals the angle of the swirled ribs.  Note as well that in addition to his signature, the hallmark on the bottom of the piece is meant to represent a katsina mask.  Alton is masterful at creating pottery forms which not only feel light of weight in your hands, but also use the light on the polished surface to emphasize the form.

4"w x 2.5"h

$500.00 - SOLD

     Alton Komalestewa - Hopi-Tewa   

Wow!  Here are two stunning pieces from Alton Komalestewa.  He is a great-grandson of Nampeyo of Hano and learned to make pottery from his mother-in-law, Helen Shupla (Santa Clara).  His work has always been a balance of Santa Clara style and yet they have the thin walls and feel of a Hopi vessel.  These two vessels show the range and skill of his pottery. The jar on the left is one of his melon ribbed vessels, which has the walls of the piece pushed out to create the ribs.  The are perfectly round and symmetrical and the neck makes an beautiful complement to the ribs.  The polishing is fantastic, with a deep, rich black which seems to just reflect the light like a mirror.  The large jar on the right is based on the classic wide shoulder appearance of a Hopi Sikyatki jar.   It is fully polished and then has been fired to a very unusual brownish red.  There is no design, simply letting the form speak for itself.  It is a stunning piece in color, form and very light-weight.  Alton is masterful at creating pottery forms which not only feel light of weight in your hands, but also use the light on the polished surface to emphasize the form.

Left:        Black Melon Jar                                         10"w x 8.5"h         $3000.00 - SOLD

Right:     Red Polished Sikyatki Shaped jar        12.5"w x 6"h          $3000.00

Myra Little Snow is a daughter of Lucy Year Flower, a granddaughter of Camilio Tafoya and the sister of Forrest Tafoya, Shawn Tafoya  and Kelli Little Katchina.    Myra is known for her deeply carved pottery, although she makes very little these days. These three pieces are from the 1980's.  The bowl on the left has a deep carved avanyu and sunface as the design. The bowl in the center has a series of interlocking geometric patterns.  The bowl on the right has an avanyu encircling the piece, extending up from the base of the bowl.  They are all beautifully polished and the area in the background is incised to create a visual contrast to the polished surface.

Left:            Bowl with Sunface and Avanyu            3.25"w x 2.5"h            $350.00

Center:       Bowl with Geometric Designs                3.5"w x 2.25"h            $350.00 - SOLD

Right:         Bowl with Avanyu                                    3.25"w x 2"h               $350.00

Rosemary is a daughter of Joseph Lonewolf and is known for her intricately etched seedpots.  This piece is from the late 1980's and has a single raccoon as the central design, etched into the clay.  The raccoon is surrounded by various cloud and rain patterns around the side of the piece.  Note the wonderful overall symmetry and precision of the incised designs.  Rosemary has been featured in numerous books, including "Beyond Traditions" and has received numerous awards for her intricate pottery and use of realism in her designs.

2"w x 2"h

$600.00

Grace Medicine Flower (b. 1938) - Santa Clara    

Grace Medicine Flower is renown for her incised pottery, but since the early 1990's, she has created her own unique style of polychrome pottery.  This plate is a stunning example of her pottery skill!  the front has her "basket weave" pattern etched into the rim of the plate. Each band and stitch of the "basket" is etched and then painted with native clay slips.  Note in the picture that there is a line going through the basket design, which is the "spirit line", always found in this wedding basket design.  The central part of the plate has a series of seven dancers.  They are anthropomorphic ram and deer dancers.  There are male (red) and female (white and black) dancers.  They are either polished clay or incised and painted with native clay slips. They are meant to represent not only the male and female dancers, but also the summer and winter clans at Santa Clara Pueblo.  The amazing technical aspect of this piece is not just the intricacy of the front, but the carved back!  The reverse of this plate has a carved avanyu, slipped with a micaceous clay.  There is even a small "medicine flower" etched in relief on the back.  It is amazing that the piece didn't break during the carving, drying or firing with the added stress of this additional carving!  Grace has received the SWAIA Lifetime Achievement Award for her elegant pottery and she continues to be one of the true innovators in Native Clay!

9" diameter

$8800.00

Grace Medicine Flower (b. 1938) - Santa Clara    

Grace Medicine Flower has been making her pottery for over fifty years and yet continues to be among the most innovative and creative potters working today.  Each of her new polychrome pieces challenges the viewer as she employs every technique available, such as carving, incising and sgraffito.  She also combines polished, micaceous and painted surfaces to create her designs.  This bowl is simply spectacular with the design of three carved horses. The horse are each "painted" with native clay slips, a very time involved process as the clay colors are quickly absorbed into the body of the vessel.  Grace is able to create a very painter-ly effect with the clay!  Each of the horses also has an individual design painted on it, which has then incised in relief above the horse and also on the bottom of the bowl!  Below the horses are carved section which are either slipped with a micaceous clay, highly polished red or slipped with native clay slips.  Note that all of Grace's colorations, incising and design work is done before the vessel is fired, which adds to the complex and risky nature of her work!  Grace has also carved the rim of the bowl and in areas carved through the clay to create additional levels of design.  Grace has not only received the SWAIA Lifetime Achievement Award, but also was one of the early innovators of the "sgraffito" technique and her work can be found in museums around the world.  She continues to be a true innovator on a technical level, but more importantly, creates vessels of aesthetic beauty far beyond the simplicity of the clay itself.

5.5"w x 5.25"h

$8200.00 - SOLD

Grace Medicine Flower (b. 1938) - Santa Clara    

It barely seems possible that Grace continues to evolve her style of polychrome pottery.  Each piece is coil built and the carved and either stone polished or painted with native clay slips.  This elegant bowl is a stunning example of her technical expertise, with carved hummingbirds and a flowing pattern of geometric designs which are polished and then incised.  Take a closer look at the birds and note how they are carved in relief on the bowl!  The various layers of carving give each bird a depth and dimension which is rarely created in clay.  The additional colors used are all derived from natural clay slips and the contrast of the matte painted clays with the polished surfaces highlights each area of design.  Each of the polished swirling and angular patterns is then incised, adding another layer to this intricate piece. Grace has not only received the SWAIA Lifetime Achievement Award, but also was one of the early innovators of the "sgraffito" technique and her work can be found in museums around the world.  She continues to be a true innovator on a technical level, but more importantly, creates vessels of aesthetic beauty far beyond the simplicity of the clay itself.

4.5"w x 4"h

$6200.00 - SOLD

Grace Medicine Flower (b. 1938) - Santa Clara    

Grace Medicine Flower was among the first in the early 1970's to begin using the "sgraffito" technique to etch designs into the clay.  She did this along with her brother, Joseph Lonewolf, and her father, Camilio Tafoya.  Over the years her work has evolved in amazing new directions.  This seedpot is from 1977 and has a realistic Big Horn Sheep as the main design on the side and top of the piece.  The early use of realism in her work is evident in this piece.  Not as well the background design behind the animal, where a hatchwork of incised lines enhances the central design. The beautifully designed area around the Sheep further emphasizes the design.  It is in perfect condition and is an exceptional examples of the incised pottery art of this important potter.

