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Built from the Earth: Pueblo Pottery from the Anthony anda Teressa Perry Collection

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Pueblo potters begin by gathering clay. Families will often head out together to gather clay from areas where it naturally forms. Temper is often added to strengthen the clay and prevent it from cracking. The material used for temper varies between Pueblos. Slips and pigments are then applied to create designs. Consider the materials in this deceptively simple jar. Clay, temper, slip, and pigments all come together to form a flowing design. The maker balanced the natural color of the slips available in the landscape around her with red and black pigments made from plants and minerals.

Clay and pigmentAnthony and Teressa Perry Collection of Native American Art, 2022-16.5

Maker formerly known [Haak’u (Acoma Pueblo)] Acomita Polychrome Jar, ca. 1840

Maker formerly known [Ts’iya (Zia Pueblo)] Water Jar, ca. 1920–30

Clay and pigment Anthony and Teressa Perry Collection of Native American Art, 2023-5.6

This shapely jar, with its tall sides and steep shoulder, must have been hard to form. Imagine coiling up the clay and building the walls of the jar layer by layer, with the anticipation of achieving the stately form of this water jar.

Maker formerly known [P’o Woe-geh Owingeh (San Ildefonso Pueblo)] Olla, ca. 1900–10

Clay and pigment Anthony and Teressa Perry Collection of Native American Art, 2023-5.10

This jar was polished with a cloth; we can tell by the tiny marks caused by the fabric brushing over the surface of the clay. This technique was brought to San Ildefonso around 1910, although some potters continued the previous practice of polishing with a smooth stone.

Maker formerly known [Halona:wa (Zuni Pueblo)] Polychrome Jar, ca. 1865

Clay and pigment Anthony and Teressa Perry Collection of Native American Art, 2023-5.15

Pueblo potters paint their pottery with brushes made from natural fibers, like yucca. The fine lines crisscrossing the triangular designs of this jar would have been made with a very thin yucca brush. Potters are inspired to make designs based on the natural world, including elements like mountains, rain, and birds.

Maker formerly known [Kewa (Santo Domingo Pueblo)] Storage Jar, 1880s–1990s

Clay and pigment Anthony and Teressa Perry Collection of Native American Art, 2023-5.3

Historic Pueblo pottery is fired outdoors, using wood or manure from cows or sheep as fuel. This jar shows evidence of the flames that transformed it into solid ceramic in the black smudge marks near the bottom. These are caused by the oxidizing environment in the center of the fire and are considered particularly beautiful because they are so difficult to control.Today, firing pottery outdoors can be dangerous. Climate change has contributed to an increase in the numbers and intensity of wildfires in the American Southwest. Potters have to be careful when firing pottery, and they often alert local fire departments beforehand. Some potters have switched to using commercial kilns.