Grounded Innovation

We use “artist formerly known” when we are unable to identify the maker of a particular piece. This reminds us that these artists were known within their communities and that their identities were erased through the histories of colonization and collecting that underlie this exhibition.

Daryl Candelaria (San Felipe Pueblo, b. 1970)
Pot
about 1990-2020
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Daryl Candelaria re-creates ancestral pottery styles, representing them as fragments unearthed by archaeologists and community members throughout Puebloan homelands. Notice the variety of imagery he represents from various ancestral groups, including designs from Sikyatki, Tusayon, and Mimbres cultures. In bringing together styles from across time, Candelaria creates a new form of pottery that is distinctly contemporary, yet grounded in the histories that form his home in San Felipe Pueblo.

In the center of this gallery, four distinct moments in the histories of Pueblo clay arts form a continuum that grounds contemporary artmaking. From turn-of-the century railroad tourism to today’s Santa Fe Indian Market, Pueblo communities harness a Euro-American market for Indigenous clay arts to nourish and carry forward their cultural heritage. In these moments, Pueblo clay artists negotiate the realities of white settler violence and coercion; they also channel artistic resistance through clay.

Within Pueblo worldviews, the spiral often structures movement across space and time. Spiraling outward from these four historical moments, Grounded Innovation also gestures inward to them, inviting non-linear connections between makers, meanings, and the clay forms that contain and reflect them. Throughout this exhibition, visitors are encouraged to revisit the center case, collapsing the distance between history and the present.

Artist formerly known (Laguna Pueblo or Acoma Pueblo)
Pair of moccasins
about 1899-1910
Clay, pigment
Museums Collections, Gift of the Josephine Foard Estate

Artist formerly known (Laguna Pueblo or Acoma Pueblo)
Pair of moccasins
about 1899-1910
Clay, pigment
Museums Collections, Gift of the Josephine Foard Estate

Artist formerly known (Laguna Pueblo or Acoma Pueblo)
Miniature canteen
about 1899-1910
Clay, pigment
Museums Collections, Gift of the Josephine Foard Estate

Artist formerly known (Laguna Pueblo or Acoma Pueblo)
Miniature pitcher
about 1899-1910
Clay, pigment, commercial glaze
Museums Collections, Gift of the Josephine Foard Estate

Artist formerly known (Laguna Pueblo or Acoma Pueblo)
Miniature canteen
about 1899-1910
Clay, pigment
Museums Collections, Gift of the Josephine Foard Estate

Artist formerly known (Laguna Pueblo or Acoma Pueblo)
Small bird pitcher
about 1899-1910
Clay, pigment
Museums Collections, Gift of the Josephine Foard Estate

Artist formerly known (Laguna Pueblo or Acoma Pueblo)
Small jar
about 1899-1910
Clay, pigment, commercial glaze
Museums Collections, Gift of the Josephine Foard Estate

Artist formerly known (Laguna Pueblo or Acoma Pueblo)
Bird
about 1899-1910
Clay, pigment
Museums Collections, Gift of the Josephine Foard Estate

Maria (Pove-ka) Martinez (San Ildefonso Pueblo, 1887-1980) and
Julian (Pocano) Martinez (San Ildefonso Pueblo, 1879-1943)
Bowl with feathers
about 1925-1943
Clay, pigment
Museums Collections, Gift of Dr. Emil Reis

Maria (Pove-ka) Martinez (San Ildefonso Pueblo, 1887-1980)
Jar
about 1923-1925
Clay, pigment
Museums Collections, Gift of Dr. Emil Reis

Blue Corn (Crucita Calabaza) (San Ildefonso Pueblo, 1921-1999)
Jar with Feathers & Clouds
1970s
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Joseph Lonewolf (Santa Clara Pueblo, 1932-2014)
Seed Pot with Medallions & Fish
about 1971-2014
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Joseph Lonewolf (Santa Clara Pueblo, 1932-2014)
Miniature
about 1971-2014
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Rebecca Lucario (Acoma Pueblo, b. 1951)
Pot
about 1990s
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Barbara Gonzales (San Ildefonso Pueblo, b. 1947)
Pot
about 1970-present
Clay, pigment, stone inlay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Al Qöyawayma (Hopi, b. 1938)
Wish Pot
about 1975-present
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69 

Family Ties
(Catherine Cyr and Sarah Sudres)

In Pueblo communities, pottery making is often a family affair. Pueblo people learn to shape and decorate clay arts by mimicking the actions of their relatives and elders. This multi-generational environment teaches individuals to source materials, experiment with clay, and access the stories behind cultural motifs. While pottery knowledge had long been passed through matrilineal lines, today many men participate in these artistic networks.