2.5"w x 2"h

$1800.00

Grace Medicine Flower (b. 1938) - Santa Clara    

Grace Medicine Flower was among the first in the early 1970's to begin using the "sgraffito" technique to etch designs into the clay.  She did this along with her brother, Joseph Lonewolf, and her father, Camilio Tafoya.  Over the years her work has evolved in amazing new directions.  This long neck jar is from the mid-1980's.  There are three medallions encircling the bowl.  One has a deer looking straight on, while the other two have a female deer lying down and another with the deer in motion.  There is also a single Mimbres style deer etched into the clay between two of the medallions.  Wow, for such a small jar, it is amazingly full of design!

2.25"w x 3.5"h

$2500.00

Jennifer & Mike Moquino - Santa Clara    NEW

Jennifer Moquino is a daughter of Ray and Emily Tafoya while Mike is a son of Corn Moquino.  They are certainly among the most exciting young potters working today.  The use of realism in their imagery has revitalized the style of sgraffito pottery originated by Joseph Lonewolf in the 1970's.  This seedpot is highly polished and has quail as its central theme.  On three quarters of the jar there are quail and cactus, incised into the clay.  In the last section there is a larger quail head "medallion".  The various cacti are  a perfect background for these quail!  The various colors are all derived from natural clay slips, which Jennifer finds herself.  It is always the little details which make Jennifer's pottery so spectacular.  The contrast of tightly etched designs and the beautiful polished surface are stunning.  They have won numerous awards for their pottery and are featured in books such as "Talking with the Clay", "Crafted to Perfection" and "Breaking the Mold".  Jennifer has also been featured in recent magazine articles in "Native Peoples" and "Southwest Art".

2.25"w x 3.75"h

$1200.00

Jennifer & Mike Moquino - Santa Clara    

Stunning!  This small lidded jar is amazing with the intricacy of the birds in flight!  It is highly polished and fired black.  The design is a series of pheasants incised into the clay. There are male and female pheasants in various stages of flight.  It is a fantastic piece, filled with lots of motion and inter-connected designs!  The lid is simply incised with geometric cloud and rain patterns.  The colors on each piece are derived from natural clay slips, which Jennifer finds herself.  It is always the little details which make Jennifer's pottery so spectacular.  The contrast of tightly etched designs and the beautiful polished surface are stunning.  Jennifer Moquino is a daughter of Ray and Emily Tafoya while Mike is a son of Corn Moquino.  They are certainly among the most exciting young potters working today.  The use of realism in their imagery has revitalized the style of sgraffito pottery originated by Joseph Lonewolf in the 1970's. They have won numerous awards for their pottery and are featured in books such as "Talking with the Clay", "Crafted to Perfection" and "Breaking the Mold".  Jennifer has also been featured in recent magazine articles in "Native Peoples" and "Southwest Art".

2.25"w x 3.75"h

$1200.00 - SOLD

Jennifer & Mike Moquino - Santa Clara    

Jennifer Moquino is a daughter of Ray and Emily Tafoya while Mike is a son of Corn Moquino.  They are certainly among the most exciting young potters working today.  The use of realism in their imagery has revitalized the style of sgraffito pottery originated by Joseph Lonewolf in the 1970's.  This seedpot has butterflies and flowers as the flowers as the central designs. Jennifer said this was only the second time she had made a piece with bees as the design.  This jar is fantastic, with a single bee medallion on one side and bees in a honeycomb on the other side!  There are flowers in the areas separating the two medallions.  The lid also has a single bee and flower incised as the design.  While the jar is highly polished and fired black, all of the colors on each piece are derived from natural clay slips, which Jennifer finds herself.  It is always the little details which make Jennifer's pottery so spectacular.  They have won numerous awards for their pottery and are featured in books such as "Talking with the Clay", "Crafted to Perfection" and "Breaking the Mold".  Jennifer has also been featured in recent magazine articles in "Native Peoples" and "Southwest Art".

2.25"w x 3.25"h

$950.00 - SOLD

Jennifer & Mike Moquino - Santa Clara    

Jennifer Moquino is a daughter of Ray and Emily Tafoya while Mike is a son of Corn Moquino.  They are certainly among the most exciting young potters working today.  The use of realism in their imagery has revitalized the style of sgraffito pottery originated by Joseph Lonewolf in the 1970's.  This seedpot has butterflies and flowers as the flowers as the central designs. The piece has a perfect contrast of colors between the butterfly wings and the flowers.  The purple flowers surrounding the two medallions are a perfect contrast to the delicate forms of the butterflies! While the seedpot is highly polished and fired black, all of the colors on each piece are derived from natural clay slips, which Jennifer finds herself.  It is always the little details which make Jennifer's pottery so spectacular.  The contrast of tightly etched designs and the beautiful polished surface are stunning.  They have won numerous awards for their pottery and are featured in books such as "Talking with the Clay", "Crafted to Perfection" and "Breaking the Mold".  Jennifer has also been featured in recent magazine articles in "Native Peoples" and "Southwest Art".

2.25"w x 3"h

$1100.00

Forest Naranjo is a son of noted potter Bernice Naranjo, the brother of Dusty Naranjo and nephew of potters Jody Folwell and Nora Naranjo-Morse.  This jar by Forest has been very highly polished and etched with a series of four horses encircling the body of the vessel.  The depth of the etching into the surface of the jar creates the variety of colorations found on the piece.  Note as well the appearance of the horses, which seem to have a mystical, nearly dreamlike appearance.  This is a stunning piece with an elegant balance of form and design.

3.25"w x 4.75"h

$325.00 - SOLD

Kevin Naranjo was inspired in his youth by the natural surroundings of Santa Clara Pueblo.  His love of nature and attention to the details of wildlife in perfectly portrayed in his miniature pottery.  He is the son of noted potter Geri Naranjo and the brother of Monica Naranjo.  Kevin creates highly polished pottery which is fully incised with both traditional and realistic designs.  The bowl on the left has a Big Horn Sheep on one side and a Pueblo ruin on the other side.  Around the rim are feather and geometric patterns along with a water serpent around the mouth of the piece.  The bowl in the center has an amazingly intricate Mountain Goat as the central design. On the remainder of the piece are a water serpent around the mouth, a row of nearly 100 miniature feathers and then stylized "mountain" patterns.  The jar on the left has a wild turkey on one side with a pueblo ruin on the remainder of the piece.  Note the intricacy of the feathers on the turkey and how he has detailed the individual bricks on the pueblo wall.  The wild turkey is integral to Pueblo culture as the feathers are used in numerous ceremonies throughout the year.  The rim of each piece has been "two-toned" to create a tan contrast to the black firing.  Kevin has won numerous awards for his pottery at the Heard Market and Santa Fe Indian Market and continues to be one of the exciting younger potters working today!    

