SAN ILDEFONSO, SAN FELIPE, TAOS & WYANDOT

Click on the photograph for an enlarged view.

      A native of Zia Pueblo, Dora moved to San Ildefonso about 30 years ago. She used to watch her mother, Candeleria Gauchupin and her mother-in-law Rose Gonzales as they made their pottery. They were both great influences on her work. In 1969, Dora made her first pot, which someone purchased and entered in the New Mexico State Fair crafts competition. It won a blue ribbon. She has now received over 100 awards for her work. Dora says, "my work is traditional, but I've made a few little innovations." Though her pieces are classic in shape, she sometimes fires them in two colors - and then inlays coral or turquoise stones. To achieve a different texture and play of light, Dora decorates her pots with patterns of micaceous clay, applied as a slip, so that the flecks of mica glitter through even a black surface. "I like a little change, but nothing drastic. I really think that traditional Indian pottery will die out eventually. So many people are taking shortcuts already." Dora still fires outdoors like her ancestors. "My mother taught me that pottery is sacred - the clay comes from Mother Earth. I ask permission to get the clay: I pray when I finish each step in making a pot." Sitting in her kitchen in San Ildefonso and watching her polish these pots with a polishing stone is a mesmerizing experience. She is certainly one of our great masters of pottery today.
      This avanyu bowl could be called “classic Dora!” It is a beautiful black bowl with her expert polishing. The sienna rim adds visual interest. The avanyu is carved on a mica band, and a turquoise stone has been added for the eye. It is lovely shaped bowl – made in 1988 it remains a classic piece!

#SAN192 - 5" high by 5 1/2" wide
Price: $2600

      This is a very old style shape canteen. Flat, with a corn husk stopper, Erik has done a beautiful depiction of the dragonfly. It can be displayed lying flat, or hanging on the wall, or standing upright on a plate stand.

#SAN12106 - 6” high by 5” wide
Price: $480

      Erik hardly ever coils pots in this size range, but this polychrome piece (made in 2006) is terrific. Classic feathers, spirals, and geometrics are beautifully painted on this vase.

#SAN10119 - 4 ¾” high by 4” wide
Price: $475 SOLD

      Erik made this pot with us in mind. We love his fish imagery. This bowl is painted so beautifully. The Mimbres fish and the black on black designs work so well together. The shape is lovely, and the designs flow from top to bottom. It is very nicely fired with a nice sheen.

#SAN1105 - 4 1/2" high by 5" wide
Price: $650

     This small plate is an early piece made by Maria Martinez and then painted by her son, Popovi Da (1923-1971). It is their classic feather pattern, black on black painted ware. It shows 34 precisely painted feathers. The firing on this piece is exceptional. Gunmetal ware was created by Popovi by using a hotter and longer fire creating a beautiful metallic luster. The firing was extremely difficult and required precise timing to obtain the gunmetal finish. This is a wonderful example of that work. On the back, the plate is signed and marked ”264” which tells us it was fired in February, of 1964. For those that want an absolute “classic” work by Maria and Po, this is it!

#SAN9115 - 6 ½” wide
Price: $3600 SOLD

     In the 1950's Maria made a series of pieces which were plain and signed with her Tewa name, "Maria Pove'ka", as Poveka means Water Lilly. Maria Martinez was renowned for the elegant form and high stone polished surfaces of her pottery. Throughout her career, it was her husband Julian, daughter-in-law Santana and son Popovi Da who painted the designs. This small bowl is a beautiful example of form and polish. This bowl is a traditional shape Maria often made with a sharper shoulder which was typically where designs would be painted. It is signed on the bottom in the clay, "Maria Pove'ka". The bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

