Pot c. 1920

This burnished blackware pot was created by Maria Martinez, a Tewa potter from San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico. Just imagine the coiling of clay, the careful smoothing, and the firing process, all demanding a deep relationship with the earth and the elements. Looking at the pot's surface, I feel like I'm peering into a still pond at night. The dark, reflective surface pulls you in, doesn’t it? I picture Maria, generations of her family behind her, using traditional methods, feeling the clay between her fingers. The geometric designs feel so modern, but they’re rooted in centuries of tradition. The application of slip, polished to a high sheen, gives the pot this incredible depth. It’s amazing to think about how a simple form, made from earth and fire, can carry so much meaning, connecting us to the past and to each other. There is something so compelling about the conversation between modernism and ancient craft.