Left:        Bowl with Big Horn Sheep & Pueblo                2.25"w x 2"h        $600.00

Center:    Bowl with Mountain Goat                                  2"w x 2"h             $550.00 - SOLD

Right:      Jar w/ Wild Turkey & Pueblo Ruins                 2.25"w x 2.25"h   $600.00

Madeline Naranjo is the granddaughter of noted potter, Madeline Naranjo.  The younger Madeline is well known for her deeply carved pottery which is thin walled and contrasts the matte area of her carved designs with the polished surfaces.  This bowl has a series of bears as the design, encircling the piece. Note the depth of the carving and the simple elegance of her designs.   

4"w x 3"h

$350.00 - SOLD

Nicolassa Naranjo was a daughter of Tomasita Tafoya-Naranjo (1884-1918), who was an older sister of Margaret Tafoya's.  Nicolassa was well known for her larger sized pottery with classic painted imagery.  This large wedding vase is a beautiful example of her pottery, with long necks and a highly polished surface. The design is a water serpent painted encircling the body of the wedding vase.  This piece is from the mid-1980's before she began doing pottery with her daughter, Roberta. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.     

9"w x 14.5"h

Teresita Naranjo was a daughter of Christina Naranjo and a sister of Mary Cain.  She was renown for her deep carved pottery and was one of the first to carve outside the linear band designs, seen on most Santa Clara pottery.  This is a classic piece of her pottery from the 1950's.  Note how the top band of carving creates the cloud forms which are above the avanyu.  The water serpent encircles the bowl and there is a single band of carving below the avanyu itself. The bowl is a beautiful red and there is a cream colored slip in the background in contrast to the red.  This bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair and is in excellent condition. 

8"w x 5.25"h

$3600.00

Jeremy Oyenque (b. 1984) - Santa Clara  

Jeremy part of an amazing family legacy of Pueblo potters.  He is the son of Linda Tafoya, the grandson of Lee & Betty Tafoya and a great-grandson of Margaret Tafoya!  Jeremy learned to make pottery from his mother and has been creating some very classic style pottery.  This kiva bowl is a very traditional shape, with each of the carved rims meant to represent the kiva's where religious ceremonies take place on the Pueblo.  The outside of the bowl is fully polished and has carved birds surrounding the piece.  The style of carving is deep and clean with very simplistic imagery.  The inside of the bowl is charming with the tracks of the birds incised into the bottom of the bowl and the entire inside is covered with a micaceous clay slip! Jeremy has an interest in making larger vessels and certainly comes from a family renown for the scale of their pottery vessels.  It will be exciting to see where this talented potter progresses over time!

8.5"w x 4"h

$1000.00

Red Starr - Sioux     

Red Starr is a Sioux potter who was married to Harriet Tafoya of Santa Clara Pueblo and learned to make pottery from her.  Each piece is highly polished and tightly incised, typically with animal motifs. This bowl has an incised bear on each side and a feather pattern incised around the rim.  There are additional incised designs between the two bears.  Red Starr has won numerous awards for his pottery at events such as Gallup Ceremonials.

2.25"w x 2"h

$250.00 - SOLD

Cliff Roller - Santa Clara    

Cliff Roller is a son of Toni Roller and a grandson of Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001).  Following in the style of his mother his pottery is beautifully carved and highly polished.  This melon bowl has eight ribs carved into the clay. The entire jar is highly polished, creating a glassy appearance.  Cliff has won numerous awards for his pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market.

5"w x 4"h

$600.00

Jeff Roller - Santa Clara    

Jeff was among the first Santa Clara potters to use native clay to sculpt and create realistic animals as the lids for his pottery.  He learned to make pottery from his mother, Toni Roller, and he is also a grandson of noted potter, Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001).  This jar is a wonderful shape with a high shoulder and slight neck.  The entire piece is fully polished except for a single band of carved designs, which is matte. The design in the carved section has a mountain and cloud pattern.  Jeff says that it takes as much time to create the lids as it does to make the jar itself!  The complexity and difficulty of the lids is certainly evident in this piece, with the horse intricately sculpted in the clay!  The entire piece has been native fired to a brownish coloration instead of the typical red or black. The matte surface of the horse lid and the brown coloration simply adds to the unique character of this piece! Jeff has won numerous awards for his pottery and continues to evolve with more complicated forms and detailed animals. 

6"w x 8"h

$2800.00

     Jeff Roller - Santa Clara    

Jeff is a son of Toni Roller and a grandson of Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001). He was the first Santa Clara potter to being using native clay to sculpt the animals for the lids on his pottery. The jar on the left has a carved band with kiva step designs.  The lid is a carved buffalo lying down!  The jar on the left has an eagle head for the lid and the neck descends into carved feathers above the shoulder.  Take a closer look at the lid on this jar, the head and beak of the eagle are incredible in their detail!  Both pieces are so beautifully constructed they appear to be miniature versions of larger pieces!  Jeff has won numerous awards for his pottery and continues to evolve with more complicated forms and detailed animals.  We certainly expect to see some exciting new work from Jeff here in the gallery this year.

Left:        Miniature Jar with Buffalo Lid        2.25"w x 2.75"h        $1100.00

Right:     Miniature Jar with Eagle Lid            2.25"w x 3.75"h        $1100.00

Toni Roller (b. 1935) - Santa Clara    NEW

Toni Roller began making pottery as a career in the early 1970's.  She is a daughter of Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001) and a sister of noted potters LuAnn Tafoya, Shirley Tafoya, Mary Ester Archuleta and Mela Youngblood.  Her pottery always has a wonderful sense of form and design.  This tall jar exemplifies both the elegant forms she creates and the striking beauty of her stone polished surfaces.  The jar has a low shoulder and a long neck. There are two bear paw carved into the clay and then polished over. The entire jar is fully polished and it is simply stunning in appearance.  Toni is committed to the precision of her pottery this piece is a perfect reflection of that commitment.  Toni has won numerous awards at Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Indian Market and she has been featured in several books. 

7.5"w x 10.5"h

$2500.00

     Monica Romero - Santa Clara  

Monica Romero is a daughter of noted miniaturist potter Geri Naranjo.  Monica continues in the family tradition of making miniatures.  Here are three miniatures, each highly polished and then fired black. The tan on the rim is created by re-heating the piece to remove the oxidation of the black from the firing creating a "two-tone" appearance.  The designs are then etched into the clay. The miniature jar on the left has a wide shoulder and longer neck. There is a water serpent and geometric pattern etched into the clay.  The plate in the center has an avanyu (water serpent) as the central design around a rain and kiva step medallion.  The jar on the right has a water serpent around the shoulder and cloud and rain symbols below.  Monica has won awards for her pottery and continues to develop her own unique style of pottery, while keeping her foundation in the work of her mother.

Left:             Black & Tan Jar w/ Avanyu                 .75"w x .75"h                $150.00

Center:        Plate w/ Avanyu                                     1.25" diameter             $150.00

Right:          Black & Tan Jar w/ Rain Clouds        1"w x .75"h                   $150.00

Helen Shupla (1928-1985) - Santa Clara  

While Helen Shupla is best known for her melon bowls, she was also amazingly creative at her carved pottery designs. This bowl is a beautiful example of her style, with a water serpent (avanyu) carved into the clay.  The piece is not just a simple linear pattern, but note the wonderful flow of the back of the avanyu as the bowl is turned!  The complexity of the carving is in complement to the high polish and excellent form to her work.  This bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is certainly a wonderful example of her creativity as an artist!

