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Maria Antonia Montoya was probably born in the year 1887 and
died in 1980. Few craft artists, Native American or otherwise,
can claim worldwide fame and appreciation, but these accompanied
the life of potter Maria Martinez of San Ildefonso Pueblo New
Mexico. San Ildefonso Pueblo is a quiet community located 20
miles northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico. It has been inhabited
since A.D.1300.
As a child of the Native American Tewa tribe, Maria was interested
in pottery making, which was then in decline. By the time she
married Julian Martinez, Maria was a respected potter and had
exhibited her work at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. In 1908,
Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett, director of the Museum of New Mexico, asked
Maria if she could create reproductions of ancient pottery uncovered
at nearby archeological sites. Maria crafted the pottery, while
Julian painted the designs, beginning a long collaboration. Maria
developed a technique for producing distinctive black on black
pottery, where black designs are visible against a shiny black
background. After Julian died in 1943, other family members continued
to work with Maria. Since her death, her work has become valuable
to collectors.
Look
at the way she fired. Indian potters still fire outside the
same way and I don't know how they can do it!
Maria's Pottery
Andrea
Fisher Gallery
Adobe
Gallery - Scroll way down to see the pots.
San
Ildefonso Artists
Toh-atin
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