Numerous Pueblo artists descend from two matriarch potters who established a distinctive visual legacy. Nampeyo (Hopi-Tewa, about 1860-1942) developed a style of polychrome shapes, patterns, and abstracted animals, revitalizing ancestral Hopi designs. Margaret Tafoya (Santa Clara Pueblo, 1904-2001) created large, highly polished blackware and redware vessels with deep engravings. While other Creative Connections have inspired Pueblo artists, these ancestral teachers have profoundly influenced many of the works on display.

Tammy Garcia (Santa Clara Pueblo, b. 1969)
Jar with Heartline Deer & Flower
2019
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Upon encountering the work of her great-aunt, Margaret Tafoya, Tammy Garcia thought “Some-day I want to be a part of this.” She is inspired by her mother’s bold shapes and designs, as well as the importance of carrying on historic pottery motifs instilled by her grandmother. She focuses on creating various layers of carving depths, by framing jewel-like polished details and ancestral Puebloan designs, like the deer with a heartline, in stippling textured backgrounds.

Joy Cain (Santa Clara Pueblo, b. 1947)
Seed Pot
about 1965-present
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Pho-Sa-We (Snowflake) Susan Romero (Santa Clara Pueblo, b. 1955)
Seed Pot
about 1972-present
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Debra Duwyenie (Santa Clara Pueblo, b. 1955)
Seed Pot with Turtles
about 1979-present
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Iris Nampeyo (Hopi-Tewa, 1944-2018)
Pot with Corn
about 1960-2018
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Marilyn Ray (Acoma Pueblo, b. 1954)
Talking with the Clay
active 1966-present
Native Acoma clay, natural pigments
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Marilyn Ray’s female storytellers represent her mother and grandmother. The figures each hold a decorated olla while small children crawl around them, illustrating the universal struggle to keep children still during storytime. The olla represents an elder teaching the next generation about the importance of the vessel, which stores water, keeping it cool in the warm, dry climate, and acts as an irrigation device when buried in gardens.

In 1964, Helen Cordero of Cochiti Pueblo began modeling clay figures after her grandfather, reproducing the moments when he captivated children with his stories. Since then, Pueblo artists have adapted storytellers to reflect teaching moments in their communities through different forms, including animals.

Marilyn Ray (Acoma Pueblo, b. 1954)
Turtle Storyteller
1998
Native Acoma clay, natural pigments
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Helen Tafoya Henderson (Jemez Pueblo, b. 1969)
Jar with Hummingbird and Melon Shape
About 1980-present
Clay, pigment, stone
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Josie Hand (Cochiti Pueblo, 1932-2013)
Storyteller
active 1964-2013
Clay, natural pigments
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Les Namingha (Hopi-Tewa/Zuni Pueblo (A:Shiwi), b. 1967)
Jar with Mimbres Fish
2020
Clay, acrylic paint
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Les Namingha (Hopi-Tewa/Zuni Pueblo (A:Shiwi), b. 1967)
Bowl with Mosaic Design
active 1990-Present
Clay, acrylic paint
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Les Namingha is regularly referred to as an innovator in the Pueblo clay arts community because he experiments with historic and modern compositions, incorporating principles of abstract and contemporary art, such as graffiti, into his painted designs.

Namingha learned to shape clay vessels and intricately paint their surfaces from his aunt, Dextra Quotskuyva (Hopi, b. 1928). Her influence is best seen in his Bowl with Mosaic Design as it echoes Quotskuyva's jars which display networks of painted pottery fragments. Namingha draws additional inspiration from his great-great grandmother, Nampeyo, often incorporating the historic Hopi motifs she revived into his vessels and reintroducing ancient Zuni designs to honor his paternal heritage.