5"w x 3.25"h

$800.00

Helen Shupla (1928-1985) - Santa Clara  

Helen Shupla is one of the few potters whose name has become synonymous with a particular style of pottery; the melon bowl.  Amazingly, she began making carved pottery with her husband but when he was ill she decided to try an old form, the melon bowl.  The ribs on these pieces are pushed out from the inside when the clay is wet.  That is why there is often a slight turn to the ribs, as they are turned when she would twist her hand against the inside of the clay.  As they are based on a natural form the tend to have a very organic appearance.  The jar on the left is highly polished red.  The melon bowl in the center is highly polished black.  The melon jar on the right is unusual as it has been fired a "gunmetal", giving it a metallic appearance.  All thee are in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Helen's melon jars are visually beautiful, wonderful to hold and a testament to the ingenuity of an artist!

Left:        Red Melon Jar               9"w x 7"h                $8800.00

Center:   Black Melon Bowl        6.5"w x 5.25"h        $3000.00

Right:     Gunmetal Melon Jar    7"w x 5.5"h             $3600.00

Mary Singer (b. 1936) - Santa Clara   

Mary Singer is a daughter of potter Pablita Chavarria and the sister of noted potters Reycita and Elizabeth Naranjo.  Mary is well known for her large sized pottery and very complicated carved designs. This jar is a beautiful shape with a round body and a long neck. The neck is fully carved with a feather pattern while the body has a water serpent (avanyu) as the design.  Note the flow and intricacy of her carved patterns!  The jar is from the 1970's and it is in excellent condition.  Mary has won numerous awards for her pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market.

8"w x 10.5"h

$1800.00 - SOLD

Paul Speckled Rock was married to Rosemary Lonewolf and learned to make incised pottery from her father, Joseph Lonewolf.  Paul also comes from a family of renown potters, including brothers Ray Tafoya and Kenneth Tafoya and his grandmother Severa Tafoya.  While Paul was renown for his miniatures, he also made some larger pieces.  This large jar is fully polished a dark brownish-red and has incised fish as the design.  They are incised in the Mimbres style with the water slipped with a reddish-mauve matte clay slip.  This Paul is no longer making pottery and this piece was made in 1993.  It is a great example of his larger works and his creativity!

8.5"w x 6.25"h

Roxanne Swentzell - Santa Clara    NEW

Roxanne Swentzell is a granddaughter of Rose Naranjo, and part of one of the most innovative families at Santa Clara pueblo.  She began making smaller clay figures, and they have evolved from traditional figures to more representational forms of women.  It is not often that we see a clay piece of her work available. While she is renown for her figurative work, she also makes exceptional masks.  This mask is made of clay and has two white circles on the cheeks to represent the moon.  It is a classic style of her work, with a very realistic yet stylistic face.   Roxanne continues to be one of the pivotal Pueblo artists, and her work continues to be among the most dynamic and innovative in contemporary figural pottery.  Her work of this intricacy and intimacy of thought, is among her very best.  She has won numerous awards for her work, along with being the subject of several museum exhibitions and books, such as "Women Potters:  Transforming Traditions" and currently she is part of the "Mothers and Daughters" exhibition at the Heard Museum.

6"w x 8"h (size of mask w/o the stand)

$2000.00

Belen Tapia was well known for her innovatively carved pottery in the 1960's and 70's, before she began making polychrome pottery in the 1980's.  She was the mother of noted potter Anita Suazo.  This bowl is from the early 1970's and has a wonderful design of a bird, with one on each side of the bowl.  The entire piece is fully carved with the bird taking up the design space from the rim to the base.  This bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. The creativity of the design and the complexity of the carving is still unique among today's potters!

9"w x 6"h

$1600.00

Michele is the daughter of LuAnn Tafoya and a granddaughter of Margaret Tafoya.  It is very infrequent that Michele makes any pottery, and we have been asking her for a piece for almost ten years!  This year she finally finished this beautiful bowl!  It is carved with a classic rain and cloud pattern, similar in carving style to that of her mother.  It is highly polished and beautifully made with a perfect round form and even walls.  Michele has spent more time working on her digital photography, incorporating images of Pueblo dances into her work.  She is definitely talented and we are very pleased to have this beautiful bowl in the gallery after all these years!

5.5"w x 5.5"h

$1600.00

Camilio Tafoya was a brother of Margaret Tafoya and Christina Naranjo, and also the father of Grace Medicine Flower and Joseph Lonewolf.  Camilio made larger, carved vessels in the 1950's, and in the 1970's, was among the first to begin etching their designs into the clay, using the "sgraffito" process.  This is a unique piece, with two holes in the top, and two medallions.  The medallions are red slipped and have dancers as their designs.  The remainder of the piece is a highly polished black, which is perfect contrast to the red medallions.  This bowl was made in 1972, and it is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

4"w x 2.5"h

$1600.00

Camilio Tafoya is the father of Grace Medicine Flower and Joseph Lonewolf and the brother of Margaret Tafoya and Christina Naranjo.  He began making carved pottery and then in the 1970's started to create his own beautiful miniatures with incised designs.  The seedpot on the left has a classic "feathered" water serpent as the design.  Note in the second image the feathers on the back of the head.  The water serpent encircles the entire piece. The second seedpot is one of his later works and among the most complicated we have seen. There are a series of Mimbres style dancers extending from the top of the piece to the base.  They are seeming to come out of the clouds and each is very individual in its style and they are also accented with additional colored clay slips. Note the variety of colors from white to green and blue!  Both pieces are in perfect condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  They are wonderful examples of how his work changed throughout his pottery career.

Left:               Seedpot with Avanyu                              2.5"w x 1.75"h        $1200.00

Right:            Seedpot with Dancers                              1.75"w x 3"h           $2000.00

Camilio Tafoya's name has become synonymous with the intricate miniature sgraffito pottery he began creating in the 1970's.  The jar on the left is one of the most traditional pieces of his pottery we have had in the gallery.  A classic water jar shape, this piece was made in 1975 and has 32 incised feathers as the design, encircling the jar.  The seedpot on the right was made in 1978 has eleven hummingbirds encircling the piece along with numerous flowers.  Both pieces are highly polished and native fired red.  They are both in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  While many of his later pieces have additional added clay colors, his early red incised pieces are dynamic and show his mastery of this then new technique of incising into the surface of the clay!

Left:               Red Jar with 32 Feathers                           2.25"w x 2.5"h       $1000.00

Right:            Red Seedpot w/ 11 Hummingbirds       3"w x 2.5"h             $2000.00

Camilio Tafoya was a brother of Margaret Tafoya and Christina Naranjo, and also the father of Grace Medicine Flower and Joseph Lonewolf.  Camilio made larger, carved vessels in the 1950's, and in the 1970's, was among the first to begin etching their designs into the clay, using the "sgraffito" process.  Here are two seedpots from the mid to late 1980's.  The seedpot on the left has a series of hummingbirds incised into the clay. They are flying around some flowers and the final images is from the top.  The second seedpot is larger and has a raccoon as the central figure, surrounded by a rabbit and magpie.  This piece is from the late 1980's and has less polished surface and more matte area.  The additional colors on both pieces are derived from natural clay slips.  Both pieces are in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Camilio's pottery is certainly an important part of the history of Santa Clara pottery and a beautiful addition to a collection.

