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San Ildefonso and Santa Clara PotteryThe Famous Black pottery of Maria Matinez and Margaret Tafoya
The fabulous black Pueblo pottery seen in art books, antique stores, or fine art stores, originated from two New Mexico pueblos just north of Santa Fe.
The famous black pottery of Maria Martinez and Margaret Tafoya comes from two neighboring pueblos, San Ildefonso and Santa Clara. Each pueblo has its unique artists and distinctive style. San Ildefonso PotterySan Ildefonso is best known for its black-on-black styled pottery made famous by Maria and Julian Martinez. The thin-walled, black pottery of San Ildefonso is distinguished by a black matte design on a polished black surface. Maria MartinezMaria Martinez from San Ildefonso is one of the most famous of the Southwestern potters. Know as the grand matriarch of San Ildefonso pottery, she was born in 1887. In 1919, Maria and her husband Julian began producing polychorome pottery. They then began making the black-on-black pottery which gained so much popularity. This technique of black on black, thin-walled pottery is the most recognized technique of the San Ildefonso style pottery. Maria’s pottery, with its polished jet black luster, is greatly desired by collectors. Maria made the pots, polished and fired them, but never painted the designs herself. These were painted by her husband Julian until his death in 1943. After his death, other family members created the designs. Maria signed her work to guarantee authenticity, and a pot with her signature adds significantly to the value. Maria died in 1980, but her pottery-making business has always been a family affair. Maria’s family has kept up her tradition in pottery-making. Her son Popovi Da and grandson Tony Da are major pottery makers and designers. Other artists in her family include Blue Corn and Carmelita Dunlop. Other artists in San Ildefonso carry on the tradition of making pottery in this style, as well. Santa Clara Pottery Santa Clara pottery is similar in style to that of the neighboring pueblo of San Ildefonso, except the pottery is much thicker and is characterized by deep designs carved into the polished walls. The color is usually black, although a large number of pots are polished red. Margaret TafoyaThe leading potter of Santa Clara was Margaret Tafoya. She was born in 1904 and died in 2001. Her mother, Sara Fina, also an expert potter, was known for her finely polished blackware, a tradition she passed on to her daughter. Margaret’s husband Alcario worked with her, helping create designs for her pottery. By the 1960’s, her pottery had become famous. Exceptionally large pots with finely polished surfaces and simple carved designs have become a trademark of the Tafoya family’s artistry. A “bear paw” motif is often used in her works. Many of Margaret’s thirteen children have carried on the tradition of pottery-making. The family has the reputation for producing the finest surface finishes among the Santa Clara potters. A pot by Lu Ann Tafoya, also called Lulu Tapia, is displayed. There are other talented artists in Santa Clara who also make pottery in this style. The unique black pottery of San Ildefonso and Santa Clara can be purchased from online art shops, antique stores, and fine art stores. The prices may vary from 600 dollars to over 5,000 dollars for an intricately-designed vessel. The age of the pot and signatures of known potters add significantly to the value. Of further interest:
The copyright of the article San Ildefonso and Santa Clara Pottery in Pottery is owned by Vickie Britton. Permission to republish San Ildefonso and Santa Clara Pottery in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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