Native American Pottery of the Southwest

Once thought of as mere mementos, Southwestern Native American pottery is now considered fine art—praised by critics, coveted by collectors, and commanding top dollar worldwide. Native American Pottery of the Southwest highlights 25 works from the authors’ collection, pairing luminous photographs with thoughtful commentary about the potter, his or her community (or pueblo), and the pot itself. But this is more than just a photography book. It also introduces readers to the rich and wrenching history of the Southwest and the evolution of its pottery. The history begins with the Anasazi, ancestors of today’s Southwestern Native Americans who mysteriously vanished around 1300; it continues with the Spanish conquest, the Mexican-American War, the westward expansion that devastated Native American life, and the opening of the Southwest to tourism by the Santa Fe Railroad and Fred Harvey’s trackside restaurants and hotels; and it concludes with the “matriarchs,” six female potters who redefined Native American ceramics in the 20th century. The book next explores the techniques used by Native American potters, who transform the clay and fire it into vessels of beauty and spiritual depth without using a potter’s wheel or electrical kiln. It closes with practical advice on how to build a collection and, for those eager to explore further, an annotated bibliography. Native American Pottery of the Southwest is a visual celebration of a uniquely American art, a historical narrative, and a resource for exploring a living tradition.