The Art of Native American Pottery

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Native American Pottery can come from the pueblos of the southwest or from the Casa Grande area. Mata Ortiz, Hopi, Navajo, Acoma, Zia, just to name a few, are pueblos that make wonderful hand coiled Native American pottery. Indigenous American Indians include those south of the United States borders. (Remember there are no lines drawn on the ground separating North from South America) Some of the best pottery I've seen is from the Casa Grande area where they create Mata Ortiz pottery. All of the native pottery is hand coiled and formed with native clays, dung fired and hand painted. Each pueblo has there own unique style of pottery. The images painted onto the pots usually symbolize the various pueblos beliefs and mythos.

The Hopi pottery generally is decorated with a feather style, but also has many intricately painted geometric shapes on the surface. Acoma style is generally a light weight whitish clay with very finely detailed geometric lines and dots. I have quite a few with geckos and different types of insects. Zia pots usually have birds and flowers and a wavy line or two. Maricopa tends to be more utilitarian. The red clay pots are my favorites. The Santa Clara and San Ildefonso pueblos make some of the finest blackened pots around. Many are carved out into avanu or water serpent designs.

My newest discovery has been the Mata Ortiz pots. Most are made in the Casa Grande plateau by some very talented artists. The blackened pots rival the Santa Clara and San Ildefonso pueblos of the north. The intricate paintings are so precise and meticulous that it will make your eyes cross just looking at them.

All of these talented artists are Native Americans although people sometimes forget that Mexico is part of that grouping.
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