Les Namingha (Hopi-Tewa/Zuni Pueblo (A:Shiwi), b. 1967)
Abstract II
about 2015
Clay, acrylic paint
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Les Namingha (Hopi-Tewa/Zuni Pueblo (A:Shiwi), b. 1967)
Seed Pot
2013
Clay, acrylic paint
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Rainy Naha (Hopi-Tewa, b. 1949)
Jar with Water Bearers
about 1965-present
Clay, pigments
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Between each panel of Hopi-Tewa designs are four female Katsinam, Hopi spiritual messengers between humans and the gods. Rainy Naha’s motifs are inspired by the early work of her grandmother, Hopi-Tewa pottery matriarch, Paqua Naha Frogwoman. She was one of the first clay artists to use a symbol as her signature. Today, many Pueblo artists continue using familial hallmarks, including Rainy Naha, who signs her pots with her mother’s distinctive feather. If you look closely at the Katsinam, you will see that they are wearing the Hopi whorl hairstyle with the delicate signature feather.

Creative Connections
(Emily Beeber and Julia Hamer-Light)

The artists in this section use clay to connect with individuals and traditions beyond their family lineages. As explored nearby in Family Ties, knowledge of how to dig, shape, and fire clay usually passes through the matrilineal line. However, pottery practices ground other relationships with partners and mentors across space and time. Working together, many Pueblo artists study the forms and imagery of pots made by their ancestors for inspiration. Some makers, like Jodie and Susan Folwell (Kha'p'o Owingeh (Santa Clara Pueblo)), also incorporate visual traditions from outside of the Pueblos into their work. Others, like Ida Sahmie (Diné Bikéyah (Navajo Nation)), come from other Indigenous nations and create uniquely transcultural pieces. Look closely at these vessels to see the many hands and histories that have shaped them.

Susan Folwell (Kha'p'o Owingeh (Santa Clara Pueblo), b. 1970)
Jar with Formline Design
about 1970-2021
Clay, acrylic paint
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Jody Folwell (Kha'p'o Owingeh (Santa Clara Pueblo), b. 1942)
Pot with Raven & Eagle
about 1970-2021
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Incised images of raven and eagle swoop across the surface of Jody Folwell’s round, polished pot. These two birds are important relatives of the Tlingit and Haida Nations of the Pacific Northwest. How did they find their way onto a pot made in Kha'p'o Owingeh (Santa Clara Pueblo)? After a trip to Alaska, both Jody Folwell and her daughter, Susan Folwell, began making patterns on their pottery inspired by the thick flowing lines and elliptical shapes typically seen in Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian formline art. Susan incorporates bright acrylic paint to create abstract formline shapes. The endless invention of both mother and daughter draws on an abundance of relationships, both familial and aesthetic.

Ida Sahmie (Diné Bikéyah (Navajo Nation), b. 1960)
Night Dancers
about 1960-2020
Clay, wild spinach
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Ida Sahmie (Diné Bikéyah (Navajo Nation), b. 1960)
Jar with Corn & Wedding Baskets
1996
Clay, wild spinach
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Ida Sahmie (Diné Bikéyah (Navajo Nation), b. 1960)
Canteen
2002
Clay, wild spinach, wood, leather
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

The beautiful rosy color of these pots comes from mixing white and yellow clay. Ida Sahmie likely dug the clay in Diné Bikéyah, the traditional homeland of the modern Navajo Nation, which completely encircles Hopi. Sahmie is Diné (Navajo) but moved to Hopi as an adult, where she learned to shape and fire pots. Hopi potters do not apply a layer of slip (liquefied clay) before polishing their vessels. Instead, they let the color of the pot shine through. The warmth of Sahmie’s clay marks her as a Hopi-trained artist. The beings and patterns that she paints on her pots, however, come from Diné sandpainting, basketry, and blankets. Both her training at Hopi and roots in Diné Bikéyah breathe life into the delicate pots on display in this case.