Left:        Seedpot with Hummingbirds   1.5"w x 1.75"h         $1600.00

Right:     Seedpot w/ Raccoon & Rabbit   1.5"w x 1.75"h        $1600.00

Lee Tafoya is the only son of Margaret Tafoya who made pottery.  He began to make pottery in the early 1960's along with his wife, Betty.  He would make and carve the pieces while Betty would polish them.  Lee was well known for firing his black pieces with such an intensity of heat to create a deep, rich coloration.  On the left is a jar from 1988 with a carved water serpent (avanyu).  It is a classic design and his own unique shape to the head of the water serpent.  This jar is also published in the book, "Born of Fire" on page 127.  The kiva bowl on the right is a very traditional form of a kiva bowl.  The kiva are underground rooms where ceremonies take place on the pueblos.  The carved rim with the three "steps" represents the steps into the kivas and also the clouds.  This bowl is from 1985 and was made by Lee and polished by his daughter, Linda.  It is signed by both artists and it is also published in the book, "Born of Fire" on page 127.  Both pieces are in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is not often that we find pieces of Lee's work available and it is definitely exciting to have pieces which have been published! 

Left:        Carved Bowl with Avanyu        5.5"w x 5.25"h        $1400.00

Right:     Kiva Bowl                                     5.5"w x 3.75"h         $1100.00 - SOLD

    LuAnn Tafoya - Santa Clara    

As LuAnn Tafoya is renown for her large scale pottery, it is rare and exciting when she finishes smaller pieces of her pottery.  Here are two exceptional vessels, one black and one red.  The bowl on the left is fully carved with cloud, wind and rain patterns.  The interconnecting designs flow seamlessly around the entire piece and are highlighted by the highly polished surface.  The jar on the right is unusual both shape and design.  The shape is more gourd-like and the design is a water pattern, with each wave standing on its own and not connected.  The red surface is highly polished and a perfect contrast to the cream clay surface surrounding the wave pattern.  LuAnn is a daughter of Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001) and she has won numerous awards for her pottery, including "Best of Pottery" and "Best of Show" at Santa Fe Indian Market.  Her work can be found in the permanent collection of numerous museums around the country.  These two smaller vessels are definitely an exciting way to add a piece of LuAnn's work to any collection!

Left:        Bowl with Mountains and Rain patterns            6.5"w x 6"h        $1800.00

Right:     Red Jar w/ Water pattern                                         7"w x 6.5"h        $2200.00

LuAnn Tafoya - Santa Clara    

LuAnn Tafoya stands alone among Santa Clara potters, as she is the only one able to create the distinctive and technically difficult form.  American Indian Art Magazine wrote of her, that she, "has tenaciously continued the tradition of creating large coil-built vessels made famous by her mother, Margaret Tafoya.  While she honors the historic importance of such shapes and the water jar, she also innovates, building large vessels that few Pueblo potters would be bold enough to attempt".   This large jar is an amazing shape with a narrow base and a wide shoulder. The round body of the jar is complemented by the deeply carved designs.  The jar has  kiva step, cloud and rain patterns. The complex carvings are large and proportionate to the scale of this jar.  Note the polishing on this jar, as it has a glassy appearance!  LuAnn is a daughter of Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001) and she has won numerous awards for her pottery, including "Best of Pottery" and "Best of Show" at Santa Fe Indian Market.  Her work can be found in the permanent collection of numerous museums around the country.

13"w x 13"h

$6200.00

LuAnn Tafoya - Santa Clara    

LuAnn Tafoya is renown for her large sized pottery.  It is not often that we have such an exquisite small red water jar.  She has spent a lifetime creating classic forms of pottery and keeping alive the tradition of using native clay, coil building of the vessels, stone polishing and outdoor firings.  While her pottery is often an elegant blend of traditional and contemporary concepts, her water jars always reflect the influence of her mother, Margaret Tafoya.  This jar is a smaller version of her larger vessels, with a double shoulder and longer neck.  The double shoulder is always technically difficult to create in coil built pottery.  The bear paws are impressed into the clay before it is polished.  This jar has been traditionally fired outside and the coloration of the red is a deep, rich color.  Simply stunning and elegant!  LuAnn has won numerous awards for her pottery, including "Best of Pottery" and "Best of Show" at Santa Fe Indian Market.  Her work can be found in numerous books, such as Talking with the Clay, Legacy of Generations and 14 Families in Pueblo Pottery.

6"w x 8.5"h

$2000.00 - SOLD

      Margaret Tafoya (1904 - 2001) - Santa Clara  

Margaret Tafoya was one of the most influential potters at Santa Clara Pueblo, witnessing the change of pottery from a folk art to fine art.  She is one of the only artists to have ever won "Best of Show" at Santa Fe Indian Market two years in a row!  She was the matriarch of a family of renown potters, including children LuAnn Tafoya, Virginia Ebelacker, Mela Youngblood, Shirley Tafoya, Mary Ester Archuleta and Lee Tafoya.  Here are two exceptional pieces of her pottery, both from the early 1980's.  Margaret made much less redware pottery, and much of it was during this later time period. The jar on the left is deeply carved with a mountain and rain pattern carved into four panels.  The bowl on the right has a very classic open cloud and lightning design. What is distinctive about these two pieces is their coloration. The bowl on the left is a deep red and the bowl on the right used a different clay slip for the surface and is a lighter red. They are both beautifully polished and great examples of her pottery, especially for this size.  Both pieces are in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair. Margaret's work can be found in numerous museums around the world and she has been featured in numerous books, including "Born of Fire" and "The Art of Clay".  Her pottery, and especially her red-ware, is definitely an exciting addition to any collection!

Left:    Red Jar with Mountain & Rain Pattern      6"w x 5.75"h        $5000.00

Right:  Red Bowl with Cloud Pattern                     6.5"w x 5.5"h       $5000.00

Margaret Tafoya (1904 - 2001) - Santa Clara  

Margaret Tafoya's long lifespan is reflected in her creation of pottery for nearly eighty years!  This long neck water jar was made in the 1950's.  The jar has a deeply carved water serpent (avanyu) encircling the piece.  Margaret and her husband, Alcario, often worked together on their pottery and he drew out many of the designs.  The water serpent on this piece is one which was designed and carved by Margaret.  While the shape and size are typical of much of her work during this time, it is the coloration which is so unique on the piece.  It is not quite as black, and almost a more brown coloration.  It is thought that this was created from the bark which was used during the outdoor firing or from wood which was younger.  In many ways, the color variation is an early precursor to the "brown ware" of the 1970's.  The unique coloration is striking, giving this jar a classic and yet contemporary appearance!  The jar is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Margaret's work can be found in numerous museums around the world and she has been featured in numerous books, including "Born of Fire" and "The Art of Clay". 

