Pottery has a long history in India. Over the centuries it has been used for domestic ware, votive pieces and for architecture. Each area of the country is known for its different styles, decorations and ways of making. In this book, the author, not only looks at Indian pottery but also at the communities who make it, their organization, history and philosophy.
Primarily a women's art, American Indian pottery reflects a heritage of powerful social, religious, and aesthetic values. Even now, modern American Indian women use the clay, paint, and fire of pottery making to express themselves, creating designs that range from dutifully traditional to strikingly original. This book - written in conjunction with one of the most important exhibitions of American Indian pottery ever mounted - provides an in-depth look at a unique North American art form.
In 1974 Seven Families in Pueblo Pottery was published to accompany an exhibit at the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology: twenty years later there are some 80,000 copies in print. Like Seven Families, this updated and greatly enlarged version by Rick Dillingham, who curated the original exhibition, includes portraits of the potters, color photographs of their work, and a statement by each potter about the work of his or her family. In addition to the original seven--the Chino and Lewis families (Acoma Pueblo), the Nampeyos (Hopi), the Guteirrez and Tafoya families (Santa Clara), and the Gonzales and Martinez families (San Ildefonso)--the author had added the Chapellas and the Navasies (Hopi-Tewa), the Chavarrias (Santa Clara), the Herrera family (Choti), the Medina family (Zia), and the Tenorio-Pacheco and the Melchor families (Santo Domingo). Because the craft of pottery is handed down from generation to generation among the Pueblo Indians, this extended look at multiple generations provides a fascinating and personal glimpse into how the craft has developed. Also evident are the differences of opinion among the artists about the future of Pueblo pottery and the importance of following tradition. A new generation of potters has come of age since the publication of Seven Families. The addition of their talents, along with an ever-growing interest in Native American pottery, make this book a welcome addition to the literature on the Southwest.
Major Reference Book Series for American Indian Art! ca. 1800-Present, with Value/Price Guide Featuring over 20 Years of Auction Records, 1,000 illustrations, family tree charts, illustrated hallmarks, Very Positive Reviews: The volume will for decades remain a primary resource. Dr. Bruce Bernstein, Assistant Director of Cultural Resources, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of the American Indian This is the first time that a comprehensive survey and databases for Indian artists have been done. It has been a long time in coming, and its impact will be significant for Indian artists and collectors of Indian art for decades to come. Dr. Greg Cajete, University of New Mexico; What a wonderful addition it is to my reference collection . . . There are so many potters whose names I have not seen before. What a great opportunity to meet new potters and appreciate their talents. The Bibles of Native Arts, Dan Gibson, Editor, Native Peoples Magazine.
Traces the craft of pottery making among the Catawba Indians of North Carolina from the late 18th century to the present When Europeans encountered them, the Catawba Indians were living along the river and throughout the valley that carries their name near the present North Carolina-South Carolina border. Archaeologists later collected and identified categories of pottery types belonging to the historic Catawba and extrapolated an association with their protohistoric and prehistoric predecessors. In this volume, Thomas Blumer traces the construction techniques of those documented ceramics to the lineage of their probable present-day master potters or, in other words, he traces the Catawba pottery traditions. By mining data from archives and the oral traditions of contemporary potters, Blumer reconstructs sales circuits regularly traveled by Catawba peddlers and thereby illuminates unresolved questions regarding trade routes in the protohistoric period. In addition, the author details particular techniques of the representative potters—factors such as clay selection, tool use, decoration, and firing techniques—which influence their styles.
Explore the 2,000-year-old pottery traditions of almost 30 Southwestern American Indian tribes. Meet these diverse people who truly listen to the clay! This 9" x 12" book is overflowing with beautiful photos and details for your enjoyment.
Working without the use of the potter's wheel, Pueblo Indians in the American Southwest create beautiful ceramic ware for both utilitarian and ceremonial use. A classic, this book is the first comprehensive account of historic Pueblo pottery, and results from years of study. With nearly 200 examples, the authors appraise the aesthetic value of Pueblo pottery as rivaling that of any ware made by Neolithic societies.
"In Search of Nampeyo" Published by Lithexcel and Spirit Bird Press, Steve Elmore: The early years, 1875 -1892, an art history of the Thomas Keam collection of Hopi pottery.