Candelaria Suazo (Kha'p'o Owingeh (Santa Clara Pueblo)/Ohkay Owingeh, b. late 1950s) & Vicky Martinez Tafoya (Kha'p'o Owingeh (Santa Clara Pueblo), b. 1967)
Jar
about 2001-2021
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Two sets of hands formed this pot. Using the iron-rich clay of Santa Clara Pueblo, Vicky Martinez Tafoya built the monumental shape. Her deep carvings feather the neck of the jar. Around the body swims Avanyu, a water serpent with lightning for a tongue who is responsible for bringing rain. The delicately etched butterfly, hummingbird, kokopelli (flute player), and quail that circle the bottom contrast with the strong lines of the vessel. These textured medallions are the work of Candelaria Suazo, who usually makes pots on a much smaller scale. Working together, the women brought their two distinct styles into conversation and balance.

Mark Tahbo (Hopi-Tewa, 1958-2017)
Large Jar with Sikyatki and Awatovi Birds
1999
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Po'Tsa-Weh (Blue Water) Karen Abeita (Hopi-Tewa, b. 1960)
Seed Pot (Katsinam Faces)
about 1960-2020
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Pottery connects the past and the present by visually documenting the influence of ancestors and more recent mentors. This is evident in the work of Mark Tahbo and his student Karen Abeita, who are both Hopi-Tewa. Tahbo and Abeita take inspiration from pottery unearthed at Sikyatki, an ancestral village north of the Hopi First Mesa in northeastern Arizona. Tahbo’s piece features the bird and feather imagery that characterizes Sikyatki pottery. Abeita’s is an example of what she calls a “shard pot”; the asymmetrical, geometric forms reference the pottery fragments she encounters and sketches during visits to the village site.

Bobby Silas (Hopi, b. 1987)
Jar with Polychrome Sikyatki Designs
2020
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Barbara L. Cerno (Acoma Pueblo, b. 1951)
Seed Pot
about 1951-2020
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Bobby Silas (Hopi) made this jar following the death of his partner Tim Edaakie (Zuni). Together, they worked to reintroduce ancestral methods of pottery making, including the use of lignite coal instead of sheep dung during the firing process. Silas fired their pieces, and Edaakie painted them. This process enabled them to connect with the past and with each other.

Like Silas and Edaakie, Barbara Cerno (Acoma) and her husband Joseph Cerno (Acoma) often collaborate. Joseph forms the pots and Barbara paints them. This vessel showcases Barbara’s remarkable precision, which she uses to render the spindly limbs and tails of lizards and the curved form of the trickster kokopelli, who plays a flute.

Victor (Kha'p'o Owingeh (Santa Clara Pueblo), b. 1958) and Naomi (Kha'p'o Owingeh (Santa Clara Pueblo), b. 1961)
Eckleberry Jar
2019
Clay
Museums Collection, Gift of Leslie and Virginia Tronzo

Goldenrod (Gloria Garcia) (Kha'p'o Owingeh (Santa Clara Pueblo), b. 1942)
Seed Pot
1999
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Sacred Ecologies
(Anisha Gupta and Rachel Allen)

Busy butterflies pollinate flowers, hummingbirds sip nectar, and lizards dash over rocks. The artists in this section celebrate a world teeming with life. From the moment Pueblo peoples emerged from the earth herself, they have held a deep connection to the land. Ancient alliances with the earth, animals, and all life foster reciprocity with the land. Foregrounded in kinship with all things, Pueblo science emphasizes participating in nature rather than merely observing it. One form of participation is pottery making. Looking back at Pueblo pottery over many generations, an ecological history of Pueblo homelands appears. Makers represent weather, water, and animals on their pots, giving us a glimpse of their environment. Through the works seen here, artists continue to remember and record their relationships with the surrounding world.

