International Folk Art

Acoma Pottery

Folk Art of Mexico

Hopi Pottery North America - Assorted
Navajo Pottery Native American Baskets
Zia Pottery Other Folk Art

    

Native American Art - North America - Navajo Pottery

The Navajo have been making utilitarian water drums, bowls, and pots since their migration to the Colorado plateau in the 13th Century AD.   Pottery making declined among the Navajo during the 19th Century when modern trade goods became readily available.  Navajo pottery did not enjoy the attention of Pueblo pottery sparked around the turn of the century, and remained relatively obscure until the last half of the 20th century.  
Louise Goodman Large Bear Bank
SOLD Louise Goodman Bear Bank #2

SOLD Betty Manygoats Horned Toad Bowl

SOLD Betty Manygoats Horned Toad Pot - Signed
SOLD Rita Manygoats Horned Toad Wedding Vase - Signed

SOLD Large Water Drum with Corn Design - Signed LB

Water Drum with Triangle Design - Unsigned

One of the most important influences on modern Navajo pottery is trader Bill Beaver.  While working at Shonto Trading Post in the 1930s, Bill began encouraging Navajo artists to create pottery for tourists.  Bill operated Sacred Mountain Trading Post for many years, and continued to work with Navajo potters until his retirement. Bill encouraged Navajo potters to try new forms to attract the attention of buyers, and Navajo artists began making piggy banks, horses, and other animals, and applying new decorations to their traditional designs. 

Today families from Cow Springs and the surrounding area of the Navajo reservation are the best known makers of traditional Navajo pottery and and folk art.   Four generations of the Williams family, including Rose Williams, Alice Cling, Michelle and Andrea Williams are making some of the finest traditional pottery available.  Betty Manygoats, her daughter Rita, and most of her children are producing wonderful pottery decorated with traditional linear designs and horned toads.  Louise Goodman and her children create fabulous bear banks, piggy banks, animals, and traditional pots. Many other artists and their families are adding to the growing list of talented Navajo potters and folk artists.

Navajo potters dig their own clay from the washes and canyons around their homes, roll it into coils and shape the coils into pottery. The clay is hand smoothed and hand polished using gourds, corn cobs, or stones. The pots are fired in open pits fueled with sheep dung, then coated with melted pine pitch which gives the piece its shiny appearance. 

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