Traditional Pueblo Pottery

Ben and Geraldine Toya - Olla

This is a great olla that measures 11.5 inches tall by 10.5 inches wide - wonderful artwork and shape. Ben & Geraldine rarely make pieces this grand.

Benjamin Toya, in collaboration with his wife, Geraldine Toya, created this beautiful, fine line eye dazzler. He is of the Acorn Clan and has been making fine line, polychrome jars, vases, wedding vases and bowls since 1985.

"Ben and Geraldine Toya are noted for their large fine line black-on-white with polychrome highlights. They have been rewarded for their efforts winning Best of Show and Best of pottery at the New Mexico State Fair."
Gregory Schaaf, Southern Pueblo Artists: 2000 Artist Biographies.

Noreen Simplicio - Zuni Pot

This pot displays the motifs of a Zuni classic featuring a deer with heart line, and Noreen's unique presentation of pueblo community on top of the pot. No collection should be without a piece by Noreen - our own included.

This pot measures 7 inches tall (add 2 more inches for the ladder) by 5.75 inches wide. Great shape, exquisite detail and deep, rich colors and a pueblo community living at the top of the piece - incredible detail.

Christine Tosa - Pot

This beautiful black on redware pot measures 5.75 inches tall by 6.5 inches wide.

Christine Tosa has been an active Jemez Pueblo potter since 1962 working in traditional black on red ware, plain red ware, and black on white ware wedding vases, jars, melon pots and bowls. She was taught to create traditional pottery by her mother-in-law Persingular Tosa.

Christine's work is included in "Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2000 Artist Biographies" by Dr. Gregory Schaaf.

Glen Gomez - Bowl

This is a beautiful bowl with a few soft smoke plums on the outside of the piece. It has excellent, symmetrical shape and flow measuring 4 inches high by 8 inches wide.

Glen Gomez is of Pojoaque and Taos Pueblo heritage and works with micaceous clay to create jars, bowls, canteens and figures. In 1993 he was selected for the "Artist In The Museum Award" at the Museum of Indian Arts & cultures in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

He has exhibited annually at the Santa Fe Indian Market and the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Arts and Crafts Fair. He has been included in "Pueblo Indian Pottery: 750 Artist Biographies" by Dr. Gregory Schaaf and in "Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi to Zuni" by Hayes and Blom.

Dennis Daubs - Redware Seed Pot

A redware seedpot with the same motif patters as but using a lizard as the center point rather than a butterfly. This lizard is extremely well done and very creative in its graphic presentation.

The pot measures 3.25 inches tall by 4.5 inches wide.

His work has been published in American Indian Art Magazine; Dr. Gregory Schaaf's "Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies";"Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi to Zuni" by Hayes & Blom; and Berger & Schiffer's "Pueblo and Navajo Contemporary Pottery"

Roberta Youvella Silas - Pot 154

The pot measures 6.5 inches tall by 5.5 inches wide.

Roberta Youvella Silas, of Hopi First Mesa, created these beautifully shaped and painted pots in her unique style that has become her hallmark.

She is of Hopi/Laguna heritage, Kachina clan, and has been an active potter since 1960. Her work is incredibly rich and well made with a great hand for detail and a tradition that comes of a great heart. She is a very genuine person and we are proud to know her.

Roberta Youvella Silas - Pot H196

This pot measures 6.5 inches tall by 7.5 inches wide.

This is one of her classics, with the graphics that she and her daughters are widely known for using on their pots.

Roberta was born in 1939 to Pauline and Roy Youvella and is self taught. She is the mother of Antoinette Silas, Venora Silas, Louann Silas and Jofern Silas Puffer - all accomplished potters. She uses bands of Sikyatki designs on her pots which includes parrots, lightening, clouds and feathers.

Stetson M. Setalla - Pot

This pot measures 7 inches tall by 9.5 inches wide with beautiful solid Sikyatki polychrome designs and Ho-bo-bo spirals.

Stetson M. Setalla is of the Bear Clan and has been an active potter since 1980. He is from the village of Sichomovi, which is one of the three villages known as First Mesa (Polacca). His father, Justin Setalla, is from Sichomovi village and his mother, Pauline Setalla, is from Mishongnovi Village (Second Mesa).

