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Santa Clara Pueblo Native American Pottery
SANTA CLARA PUEBLO INFORMATION (Provided by IPCC.org)
Black Pottery from the Santa Clara Pueblo is among the most well-known in the Entire World. Maria Martinez of San Illdefonso Pueblo is arguably the most well known Potter ever to live. She became famous for the Black Pottery tradition that is now carried on by Artists of the Santa Clara Pueblo. Santa Clara Pueblo Pottery has become the most collectible Native American pottery. This incredible art form begins with natural Red Clays gathered from the pueblos and surrounding hills. The clay undergoes many preparations before it is finally molded into the finished product. The artist generally rolls the clay into long thin rolls, then begins to "build" the piece by layering these rolls one on top of the other. This Hand Coiled method includes smoothing the coils by hand to the pottery's final shape. The artist then begins the arduous task of polishing the piece. This is accomplished by rubbing a smooth "polishing" stone over the piece over and over until the red clay shines. Finally, the piece is fired in an "Oxygen Reduction" firing process. During the firing, the artist smothers the fire with horse manure. The manure traps a thick, carbon rich smoke all around the piece. The Carbon contained in the smoke fuses itself into the clay, turning it Black. This Black color can never be removed or washed off. The entire process is fraught with problems as about 3 of every 5 pieces actually emerge from the fire without damage. Given the rarity of this pottery, artists often view the clay as a living entity. A finished piece is often revered as a gift from what pueblo potters often respectfully refer to as the "Clay Mother". The end result is a stunning piece of Native American Pottery work of art.
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Santa Clara Black Pottery
by Georgette Vigil
This small pot was
hand coiled and stone polished to a
beautiful shine. Signed by the
artist.
Size: 2 3/4"
Tall, 3" wide
Suggested Retail $99.00 /
Your Price:
$75.00
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SANTA CLARA TWO TONE POTTERY
by Dusty
Naranjo
Like her brother, Forrest Naranjo, Dusty
was not raised in a strictly pueblo
environment. Her father, Tito Naranjo,
was a university professor and this less
traditional upbringing probably accounts
for the contemporary styles of Dusty's
pottery. In fact, Dusty did not even
pursue pottery until a little later in
life. She first graduated with a BA in
psychology from NM Highlands University
and recently obtained her Master's
Degree in Art Therapy. However, having
been exposed to pottery making
throughout her life -- both her parents
pot and her father's siblings are Jody
Folwell, Nora Naranjo- Morse and Dolly
Naranjo -- it was perhaps inevitable
that Dusty give it a try. When she did
begin potting she discovered that is was
a wonderful creative process. Using only
traditional techniques, Dusty is now a
well known potter having progressed far
in a short period of time.
Size:
4 5/8" Tall, 4 3/8" at widest point
Suggested Retail $795.00 /
Your Price:
$575.00
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SANTA CLARA RED POTTERY
by
April Naranjo
This small pot was
hand coiled and stone polished to a
beautiful shine. Signed by the
artist.
Size:
2 3/8" Tall, 3 1/2" at widest point
Suggested Retail $132.00 /
Your Price:
$99.00
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Santa Clara Red Pottery
by Vickie Martinez
Vickie Martinez “Koe-Sawe”,
Buffalo Steps, was born into the Pueblo of
Santa Clara-Tewa in 1967. Vickie was
inspired to continue the long lived
tradition of her ancestors of working with
clay from her Mother, Barbara Martinez. She
has been making pottery since 1983, when she
was 15 years old.
Vickie specializes in the
traditional handmade black and red Santa
Clara pottery. She gathers her own natural
clay from the hills within the Santa Clara
Pueblo.
Vickie cleans, mixes, hand
coils, shapes, carves, fires, and then
polishes her pottery the traditional way.
Vickie was quoted as saying: “I find carving
a very challenging and rewarding experience,
which I am enjoying thoroughly.”
Like all good Santa Clara
pottery, the high gloss on this pot was
achieved by polishing the surface with a
smooth stone...a very tedious process. Three
and sometimes as many as five layers of slip
are applied to the smooth dried work,
allowing time between coats to dry, and then
followed by a lubricating coat of animal
fat. The fat serves two purposes: one, it
allows the stone to slide smoothly over the
surface and two, it keeps the slip damp.
Polishing stones are highly treasured and
usually passed on to descendants.
This large piece features the classic Avanyu water
serpent design. Vickie signs her pottery
as:
Vickie Martinez Tafoya, Santa Clara Pueblo.
4 1/4 " Tall,
5 1/2" at widest point
Suggested Retail $300.00 /
Your Price:
$265.00
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SANTA CLARA BLACK POTTERY EAGLE
by Paul and Dorothy Gutierrez
Paul and Dorothy Gutierrez
have been married since 1965, and have two
sons, Paul Gutierrez Jr. and Gary Gutierrez.
