Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery

No art form is more associated with the Native Americansof the Southwest than pottery. For centuries, Pueblo people have made beautifulpottery, often painted with intricate designs, for everyday activities such ascooking, food storage and gathering water, and for ceremonial use. Vessels ofthese types have been found at ancient sites including Chaco Canyon and MesaVerde. The tradition of pottery-making continues to thrive among Pueblocommunities in the Southwest, and while pottery is still made for practicalpurposes, it is also commonly produced for the art market. Since thetime of the AncestralPuebloans, pottery has been made predominantly by women. The pots arecreated from natural clay using a coil method; they are hand-painted and thenfired outdoors. Designs vary from one Pueblo to another, but many symbols andmotifs are shared by the Pueblos. An impressive survey of more than 100 pieces of historic Pueblopottery, Grounded in Clay is remarkable for the fact that its contenthas been selected by Pueblo community members. Rather than relying on Anglo-Americanart historical interpretations, this book foregrounds Native American voicesand perspectives. More than 60 participants from 21 Pueblo communities in theSouthwest - among them potters and other artists, as well as writers, curatorsand community leaders - chose one or two pieces from the collections of the IndianArts Research Center at the School of Advanced Research in Santa Fe, NewMexico, and the Vilcek Collection in New York. They were then given the freedomto express their thoughts in whichever written form they wished, prose or poem.Their lively, varied contributions reveal the pottery to be not only autilitarian art form but also a powerfully intangible element that sits at theheart of Pueblo cultures. With magnificent photography throughout, Groundedin Clay showcases the extraordinary history and beauty of Pueblo potterywhile bringing to life the complex narratives and stories of this mostessential of Native American arts.