#SAN9116 - 4"w x 3.25"h
Price: $1200 SOLD

     Marvin Martinez is the great - grandson of internationally renowned potter Maria Martinez. Black-on-black pottery was made famous by Maria Martinez and her husband beginning in the early 1900’s. They invented a special technique that would allow for areas of the pottery to have a matte finish and other areas to be a glossy jet black.
     For more than 15 years, Marvin and his wife, Frances Martinez, have been carrying on the tradition first taught them by their ancestors.
     “I grew up watching my grandparents and my great grandmother Maria doing the pottery. Seeing that really benefited me,” said Marvin. He paints the pottery and Frances does the polishing.
     “My ancestors used a Yucca brush, but I use a liner brush made of fine camel hair so I can get the delicate designs in my pottery,” he said. Marvin said he often incorporates the “Avanyu,” or ancient rain serpent, as well as feathers in his work.
     This elegant small flat bowl is polished all the way around the pot – top to bottom. The floral patterns are beautifully painted with the classic black on black technique.

#SAN9924 - 2 ¼” high by 4” wide
Price: $260 SOLD

     Pauline Martinez was born in 1950. After her marriage to George Martinez, she moved to San Ildefonso. She makes gorgeous black on black pottery. Her work is just exquisite. Her clean painting, lovely designs, and high polish make her work exceptional.
     Here is a small, beautiful feather and geometric vase by Pauline. Her firings are always so well done.

#SAN9714 - 4 1/2" high by 3 1/2" wide
Price: $450

     Pauline is an expert when it comes to polishing and painting. This avanyu bowl is a terrific shape and the design really stands out on the upper portion of the bowl. We are so pleased to have some of her newest, traditional San Ildefonso works.

#SAN194 - 3 1/2" high by 4 1/2" wide
Price: $595

          Russell Sanchez was born at the San Ildefonso Pueblo. He has continued to live there all his life. Russell started making pottery at a very young age. If you could see his pots from when he was thirteen or so - you would be able to tell that a great talent was emerging! Russell was greatly influenced by his aunt, Rose Gonzales, and was futher encouraged by Dora Tse Pe. Like Russell, Dora is also a perfectionist. But Russell is really a self-taught potter. His incising, carving, and polishing techniques are all his own - developed and evolving over many years of hard work.  
          His work is widely accepted by serious collectors of some of the finest Native American pottery made today. He often introduces different materials into the clay while styaing within the traditional construction and firing techniques of pueblo pottery. Russell has won numerous awards and honors in juried shows every year since 1978. He has works in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institute, the Millicent Rogers Museum, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (Santa Fe) and the Museum of Natural History (Los Angeles). It is an honor to work closely with Russell, and represent him in our gallery.
          This elegant terraced water jar shows Russell’s unique look at old style San Ildefonso imagery as well as the contemporary adaptations of color and materials. This is a three tone vase – deep red and brown, separated by a beautiful band of black sparkly mica. That same black outlines the terraced opening of the jar. The inside of the neck matches the bottom brown polished quadrant of the piece. Beautiful old San Ildefonso images adorn the upper half of the red polished vase. As you turn the piece toward the “backside” one can see the elaborate cloud formations. The black mica center border is comprised of three strands of superfine Heishi; dark brown olive shell, scattered with light turquoise, a band of solid turquoise Heishi, and a third band of the scattered, These colors compliment the overall tones of the jar, Graceful curves and dots are incised on the brown bottom. This is a creative and unique composition, a truly stunning new creation.

#SAN5102- 6 ¼” high by 5” wide
Price: $5400

          Sometimes, we use the expression “less is more” when describing great art. Here is a perfect example of that phrase. Russell has created a magnificent asymmetric jar with a matching fitted lid. The black polished jar has areas of subtle green colorations from the slip he has used. Imbedded into the jar are high grade Kingman stones. The neck and the lip have unique rows of square stones, silver leaf work, and superfine Heishi. These elements all blend together perfectly. Keeping the jar plain polished, without extra incising has made for the creation of a modern, sleek work of art. It’s absolutely elegant.