Dorothy was born in 1940 and is a Navajo
woman. Her mother is a weaver who weaves
belts. Paul Sr. was born is 1936 and is a
Tewa Pueblo Indian. They are very well known
for their Black Mudhead Figurines. The
mudheads are now what we call "Koshares" and
they take part in the Indian ceremonial
dances as clowns. They are made to put a
smile on your face and to remind you not to
take life so seriously all of the time.
Paul's parents were both well know potters
by the names of Lela and Vann Gutierrez.
Paul has two sisters. Margaret Gutierrez, in
her late fifties, to out knowledge still
makes pottery. She specializes in polychrome
bowls and figurines. Paul's late sister,
Pauline Gutierrez, taught him the art of
pottery making. Paul's niece, Stephanie
Naranjo, also makes polychrome figurines.
The Gutierrez family biography can be found
in many books including "The fourteen
Families in Pueblo Pottery," by Rick
Dillingham.
Size:
2 3/4" Tall, 2 3/4" Wide
Suggested Retail
$56.00
/
Your Price: $42.00
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SANTA CLARA BLACK POTTERY BEAR
by Paul and Dorothy Gutierrez
Paul and Dorothy
Gutierrez have been married since 1965,
and have two sons, Paul Gutierrez Jr.
and Gary Gutierrez. Dorothy was born in
1940 and is a Navajo woman. Her mother
is a weaver who weaves belts. Paul Sr.
was born is 1936 and is a Tewa Pueblo
Indian. They are very well known for
their Black Mudhead Figurines. The
mudheads are now what we call "Koshares"
and they take part in the Indian
ceremonial dances as clowns. They are
made to put a smile on your face and to
remind you not to take life so seriously
all of the time. Paul's parents were
both well know potters by the names of
Lela and Vann Gutierrez. Paul has two
sisters. Margaret Gutierrez, in her late
fifties, to out knowledge still makes
pottery. She specializes in polychrome
bowls and figurines. Paul's late sister,
Pauline Gutierrez, taught him the art of
pottery making. Paul's niece, Stephanie
Naranjo, also makes polychrome
figurines. The Gutierrez family
biography can be found in many books
including "The fourteen Families in
Pueblo Pottery," by Rick Dillingham.
Size:
2 1/2" Tall, 2 1/2" Wide
Suggested Retail
$64.00
/
Your Price: $48.00
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SANTA CLARA POTTERY
b y
Alfred Salazar
Alfred started potting
at the age of 16 alongside his mother.
All of his pots are made in the
traditional methods and fired outdoors.
His stone polishing is some of the best
we have ever seen.
This lovely piece
features Alfred's feather design. It is
signed Alfred Salazar, Santa Clara.
Size:
2 3/4" Tall, 2" at widest point
Suggested Retail $165.00 /
Your Price:
$135.00
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SANTA CLARA POTTERY
b y
Alfred Salazar
Alfred started potting
at the age of 16 alongside his mother.
All of his pots are made in the
traditional methods and fired outdoors.
His stone polishing is some of the best
we have ever seen.
This lovely piece
features Alfred's Sun design. It is
signed Alfred Salazar, Santa Clara.
Size:
1 3/4" Tall, 2 1/4" at widest point
Suggested Retail $165.00 /
Your Price:
$135.00
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San Ildefonso Pottery
by Erik Fender
Erik
Fender, Than Tsideh “Sunbird”, was born in 1970 into the San
Ildefonso
Pueblo. He specializes in traditional and contemporary blackware
pottery.
He
started the art of pottery making by watching his grandmother, Carmelita
Dunlap, as she would hand coil and hand paint her traditional black
-on-black pottery. As he grew older, he started to experiment more with
various techniques and clays. His style progressed from the traditional
black-on-black pottery to an innovated two tone, black-on-red, separated
by sgraffito low relief carving. He also makes beautiful polychrome
pots and presently he specializes in green-on-black pots. He harvests
his clumps of raw clay from the sacred grounds within the San Ildefonso
Pueblo, then, Erik breaks the clumps of clay to a fine powder substance
and mixes it with volcanic ash and water, once that process is complete
he hand coils snake like forms and begins to construct his vessel. When
the vessel is built it is set out to dry. Once it has dried he sands it
down to smooth out the surface. He stone polishes and hand paints his
designs with all natural paints which are all boiled from native
vegetation grown in the Pueblo. He is related to Martha Appleleaf
Fendor (mother), Carmelita Dunlap (grandmother), Linda Dunlap (aunt),
Jeannie Mountain Flower Dunlap (aunt), and Carlos Dunlap (grandfather).