He comes from a long line of Hopi potters which includes Agnes Navasie (grandmother), Eunice Navasie (aunt), Agnes Nahsonhoya, and Dee Setalla (sisters).

Stetson exhibits at many of competitions throughout the Southwest. His work is featured in Rick Dillingham's "Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery" and Dr, Gregory Schaaf's "Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies". It is included in Heard Museum and the Museum of Indian Arts & Cultures (Santa Fe, New Mexico) collections.

"I was 19 yrs old I when I first started making pottery, my mother Pauline was my mentor," Stetson states in his biography. "It started out as a hobby, but today it has become my main source of income. I give a lot of credit to my mother who was very patient and gave me guidance and love in where I am today. But most important, pottery making gives me a sense of serenity, self-worth, pride and inner peace with my sole.

As I work my pots, I clear my mind of all bad thoughts by concentrating and praying to my clay. Good thoughts and a good heart are essential in working with your clay because you are creating yourself in each pot as you coil and when you are ready to paint the pot, a clear mind and good heart is crucial in assisting you with your painting, because the designs flow through your mind into your hand and onto your pot without difficulty." - Stetson Setalla.

Nona Naha - Seed Pot

Nona has taken many awards at shows throughout the Southwest, including 1st, 2nd and 3rd place overall at the Hopi Show in Flagstaff, Arizona at the Museum of Northern Arizona.

She has become very well known for this style of beautiful seed pot featuring turtles, lizards, butterflies and traditional patterns usually measuring four or five inches in diameter and a few inches in depth.

This seed pot is a larger star seed pot with beautiful, precise design work and wonderful shape - graceful and eloquent. It measures an impressive 6.75 inches across and 2 inches tall.

Nona Naha is of Hopi-Tewa heritage and of the Corn Clan. She has been active potting since 1988. Nona is the daughter of Sylvan and Edith Nash, and wife of Terry Naha. She learned the art of pottery making from Feather Woman - Helen Naha, and Feather Woman's daughters - Sylvia and Rainy Naha. Our last visit with her was great, lots of fun, and we brought back some treasures from this artist with ever increasing popularity that is well deserved. Her work has increased in value very well over the last four years and her work is considered a prudent investment as well as a delight to see and hold.

"Nona Naha produces some of the thinnest pottery at Hopi. She has stated that she loves the feeling of relief and satisfaction when the pot is completed. "The process for me is long, since I take time to do my best" says Nona. "I also appreciate the reaction of the buyers who acknowledge art and the work behind it." - from "Hopi-Tewa Pottery:500 Artist Biographies" (p. 79) by Gregory Schaaf.

Ambrose Atencio - Bowl

This bowl has great shape and well executed designs of a grey-black which Ambrose states is an intentional effect. The birds are uncommon in that they are facing left and have pressed back crowns. Although the thicker, finger-like tail feathers are often seen the two pointed tail feathers are more common to Zia. The bowl has thin slip in some areas causing the red pot clay to be visible upon close examination. This pot has considerable quality and charm. It measures 9.5 inches tall by 10.5 inches wide.

Ambrose Atencio created this pot in the Santo Domingo tradition. He has been a potter since the 1980s and was taught the art by his cousin, master potter Robert Tenorio. The quality of those lessons and the years of hard work are reflected in the shape of the pot and the fine execution of the traditional Santo Domingo designs that Ambrose chooses to employ. The materials for his pottery are collected locally at Santo Domingo Pueblo in New Mexico. Ambrose fires his work using cottonwood bark as did his grandmother, Crucita Tortalita. He is now in the process of teaching his son Elroy to work the clay.

Ambrose has won multiple awards at various venues such as the Indian Arts Northwest Market (Portland, OR); the Fountain Hills Indian Market; The Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show; the Dallas Indian Arts and Crafts Fair; plus several awards at the Santa Fe Indian Market including Best of Class and Best of Category. His work has been published or reviewed in several publications including Dr. Gregory Schaaf's "Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2000 Artist Biographies", Native People's Magazine, and other periodicals.