#SAN10111- 11 ½” high by 6” wide
Price: $8800 SOLD

          This is a very complex, detailed, rather extraordinary piece of art. Russell has hand coiled a marvelous effigy bird. It is polychrome, using red, tan, green, and black tones. It is actually a canteen (notice the holes in the wings, and the backside). The head is kept matte in tan tones, with the addition of turquoise eyes and red tones around those eyes. The body is polished in red and tan tones with the center of the body being green. Incised into the center of the body is a detailed lizard with gorgeous high grade Lone Mountain turquoise set into its body. As you turn the bird around, notice six more stones. Complimenting the stones is a total of five strands of super fine Heishi, with mixed turquoise and shell. Three feathers on one side also have stonework. The entire bottom quadrant of the bird has incised clouds with stones in each cloud. The bird has its head tilted, with open beak that has been accentuated with black mica. It is a wondrous clay creation. We continue to be honored to be able to show you work of this phenomenal quality and design. Congratulations to Russell for winning the prestigious TONY DA award at Indian Market this summer.

#SAN10112- 9 ½” high by 8” wide
Price: $12,000 SOLD

          What an elegant piece of pottery. This is what I like to call a wonderful “small jar”. There is such a balance of colors on this jar. The rim is carved, with wonderful black mica ribs. That theme of black mica is carried out twice more. There are two bands under the tan neck where three strands of superfine Heishi are imbedded. Then below the incised Avanyu another black band is made, again outlined by two more strands of Heishi. This Avanyu is a deep red tone, and notice the inclusion of five beautiful Kingman turquoise stones – four in the body, and one in the eye. There is also a row of Russell’s trademark incised dots right below the last strand of Heishi. The shape of the water jar is magnificent, and the work is impeccable.

#SAN10113- 4 1/8” high by 3 ½” wide8” wide
Price: $3900 SOLD

          This is one of Russell’s trademark hand coiled bears. It was made in 2002. This is a wonderful example of his more simple bears – It is polished red and has an incised heart line, incised dots, and five strands of superfine imbedded turquoise and shell Heishi. Each one of Russell’s bears is different from each other, and this one is simply beautiful.

#SAN10114- 2 ½ High by 3 ¼” long
Price: $2400

          With two such talented potters working on one piece together, you’d expect something truly great. And here we have it! Russell and Nancy have created a plate of exceptional beauty. It is quite magnificent. Passing the piece back and forth to each other over many months, the end result is phenomenal. The black mica rim allows the sixteen shells in tones of tan and deep red to really pop. Those colors are repeated on the tan bands that encompass the three strands of imbedded Heishi. The center of the plate is polished to a deep red coloration, mimicking the color of the shells. A San Ildefonso bird is depicted in the very center. A high grade piece of Kingman turquoise is set into the belly of the bird. This is a major creation by these two collaborative artists.

#SAN9112- 11 1/2" wide
Price: $22000

Daryl Candelaria is a relatively new potter on the Rio Grande scene. Already, he is an award winning artist, having won a first in class and a first in division at the 1999 Indian Market; He also has won a first place at the Eight Northern Pueblos show. Daryl worked at the School of American Research in Santa Fe. where he studied SAR’s collection of contemporary and historic pottery. He became very fascinated by shards from prehistoric pottery. He uses these patterns in his "sampler" style jars. Daryl has taken a four year hiatus from pottery making while working at the San Felipe Village. He has decided to go back to school, and make pottery making his livelihood. We are so pleased to represent him again, as we find him to be a unique talent.
      I am particularly pleased about this new piece, as it is the first one like it that Daryl has ever made. Many months ago we were talking about form and shape, and I suggested that he try the unique carved shard designs into a flat plate or platter. He had not considered this form before, but thought it would be a terrific challenge. He wanted to make the plate thin, but still have enough clay available to do the carving of the shards. I must say, his efforts are terrific, as the end results are visually stunning. This round plate is a wonderful effort.