He signs his pottery as Than Tsideh which means “Sunbird”.
This
gorgeous plate is painted on both sides.
The front is covered in traditional
designs in red and white slip on red
clay. The back features an excellent
Avanyu design coiled around the edge
with a micaceous slip accent.
Size:
11 3/8" Wide
Suggested Retail $2200.00 /
Your Price:
$1650.00
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San Ildefonso Pottery
by Erik Fender
Erik
Fender, Than Tsideh “Sunbird”, was born in 1970 into the San
Ildefonso
Pueblo. He specializes in traditional and contemporary blackware
pottery.
He
started the art of pottery making by watching his grandmother, Carmelita
Dunlap, as she would hand coil and hand paint her traditional black
-on-black pottery. As he grew older, he started to experiment more with
various techniques and clays. His style progressed from the traditional
black-on-black pottery to an innovated two tone, black-on-red, separated
by sgraffito low relief carving. He also makes beautiful polychrome
pots and presently he specializes in green-on-black pots. He harvests
his clumps of raw clay from the sacred grounds within the San Ildefonso
Pueblo, then, Erik breaks the clumps of clay to a fine powder substance
and mixes it with volcanic ash and water, once that process is complete
he hand coils snake like forms and begins to construct his vessel. When
the vessel is built it is set out to dry. Once it has dried he sands it
down to smooth out the surface. He stone polishes and hand paints his
designs with all natural paints which are all boiled from native
vegetation grown in the Pueblo. He is related to Martha Appleleaf
Fendor (mother), Carmelita Dunlap (grandmother), Linda Dunlap (aunt),
Jeannie Mountain Flower Dunlap (aunt), and Carlos Dunlap (grandfather).
He signs his pottery as Than Tsideh which means “Sunbird”.
This
spectacular piece features Erik's older
style, reminiscent of his grandmother,
Carmelita Dunlap's, pots with beautiful
shape and clean paint work.
Size:
4" Tall, 5 1/2" wide
Suggested Retail $675.00 /
Your Price:
$498.00
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Guarantee!!
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Clara Main Page |
 
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San Ildefonso Pottery
by Erik Fender
Erik
Fender, Than Tsideh “Sunbird”, was born in 1970 into the San
Ildefonso
Pueblo. He specializes in traditional and contemporary blackware
pottery.
He
started the art of pottery making by watching his grandmother, Carmelita
Dunlap, as she would hand coil and hand paint her traditional black
-on-black pottery. As he grew older, he started to experiment more with
various techniques and clays. His style progressed from the traditional
black-on-black pottery to an innovated two tone, black-on-red, separated
by sgraffito low relief carving. He also makes beautiful polychrome
pots and presently he specializes in green-on-black pots. He harvests
his clumps of raw clay from the sacred grounds within the San Ildefonso
Pueblo, then, Erik breaks the clumps of clay to a fine powder substance
and mixes it with volcanic ash and water, once that process is complete
he hand coils snake like forms and begins to construct his vessel. When
the vessel is built it is set out to dry. Once it has dried he sands it
down to smooth out the surface. He stone polishes and hand paints his
designs with all natural paints which are all boiled from native
vegetation grown in the Pueblo. He is related to Martha Appleleaf
Fendor (mother), Carmelita Dunlap (grandmother), Linda Dunlap (aunt),
Jeannie Mountain Flower Dunlap (aunt), and Carlos Dunlap (grandfather).
He signs his pottery as Than Tsideh which means “Sunbird”.
This
unique and expertly crafted canteen features
a dragonfly designs in a painted slip on the
bottom with a variety of carved designs on
the bottom.
Size:
6 1/4" Long (length does not include cork),
6" Wide and 3 1/4" Deep.
Suggested Retail $999.00 /
Your Price:
$750.00
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SANTA CLARA BLACK POTTERY
TURTLE
by Julie Gutierrez
Julie was born in 1965 and
has been potting since 1977. She learned to work the clay from her
mother, Victoria Gutierrez, and also counts two sisters, Effie Garcia
and Sally M. Gutierrez, as inspiration. Julie often makes animals and a
mushroom shape of her own creation, in addition to more traditional
pottery shapes. Her trademark design is a swirling sgraffito pattern
that mimics flowers or a spider's web in both red- and blackware. On
occasion, Julie likes to work with her husband, Johnny Tapia, also of
Santa Clara.
Size:
3 3/4" Tall, 3 3/4" at widest point
Suggested Retail $160.00 /
Your Price: $120.00
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SANTA CLARA POTTERY
CLOWN
by Margaret Gutierrez
This fine lady was
one-half of the famous potting duo of Margaret and Luther. Margaret and Luther
were siblings -- the children of another well known potting combination -- Lela
and Van. Lela and Van created a very distinctive style based on multiple colored
slips and paints and this style was continued and modified somewhat by Margaret
and Luther. Upon Luther's death in 1989, Margaret continued to work with the
assistance of Luther's daughter Pauline, but Pauline died shortly thereafter.