Autumn Borts-Medlock (Santa Clara Pueblo (Kha'p'o Owingeh), b. 1967)
Jar with Avanyu
2000s
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

As dark and graceful as a storm cloud, this oval jar invites the rain. At the top, clouds spill nourishing droplets over the arid terrain. Just below, a lightning bolt shoots from the mouth of Avanyu the water serpent. Like the first spark of a storm in the distance, this zigzag arrow signals the coming of the creature. The serpent courses through gullies and creek beds, carrying life-giving water to waiting recipients. This scene recalls a story that has been passed down through many generations. The presence of the ancient Avanyu confirms the continuous relationships Pueblo people hold with the world’s lively processes.

Susan Folwell (Santa Clara Pueblo (Kha'p'o Owingeh), b. 1970)
Lizards & Roses
2000s
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Glendora Fragua Daubs (Jemez Pueblo, b. 1958)
Seed Pot
2000s
Clay, pigment, coral
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Joe Scarborough (Acoma Pueblo, [life dates unknown])
Wedding vase
2000s
Clay, pigment
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Lizards scurry across these three vessels. Pueblo people have depicted lizards on their ceramics for over a thousand years. There are over 100 species of lizard in the Southwest. With their vastly different textures and patterns, it is no surprise they inspire artists. Notice the different heads, toes, and tails on each creature. Additionally, each lizard shares space with plants that attract those looking for a hearty insect meal. Glendora Fragua Daubs’s lizard contains her signature cornstalk, marking Pueblo peoples’ ability to thrive in desert lands. In every instance, the artists celebrate the vital role lizard species play in an interconnected world.

Les Namingha (Hopi-Tewa/Zuni Pueblo (A:shiwi), b. 1967)
Modern Migration
2020
Clay, acrylic paint
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

The striking image at the center of this pot is a modern geometric rendering of the classic Sikyatki Hopi-Tewa bird. It creates a sense of movement akin to migration, the theme of this jar. The graffiti-like lines reference designs on historical pots that portray Hopi-Tewa migration, beginning with emergence from the earth and eventually journeying to their current home in Three Mesas. Black lines on some historic jars move in parallel, representing a communal migration. Namingha's color-infused lines, in contrast, depict singular migration patterns, reflecting an increasingly individualistic society.

Quanita Kalestewa (Zuni Pueblo (A:shiwi), b. 1932)
Bowl with Frogs
about 1940s to 2000s
Clay, pigment paint
Museums Collections, Gift of Leslie and Virginia Tronzo

Frogs enter the A:shiwi migration narrative as transformed ancestors called upon for rain in the desert climate. Encoded in this history is knowledge about the natural world: frogs, who croak when there is increased moisture in the air, can signal coming rainfall. By representing frogs, Kalestewa is observing and recording knowledge about her ecosystem. Native science teaches that this type of engagement with the natural world creates kinship with the environment, fostering a sense of responsibility to protect and celebrate it.

Corn Moquino (Zia Pueblo/Hopi married into Santa Clara Pueblo (Kha'p'o Owingeh), 1929-2016)
Jar with Butterflies & Hummingbirds
1992
Clay, inlaid turquoise
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Alvin Baca (Santa Clara Pueblo (Kha'p'o Owingeh), b. 1966)
Melon Jar
[about 1980 to present]
Clay
Museums Collections, Gift of Leslie and Virginia Tronzo

Jody Naranjo (Santa Clara Pueblo (Kha'p'o Owingeh), b. 1969)
Jar with Turtles
2017
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Candelaria Suazo (Santa Clara Pueblo (Kha'p'o Owingeh)/Ohkay Owingeh, b. late 1950s)
Miniature Jar
about 1987-present
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Les Namingha (Hopi-Tewa/Zuni Pueblo (A:shiwi), b. 1967)
Jar with Moths
2021
Clay, acrylic paint
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Clay as Collaborator
(María Carrillo-Marquina and Dakota Stevens)

For Puebloan peoples, clay is much more than a material used to create artistic and utilitarian objects. Clay is an inherent part of their worldview and everyday life. Artists are created from the ground on which they walk. “We came from the earth just as the clay comes from the earth. Our origins and the pots’ origins are one and the same…This relationship does not divide the world into living and nonliving: it assumes that the world is a living, breathing being.” These words, written by scholar Tessie Naranjo (Santa Clara Pueblo), describe clay as a vital partner in the creation process. Makers speak to the clay, taste it, ask it what it wants to be, and let the earth guide their hands. From clay, collaboration extends to other materials, such as cuttlefish bones and turquoise, all of which seamlessly flow together in partnership.