#SAN12710 - 10" high by 7" wide
Price: $2000 SOLD

     Hubert Candelario was born on November 2, 1965. Historically, San Felipe was never active as a pottery center. The San Felipe residents obtained their pottery in trade from neighbors, most often from the Zia pueblo. Hubert began making pottery at the age of nineteen. He graduated from the Phoenix Institute of Technology with an associate's degree in architectural design and drafting.
    His first love was, and still is, the micaceous clay found at Nambe and Picuris. It is with this clay that he now slips his dramatic "swirl” and “holey” pots. For the bodies of his pots he uses local red clay. He then completes the design with a slip of micaceous clay to help create this fabulous color and texture. His pots are totally hand made. The mica radiates and glistens and the end results are so eye catching. Hubert has won numerous awards. His work was prominently displayed at the “Changing Hands" exhibit and catalog from the American Craft Museum in New York City. We are so pleased to have sold one of his large swirl melon jars to the Denver Art Museum for their permanent collection.
    This sculpted clay form by Hubert has over 50 carved circles.  Made in 2004, Hubert told me it is a different shape for him – based on a pear – he calls it his “pear holey pot.” He hasn’t made very many in this shape. It is absolutely stunning. A larger version of the “holey” pot has a prominent place in the permanent collection at the Denver Art Museum. A fabulous poster was created with a photograph of the piece. So time consuming, and difficult to make without breaking, we are always thrilled when one of these pieces reaches our gallery.

#SAN41010 - 4 1/2" high by 4" wide
Price: $2100

     This is the very first HEXAGON shaped vessel we have had coiled from Hubert. It is absolutely amazing. The precision of his cut outs are a bit mind boggling. Look at how even he gets the lines, without having it collapse in the firing. Eye dazzling from any angle ! We are so excited by his careful craftsmanship.

#SAN51020 - 5 1/4" high by 5 1/4" wide
Price: $3200

     When Hubert creates what we refer to as a “tight swirl” the end result is pure elegance. The ribs are expertly coiled and edged, so the micaceous clay actually glistens. This is one of the most beautiful tall swirl jars we have had. The shape is so elegant and symmetric with the small opening at the top being mimicked by the narrow base at the bottom. This is a marvelous example of Hubert’s fine artistry

#SAN71016 - 7 ½” high by 7 ½” wide
Price: $3400 SOLD

     Angie was born on June 16, 1965 in Taos, New Mexico. She is a member of the Taos Pueblo Tribe and has lived in Taos all her life. Her mother, Mary Archuleta, is of Taos Pueblo and her father, Nick Yazzie, was a Navajo from Ganado, Arizona.
Primarily a self-taught potter, she was introduced at an early age to traditional pottery techniques by her mother and maternal grandmother, Isabel C. Archuleta. As a child, Angie was fortunate to live a few years with her maternal grandparents and was exposed to many different types of crafts through the shop the owned a Taos Pueblo.
     Micaceous pottery gleams with a special shine due to the mica which naturally occurs in the clay. It helps hold liquids when vessels are used for cooking or storing. The pots are constructed with hand-rolled coils which are then smoothed and sanded. No potter’s wheel is used. Firing is done in an outside pit with dry cedar or wood bark. Each piece has its own unique design of fire clouds from the firing. Angie's work is recognized for the thinness of the walls and the variety of shapes. Her work has been exhibited at the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe, the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, the Permanent Collection at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe and the Cincinnati Museum in Ohio.
     In November, 1994 Angie was invited, along with nine other potters considered to be Micaceous masters, to a convocation at the School of American Research. The results of the convocation led to a book entitled "All That Glitters" and eventually an annual micaceous show.
      Here we have another nice vase from Angie. Straight necked and nice in form, with her trademark egg shell thin walls, Angie produces some of the nicest micaceous pottery available today.