Since that time, Margaret has continued the tradition alone creating fine
figurines and pots in a most unique style. More information may be found in the
Dillingham book "Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery" page 176.
Size:
1 7/8" Tall, 1 1/4" Wide
Suggested Retail
$65.00 /
Your Price:
SOLD
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(Free Standard Domestic Shipping & Insurance!!)
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Clara Main Page |
 
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SANTA CLARA BLACK POTTERY BEAR
by Paul and Dorothy Gutierrez
Paul and Dorothy
Gutierrez have been married since 1965,
and have two sons, Paul Gutierrez Jr.
and Gary Gutierrez. Dorothy was born in
1940 and is a Navajo woman. Her mother
is a weaver who weaves belts. Paul Sr.
was born is 1936 and is a Tewa Pueblo
Indian. They are very well known for
their Black Mudhead Figurines. The
mudheads are now what we call "Koshares"
and they take part in the Indian
ceremonial dances as clowns. They are
made to put a smile on your face and to
remind you not to take life so seriously
all of the time. Paul's parents were
both well know potters by the names of
Lela and Vann Gutierrez. Paul has two
sisters. Margaret Gutierrez, in her late
fifties, to out knowledge still makes
pottery. She specializes in polychrome
bowls and figurines. Paul's late sister,
Pauline Gutierrez, taught him the art of
pottery making. Paul's niece, Stephanie
Naranjo, also makes polychrome
figurines. The Gutierrez family
biography can be found in many books
including "The fourteen Families in
Pueblo Pottery," by Rick Dillingham.
Size:
2" Tall, 2 1/2" Wide
Suggested Retail
$64.00
/
Your Price: $48.00
Backed by Our
30 Day Money Back
Guarantee!!
(Free Standard Domestic Shipping & Insurance!!)
3santaclara14
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Clara Main Page |
 
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Santa Clara Red Pottery
by Vickie Martinez
Vickie Martinez “Koe-Sawe”,
Buffalo Steps, was born into the Pueblo of
Santa Clara-Tewa in 1967. Vickie was
inspired to continue the long lived
tradition of her ancestors of working with
clay from her Mother, Barbara Martinez. She
has been making pottery since 1983, when she
was 15 years old.
Vickie specializes in the
traditional handmade black and red Santa
Clara pottery. She gathers her own natural
clay from the hills within the Santa Clara
Pueblo.
Vickie cleans, mixes, hand
coils, shapes, carves, fires, and then
polishes her pottery the traditional way.
Vickie was quoted as saying: “I find carving
a very challenging and rewarding experience,
which I am enjoying thoroughly.”
Like all good Santa Clara
pottery, the high gloss on this pot was
achieved by polishing the surface with a
smooth stone...a very tedious process. Three
and sometimes as many as five layers of slip
are applied to the smooth dried work,
allowing time between coats to dry, and then
followed by a lubricating coat of animal
fat. The fat serves two purposes: one, it
allows the stone to slide smoothly over the
surface and two, it keeps the slip damp.
Polishing stones are highly treasured and
usually passed on to descendants.
This piece features the classic Avanyu water
serpent design.
Vickie signs her pottery
as:
Vickie Martinez Tafoya, Santa Clara Pueblo.
Size: 3 3/4"
Tall, 5 1/2" wide
Suggested Retail $345.00 /
Your Price: $270.00
Backed by Our
30 Day Money Back
Guarantee!!
(Free Standard Domestic Shipping & Insurance!!)
3santaclara15
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Clara Main Page |
 
Click Pictures To Enlarge |
SANTA CLARA POTTERY
CLOWN
by Margaret Gutierrez
This fine lady was
one-half of the famous potting duo of Margaret and Luther. Margaret and Luther
were siblings -- the children of another well known potting combination -- Lela
and Van. Lela and Van created a very distinctive style based on multiple colored
slips and paints and this style was continued and modified somewhat by Margaret
and Luther. Upon Luther's death in 1989, Margaret continued to work with the
assistance of Luther's daughter Pauline, but Pauline died shortly thereafter.
Since that time, Margaret has continued the tradition alone creating fine
figurines and pots in a most unique style. More information may be found in the
Dillingham book "Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery" page 176.
Size: 1 3/4"
Tall, 1 1/4" wide
Suggested Retail $65.00 /
Your Price: SOLD
Backed by Our
30 Day Money Back
Guarantee!!
(Free Standard Domestic Shipping & Insurance!!)
3santaclara16
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Clara Main Page |
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