Preston Duwyenie (Loma-i-quil-va-a) (Hopi, b. 1951)
White Sands
about 2016
Clay, Silver inlay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Preston Duwyenie (Loma-i-quil-va-a) (Hopi, b. 1951)
Seed pot with Raindrop Lid
about 2016
Clay, Silver
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

How can silver look like water? Hopi potter Preston Duwyenie achieves the rippling lines of his silverwork in these two pots through a method known as cuttlefish bone casting. This process uses the dried backplate of the cuttlefish, sold at pet stores and online, as a mold for molten silver. Growing up in the desert of the Colorado Plateau, Duwyenie learned water was precious. The pairing of silver and clay creates the impression of water coursing through a wind-sculpted landscape. Each pot is a silent prayer for water to always exist on earth.

Al Qöyawayma (Hopi, b. 1938)
Uxmal: Governor’s Palace Bowl
2014
Clay, Wood
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Precise engineered designs are pushed through the surface of the pot rather than cut away in relief. Al Qöyawayma uses the repoussé technique to create the architectural structures seen here. Uxmal, a Mayan site, whose name means “built three times,” is a reference to the past, present, and future of the Mayan people. Through his use of Uxmal, Qöyawayma conjures histories of trade and migration between Hopi and Mayan civilizations. Pairing distant architecture with aesthetic influences from the desert of the Southwest, he reinforces through clay that Indigenous histories are multiple and interconnected.

Lonnie Vigil (Nambé Pueblo, b. 1949)
Micaceous Jar with Fire Clouds
about 1980s-present
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

The specks of mica found naturally in the clay of the Northern Pueblos sparkle within this golden form. Instead of applying layers of slip onto the surface, Lonnie Vigil allows for the unpainted jar to shine. Resembling a sky filled with tiny glistening stars, the micaceous exterior hosts black marks, or fire clouds, on the upper half of the jar. The clay contributes to its own decoration as the blushing black clouds bloom during the firing process in an outdoor pit.

Nathan Youngblood (Santa Clara Pueblo, b. 1954)
Jar with Ceramic Carved Lid
about 1972-present
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Nathan Youngblood listens to the clay, stating, “I realize I don’t make pots; I’m just involved in the process. The clay does what it wants to do, goes where it wants to go. I stick my hands in the clay, and where it goes, I follow.” Youngblood carefully joins coiled clay to build the jar’s body, carves into it to create deep markings, covers it with red slip, and burnishes the surface with a stone. In every step of the process, the clay decides on its form, shape, and its preferred carving.

Russell Sanchez (San Ildefonso Pueblo, b. 1963)
Jar with Heishi
about 1973-present
Clay, Turquoise, Heishi
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Erik Fender (Than Tsideh) (San Ildefonso Pueblo, b. 1970)
El Dorado
about 1980-present
Clay, Gold Leaf, Heishi
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Al Qöyawayma (Hopi, b. 1938)
Two Corn Gourd
2015
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Hubert Candelario (San Felipe Pueblo, b. 1965)
Jar
2006
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Denny Gutierrez (Santa Clara Pueblo, 1942-2013)
Seed Pot
after 1985
Clay
Judith and W. Eric Roberson, BSBA ‘69

Mildred “Millie” Chavarria (Santa Clara Pueblo, b. 1946)
Square Bowl
after 1986
Clay
Museums Collections, Gift of Leslie and Virginia Tronzo

Artist formerly known (Santa Clara or San Ildefonso Pueblo)
Jar with Narrow Neck
1990
Clay
Museums Collections, Gift of Leslie and Virginia Tronzo

Jackie Shutiva Histia (Acoma Pueblo, b. 1961)
Corrugated Pot
about 1995
Clay, pigments
Museums Collections, Gift of Leslie and Virginia Tronzo