#SC12313 - 9" high by 7" wide
Price: $750

     We are so happy to be working with Jamie. He participated in the miniature show, and his work was fantastic. So now he will be a regular with our gallery.      Jamie is an immensely talented young potter, who is also a particularly thoughtful and interesting person. I asked him to put into his own words a bit of a biography. Here is Jamie’s statement:

     I have a strong commitment to building Wyandot pottery. Of most importance to me is retaining an integral sense of form inspired by ancient sensibilities. While my drive is to create new work that speaks to today’s world, my material comes from ancient sources. The ancient aesthetic that has stood the test of time still has the power to awe when beheld by the contemporary eye. I look back to my indigenous roots to guide me in learning values. Looking back to find out how to best live today causes me to look deeper into who I am. I realize that it is important to look back to a time when humans remembered that they where a part of the earth and there was no dualism between people and nature. When I make objects inspired by Great White Pine I feel like I am participating in the flow of nature. Arboreal ancestors are very old and their beauty is what sustains them on this earth. The form that nature makes is a prayer language of glory to the Creator.
     For my personal story, I have had the privilege of growing up watching my uncle, Richard Zane Smith creating his own form of Wyandot pottery. What has remained with me is his desire to retain a quality of form and surface design that is thorough and precise. The perfection that he achieves is not gloss on the surface, rather a spiritually honest, human touched sensibility. I have recently had the opportunity to live in Wyandotte, Oklahoma and study with him for a year. I have learned very much from the experience and have become committed to honing my own style of sculptural vessel form.
     I grew up in the city and since then have spent a lot of time traveling this continent and others. I have become convinced that the rural life is the one for me. I feel that to live lightly and simply on this earth is the way that I can best live out the Creator’s intent for myself. Right now my wife and I, and our two daughters live in an old two-room schoolhouse that my wife’s grandparents attended when they were young. It is in the Ozark mountains of Missouri. We live in a small valley at the point where two creeks meet. It is a beautiful place to live. I am constantly inspired by the ever-changing wooded landscape around me.
     I want to thank all of the individuals who have supported and encouraged me and my family as I have put my time and energy into learning new pottery techniques and new ways of further developing Wyandot pottery.
   " When I made this pot I had in mind the ancient Anasazi method of exposed corrugated coils applied to the ancient Mound Builder stamping techniques and imagery. What the piece represents is an homage to the sensibility of being one with creation. Trees make seeds as amazing works of beauty and that is what sustains them. I am inspired by their creations and want to create beauty that sustains our culture and brings back a visual matrix of sacred imagery. Woven into the piece is a prayer that our consciousness could be elevated and we could live in beauty and re-learn our place in the web of life.”

#SAN1113 - 9 ½” high by 12” wide
Price: $2000

     Born in 1955 in Augusta Georgia, Richard Zane Smith is regarded as one of the most unique contemporary potters. Richard Zane Smith is a potter of Wyandot whose remarkable pots consist of small hand rolled coils of natural clays, which inspired by prehistoric corrugated pottery of the Southwest which then is slip painted. His pieces look like beautifully woven baskets – but when one looks closely, you realize that they are actually works of clay, in Richard’s own unique style of corrugation. Richard was inspired by corrugated shards from hundreds of years ago. His work is easily identifiable, as he often adds contemporary intricate designs using fascinating color combinations and added materials like stone and wood.
     Here are a few words from Richard as he explains his interest in the art form. “My art education began as a child at home in Missouri. In the evenings all five of us kids would gather round listening and drawing quietly while Dad or Mom would read wonderful books to us. Clay excited me from high school and all through my art school years though I enjoyed working with all kinds of natural materials, from leather to stone to wood. During these years, investigating my own native (Wyandot) roots became something of an obsession with me. In 1978, I worked as an art instructor at a Navajo mission school in Arizona. It was there that I was first exposed to native clays, and Anasazi pot sherds. Having a rich yet mixed-blooded heritage has been difficult for me at times to sort things out and it still provides its challenges. But I am actively involved with other Wendat/Wyandots who are restoring traditions and reviving our language. I have a dream to help restore to our people the pottery traditions of our ancestors as has happened among the Pueblo peoples of the Southwest.”
     “Jazzasazi” says it all. This is a beautiful shape. The black slipped neck of the jar sets off the boldness of the colors all around the piece. You can see movement in the design, as those elements are so non-static. This is such a striking piece.

#SAN9113 - 7 ½” high by 10 ½” wide
Price: $4800