The Pueblo people of Santa Clara and Santa Ildefonso have a long history of creating some of the most beautiful and prized pottery. Using local clay, they make the famous highly-polished black (also red pottery) with deep engravings of animals and other significant designs.
The skill is passed to succeeding generations by parents and grandparents. A present day recipient of that ancient learning is Autumn Borts-Medlock (1967-) (She's now teaching her daughter.)
As a child, observing her elders, she learned to make small animals and pots. As she matured, she learned how to gather and process clay, the meaning of the carvings of bear paws, feathers, rain clouds, dragonflies and many other motifs. Further lessons taught her how clay coiling becomes a vessel, when to fire and how to create the shininess.
Not only did she observe and learn, she also evolved. A few years ago, she discovered that the deep carvings in clay were suitable for bronze. She now creates a limited edition of one for each design. A couple of her works in bronze are featured here.
Her work has been exhibited in prestigious shows and exhibits all over the country. She also shows in Santa Fe, NM at the Indian Market in the Pueblo Village with her daughter and sister.
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