8.5"w x 12.5"h

$9200.00

"Born of Fire:  The Life and Pottery of Margaret Tafoya"

by Charles S. King

"King has made himself a scholar in pursuit of an understanding of how traditional ways of life, changing times and one woman's vision are so tightly bound. . . . Born of Fire is a handsome introduction to and reminder of the exquisite pottery of Margaret Tafoya."

-The Bloomsbury Review - 2008

Regarded as one of the great masters of Pueblo ceramics, Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001) is known for her trademark large black polished ceramics, decorated with traditional imagery of rain clouds, water serpents, bear paws, and other symbols. An award-winning artist, she was recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, and a National Heritage Fellowship.

This book is the first complete biography of Margaret Tafoya's life.  It is divided into decades, giving the reader a deeper understanding of her life and pottery covering nearly 100 years.  It is also the first book to help identify and date her pottery thorough the use of her signatures.  There are additional biographies on Virginia Ebelacker, Richard Ebelacker, Lee Tafoya, Linda Tafoya, Jennie Trammel, Mela Youngblood, Nathan Youngblood, Nancy Youngblood, Toni Roller, Jeff Roller, LuAnn Tafoya, Daryl Whitegeese, Mary Ester Archuleta and Shirley Tafoya.  The photography of the pottery in this book is exceptional.  Personal narratives by family members and family photographs throughout the book create a wonderful sense of her humanity and artistic accomplishments.  Above to the right are images from the current "Born of Fire" exhibition at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, PA.

Hardcover, 160 pages

$45.00 

Pasquelita Tafoya (1883 - 1959) - Santa Clara  

This is undoubtedly one of the most unique pieces we have had in the gallery.  Pasquelita Tafoya was the only sister of potter Sara Fina Tafoya and the matriarch of an entire family of potters!  Her children include

Juan Gutierrez who married Petra Gutierrez, the mother of Gloria Garcia, Lois Gutierrez and Minnie Vigil and grandmother of Jason Garcia.  One of her daughters was Celestina Naranjo, and another was Tomasita Tafoya, the mother of Cresencia Tafoya and grandmother of Annie Baca, Harriet Tafoya, and Pauline Martinez.  This bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, "Pasquelita Tafoya, Santa Clara Pueblo".  It is from the 1930's and it is a bowl with two animals as handles.  This style was very typical for the time and can often be seen in the work of her niece, Margaret Tafoya and others in the family.  The bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is amazing to see a piece with handles like these to have survived in such great shape! This is the only piece we have come across of her singed work, it is definitely an exciting historic piece to add to any collection!

7"w x 5"h

$1200.00 - SOLD

Sara Fina Tafoya (1863 - 1949) - Santa Clara  

Sara Fina Tafoya is among the most renown of the early Santa Clara potters.  She is the matriarch of several families of potters, included among her children were Camilio Tafoya, Margaret Tafoya and Christina Naranjo.  Sara Fina is considered on of the first potters to begin "carving" into the clay to create designs in her pottery, beginning in 1924.  This bowl is a later example of her pottery, most likely from the early 1940's.   It has a fluted rim and it polished with a slip on the outside, to create a higher shine.  It is also polished with water on the inside and in the photo, the polishing marks are visible.  This is one of the few pieces of Sara Fina's work which is signed.  It is signed in the clay "Sara Fina Tafoya  Santa Clara Pueblo".  While the bottom is polished, there is a strip of matte clay slip where it is signed.  It is thought that on the pieces of her work which have a signature, they were signed by her son Manuel.   Although there is some wear on the bottom, the signature is still visible as it was signed into the clay.  This bowl is in good condition, with some slight wear on the rim, some rough areas near the base and a small slip crack.  It is always exciting to find historically important pieces like this bowl, as there are so few signed pieces of her work in existence!  This bowl is definitely an important addition to any collection!

8.75"w x 4.5"h

$7500.00

Severa Tafoya (1890 - 1973) - Santa Clara  

Severa Tafoya was the matriarch of a family of known potters.  She was the sister of Van Gutierrez (of Lela & Van polychrome pottery fame) and her descendants include Jason Garcia, Tina Garcia, Angela Baca, Paul Speckled Rock, Ray Tafoya and Jennifer Moquino.  Severa developed her own unique style of carving. It was a shallower style yet there was an intricacy to her lines and a very distinctive shape to the horn on her water serpent.   The bowl on the left has a carved water serpent (avanyu) encircling the entire piece.  There are additional rain and cloud patterns.  While the design is in a band formation, the serpent has a beautiful sense of movement and flow with larger open areas, tightly carved lines and highly polished surfaces.  Note the thin lines of the carving, something few potters do today!  The plate on the right has two coil handles which are fully polished.  The central part of the plate is fully polished and painted with a rain and cloud pattern.  Vessels such as this bowl are always technically difficult to create.  The contrast of the polished and the matte surfaces is perfect on this piece!   Both pieces are in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  They are definitely exciting additions to any collection and an important party of a legacy of wonderful potters!

Left:     Bowl with Water Serpent    7"w x 5.25"h          $1200.00                  

Right:  Open Bowl w/ Handles        7"w x 5.5"h            $500.00 - SOLD

Shawn Tafoya - Santa Clara  

Shawn Tafoya is a grandson of Camilio Tafoya and son of noted potter Lucy Yearflower.  He often makes pottery with his brother, Forest Red Cloud.  However, most often he is known for his teaching pottery at Pojoaque Pueblo.  This is an open bowl with a red painted avanyu. The design almost seems to be inspired by Mimbres pottery, with the flow of design around the shoulder to the center.  The intricately painted designs are a perfect contrast to the cream colored clay for the bowl itself.

10.25"w x 4.5"h

$600.00

   Shirley "Cactus Blossom" Tafoya - Santa Clara   NEW

Shirley Tafoya began making pottery full-time in 1971-2.  She decided to concentrate on making miniature versions of the large vessels her mother, Margaret Tafoya, was know to make. Shirley would work to make them as small, thin walled and elegant in form as possible.  Here are two of her larger pieces, both perfectly coil built, carved and stone polished.  The bowl on the left has a single bear paw carved into the center and a "friendship" pattern off to the right. The entire surface is fully  polished.  She has further added to the complicated nature of this piece by carving the rim and then also painting an avanyu (water serpent) onto the back of the bowl!  This unique piece is also published in the book, "Born of Fire" on page 146.  The piece on the right is one of her larger bowls and there is a simple bear paws carved into the clay on two sides.  The entire piece is then fully polished and there are additional incised areas with cloud and rain patterns.  Shirley said that she rarely makes bowls with only a bear paw design, but it is always in honor of her mother, who was renown for the bear paw symbol on her pottery.  Typical of the miniature nature of her pottery, her bear paw is smaller but perfectly placed on the bowl!  Throughout the years, Shirley has won "Best of Miniature Pottery" at Santa Fe Indian Market numerous times.  Her miniatures (under 3" tall) continually capture her initial concept, of seeming to shrink down large vessels in proportion to a miniature size. 

Left:           Open Bowl w/ Bear Paw & Painted Avanyu     9"w x 2.5"h                       $4400.00

Right:        Bowl with Bear Paws                                             7"w x 2.75"h                      $2500.00

Here are two early works by Shirley Tafoya. Throughout her career, Shirley has most often made miniature versions of the large vessels her mother, Margaret Tafoya, was known to make. The jar on the left is a water jar shape and fully polished.  It received a second place ribbon at the 1974 Gallup Inter-tribal Ceremonials.  The long neck jar on the right has a water serpent carved into the clay as the central image.  Note how deeply Shirley carved the design along with the intricate style of the body.  Both pieces are in  excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Throughout the years, Shirley has won "Best of Miniature Pottery" at Santa Fe Indian Market numerous times and is featured in the book, "Born of Fire". 

Left:            Black Water Jar            2"w x 2"h                $600.00 - SOLD

Right:         Red Jar w/ Avanyu     2.75"w x 3.25"h       $850.00

Minnie Vigil - Santa Clara  

Minnie Vigil is a daughter of Petra Gutierrez and a sister to noted potters Gloria Garcia (GoldenRod), Thelma Talachy and Lois Gutierrez.  She is known for her polychrome pottery and the use of numerous clay slips to create the colors.  This seedpot is unusual as it has been polished tan, which achieved using only water on the surface of the clay and not a clay slip!  The top is painted with native clay in matte. Note the wonderful contrast of the matte and polished surfaces along with the variety of clay colors used on this piece.  The design is a rain cloud pattern separated by a feather pattern.  Below the shoulder is an "eternal life" design.  The seedpot has a perfect balance of form and a design which is tightly painted. Minnie has won numerous awards at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market but today makes few pieces of pottery.

4"w x 3.5"h

$400.00 - SOLD

Tim "Sunbird" Vigil - Santa Clara    

Tim Vigil is the son of noted potter Minnie Vigil.  His pottery follows in a similar style of polychrome coloration. This seedpot is fully polished and then painted with numerous clay slips. The matte painted area is both a visual and textural contrast to the polished surface. The design is a rain  and cloud pattern utilizing three different colored clay slips!   

4.5"w x 3.5"h

$400.00

    Daryl Whitegeese - Santa Clara   NEW

Daryl is the son of noted potter LuAnn Tafoya, and the grandson of Margaret Tafoya.  He began making pottery about eight years ago and has committed himself to creating classic Santa Clara style pottery. Here are three smaller pieces of his pottery and typical of his work they are perfectly carved and polished.  The jar on the left has a wind pattern carved into the clay and a perfectly polished area above and below.  The bowl in the center has more complicated designs with a kiva step, cloud and lightning design.  The jar on the right is fired red and has a rainbow pattern carved into the clay.  The jar is highly polished and has the traditional cream clay slip in the background.  Daryl has won numerous awards for his pottery over the past several years, including the "Utilitarian Pottery" special award at Santa Fe Indian Market. He is certainly a potter to watch!

Left:        Jar with Wind Patterns            6"w x 6"h            $900.00

Center:   Bowl with Kiva Steps              6.5"w x 5.5"h      $975.00

Right:     Red jar w/ Rainbow Pattern   6"w x 6.75"h       $1050.00

Daryl Whitegeese - Santa Clara  

Daryl is the son of noted potter LuAnn Tafoya, and the grandson of Margaret Tafoya.  He began making pottery about eight years ago and has committed himself to creating classic Santa Clara style pottery. This is a striking piece by with a highly polished neck and base. The carving in the central band is more shallow, creating almost the appearance of the design in relief!  The design on this jar is a water serpent (avanyu), which encircles the entire body of the vessel.  Daryl has beautifully carved the design so as the jar is rotated there is a series of complex geometric patterns.  Daryl has won numerous awards for his pottery over the past several years, including the "Utilitarian Pottery" special award at Santa Fe Indian Market. He is certainly a potter to watch!

7"w x 10.25"h

$2400.00

Daryl Whitegeese - Santa Clara   NEW

This is a beautiful jar by Daryl.  It is exciting to see how over the past eight years he has found his own unique style, yet remaining true to the traditional forms and designs of his mother LuAnn Tafoya and his grandmother, Margaret Tafoya.  This jar is an elegant form with a low shoulder and a long sloping neck.  The area around the neck and the base is fully polished to a high shine.  The carved band around the center of the jar has a mountain and wind pattern.  The polishing on this jar is simply spectacular! Daryl has won numerous awards for his traditional pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Market.  He is definitely a potter to watch as his work continues to both evolve and revive traditional designs and forms!

8"w x 9.5"h

$2500.00

Lucy Yearflower - Santa Clara  

Lucy Yearflower is a sister-in-law of Joseph Lonewolf and Grace Medicine Flower.  She was known for her deep carved pottery and each piece has a flower etched into the piece as part of the design.  This seedpot has an avanyu carved into the clay, encircling the entire piece.  There is a flower on the top, which is highlighted with a  red clay slip.  Note as well in the background area how she has also etched into the clay.  This seedpot is from the 1980's, as Lucy now no longer makes much pottery but mostly jewelry.  The piece is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

2.5"w x 2.25"h

$400.00

Mela Youngblood (1931-1990) - Santa Clara    

This is certainly a simple but classic bowl from Mela Youngblood.  She was a daughter of Margaret Tafoya and the mother of Nathan Youngblood and Nancy Youngblood.  When Mela first began to make pottery in the early 1970's, she took the process very seriously.  She decided that each piece she made had to be perfect, a trait which she passed on to her children.  She quickly became known for her elegant shapes and high polish. This bowl is a wonderful example of her classic shapes and the deeply carved bear paws which are on all four sides. The bear paws are a classic design which is part of the story of how a bear led the Pueblo people to water during a drought.  This bowl is in great condition and as Mela made pottery for such a short time and it is always exciting to see such elegant pieces of her pottery!

7.75"w x 4"h

$1100.00

Mela Youngblood (1931-1990) - Santa Clara    

Few potters have created a legacy such as Mela Youngblood.  The daughter of Margaret Tafoya, she was the mother of Nathan Youngblood and Nancy Youngblood.  When Mela first began to make pottery in the early 1970's, she took the process very seriously.  She decided that each piece she made had to be perfect, a trait which she passed on to her children.  She quickly became known for her elegant shapes and high polish.  Of all of Margaret's daughters, she was the first one to create a storage jar which survived the firing process.    This bowl is an excellent example of her style, with a deep carved rain and lightning design. The carving is slightly rounded on the edges.  The entire bowl is fully polished, including the rim.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Mela made pottery for such a short time and it is always exciting to see such elegant pieces of her pottery!

6"w x 6"h

$1200.00

Nancy Youngblood - Santa Clara   NEW

It is not often the we such an exceptional group of miniatures by Nancy Youngblood. When she first began making pottery, she started with miniatures, focusing on creating very intricate form and tightly carved designs.  She was inspired to begin making the swirl melon bowls when she saw one by her great-uncle Camilio Tafoya. This group of miniatures covers a variety of her pottery styles.  On the left is her classic "Swirl" melon bowl with 16 ribs.  It is fired a beautiful red coloration and it is a piece which is published in the book, "Born of Fire" on page 135.  The flat bowl in the center is a deeply carved with a water serpent (avanyu) as the design.  Typical of her work it is deeply carved and the intricacy of the design reveals a very feminine touch to her artistic style.  This seedpot was made 1985 and is a beautiful example of form and design.  The bowl on the right is a 16 rib swirl melon and has a stunning polish.  Nancy is renown for her melon bowl shapes and this bowl is certainly the "signature" of her amazing style.  Among her melon bowls, each rib is separately carved.  The symmetry of the ribs as they swirl around the bowl adds to the difficulty in their creation.  As the entire piece is fully polished, considering the amount of surface area, it is about the same as polishing a piece nearly twice as large!  Nancy notes that she can only polish three ribs a day, as the process is so exacting!  All three of these miniatures are beautifully polished to a high, glossy shine and are in perfect condition. Nancy Youngblood is a daughter of Mela Youngblood and a granddaughter of Margaret Tafoya.   Nancy has won "Best of Pottery" and "Best of Show" at Santa Fe Indian Market and been featured in numerous books on Pueblo pottery including "The Art of Clay", "Crafted to Perfection", "Born of Fire" and others.

Left:            Red Swirl Melon Bowl            3"w x 2.5"h        $5000.00

Center:       Flat Seedpot w/ Avanyu          3"w x 1.5"h        $2500.00

Right:         Black Swirl Melon Bowl         3"w x 2.5"h        $4400.00

     Nancy Youngblood - Santa Clara  

It is not often the we such an exceptional vessel by Nancy Youngblood here in the gallery. This jar is both stunning a bit breathtaking in its precision and the shine of the stone polished surface.  Nancy Youngblood is a daughter of Mela Youngblood and a granddaughter of Margaret Tafoya.  When she first began making pottery, she started with miniatures, focusing on creating very intricate form and tightly carved designs.  She was inspired to begin making the swirl melon bowls when she saw one by her great-uncle Camilio Tafoya.  The water jar is from 2007 and is a beautiful balance of form and design.  It has 32 ribs extending down from the neck to the base, each carved into the clay and then fully polished.  The mouth of the piece is stunning, with the ribs carved and rounded out, and fully polished, which is technically difficult to achieve!  The symmetry of the ribs and the from makes this one of the most difficult for her to create.  The entire piece is fully polished, which considering the amount of surface area, is the same as polishing a piece nearly twice as large!  Nancy notes that she can only polish three ribs a day, as the process is so exacting!  This jar is amazingly polished to a high, glossy shine and is in perfect condition.  Nancy has won "Best of Pottery" and "Best of Show" at Santa Fe Indian Market and been featured in numerous books on Pueblo pottery including "The Art of Clay", "Crafted to Perfection", "Born of Fire" and others.

4.5"w x 4.75"h

$11,000.00

     Nancy Youngblood - Santa Clara   NEW

Nancy Youngblood is a daughter of Mela Youngblood and a granddaughter of Margaret Tafoya.  When she first began making pottery, she started with miniatures, focusing on creating very intricate form and tightly carved designs.  While she is renown for her melon ribbed vessels, she is also precision oriented in the classic carved patterns on her pottery.  This bowl has 16 carved feathers as the design.  Each feather is made up of three sections, each interlocking to create one single feather.  There is a stunning sense of simplicity and balance to the design.  Each feather is fully polished red while the base is matte.  The contrast of the polished and matte surfaces, along with the precision and depth of the carving is simply beautiful.  The bowl is from 1986 and it is signed, "Nancy Youngblood Cutler".  Nancy has won "Best of Pottery" and "Best of Show" at Santa Fe Indian Market and been featured in numerous books on Pueblo pottery including "The Art of Clay", "Crafted to Perfection", "Born of Fire" and others.

5.5"w x 5.25"h

$11,000.00

Nathan Youngblood - Santa Clara   NEW

It is not often that we get such an intricate piece this size from Nathan Youngblood.  The shape of this plate is in the form of a traditional serving bowl, where the indention to the left would be used to hold the plate and make it utilitarian.  The rim is fully polished tan in contrast to the red polished center.  The center of the bowl has rain designs, which are surrounded by a cloud pattern.  Interestingly, the tan polished area is technically the most difficult color to achieve in Santa Clara pottery as no slip is used, only water, and then it is stone polished.  After the jar is fired Nathan then scrapes down the background area and sides of the carving to create the striking visual contrast of between the matte and polished surfaces. He learned to make pottery from his grandmother, Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001) and continues in the family legacy of extraordinary pottery created using traditional methods.  He has been written about in books including The Art of Clay, Beyond Traditions and 14 Families in Pueblo Pottery.  His work is in the White House Collection of American Crafts, the only Native American Indian artist to be represented in the collection. 

8" diameter

$5200.00

Nathan Youngblood - Santa Clara   NEW

Nathan is one of the premiere Pueblo potters working today.  He is known for his elegant and diverse forms, deeply carved designs and  the "glass-like" appearance of his polishing.  Nathan learned to make pottery from his grandmother, Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001) and continues in the family legacy of extraordinary pottery created using traditional methods.  This jar is a wonderful form with an oval mouth, which makes it a technically difficult form to create!  This unique shape works beautifully for Nathan's intricate style of carving.  The jar has a slightly turned out mouth and it is fully polished inside the neck and outside the rim.  Around the neck of the jar one side has a micaceous clay slipped raincloud pattern, surrounded by additional cloud and rain motifs.  As the jar is turned, the other side has a polished bear medallion highlighted by a micaceous slipped rainbow pattern.  The bear paw in the medallion is a design which is often featured on vessels which are used to hold water.  Amazingly, this jar is nearly fully carved with a walking bear paw, cloud and lightning design near the base! The polishing on this piece is stunning with a glassy surface and a beautiful contrast of micaceous and polished designs.  Nathan has been written about in books including The Art of Clay, Beyond Traditions and 14 Families in Pueblo Pottery.  His work is in the White House Collection of American Crafts, the only Native American Indian artist to be represented in the collection.  We are pleased to be one of only two galleries nationwide to represent his spectacular pottery!

7"w x 6.75"h

$6800.00

Nathan Youngblood - Santa Clara  

Wow...it is not often that Nathan does such a perfect smaller tri-color jar! This jar is an elegant form, with a slightly turned out neck. The neck and base are both fully polished tan while the central carved design is a deep red.  The central carved area has a cloud and rain pattern which meets up with the kiva step design in matte in the center.  The carving is amazingly deep and even throughout the entire piece!  Nathan continues to polish his pottery with a stone and they are all native fired, which gives them a much richer appearance. Nathan has won over 140 awards during his career and continues to be one of the most refined and yet creative potters working today.  He has been written about in books including The Art of Clay, Beyond Traditions and 14 Families in Pueblo Pottery. We are pleased to be one of only two galleries nationwide to represent his spectacular pottery

4.75"w x 5"h

$4000.00 - SOLD