Let's Talk. . . Pueblo Pottey Basics August 06 2026

A rich and complex history, the Pueblo tradition of ceramics is one that has existed for millennia and is still readily practiced today. Producing both functional and ceremonial vessels, Pueblo potters still dig their own clay and produce their own paints all from the local soil and plants, intrinsically tying the colors of their pots to their home lands in the American Southwest.

The process of preparing the clay is labor and time intensive, but connects the artists to the material all the way through the process of creating. The places that potters dig their clay is often a personal secret that is passed from family member to family member. The colors of clay bodies each Pueblo produces is also depended entirely on the clay in that location and depends on the other minerals in the clay. Prayers and cornmeal are offered to the spirit of the clay when it is gathered, paying respect for the gift of the raw material. Going on to the shaping of the pots and jars, the potters give form to the spirit of the earth within, and many have said that they let the clay inform the shape of the vessel they build.

While we often picture a potter hunched over a wheel when we think of ceramic work, handbuilding is still utilized as the main building technique by many, including Pueblo potters. Coil building and pinch pots are the types utilized most frequently by Pueblo artists and both require years of practice to perfect getting symmetrical and thin walls. Because handbuilding is a hands-on process, it's common to see finger and hand prints in the walls of finished pots, reminding us that these pieces were made by human artists and are each special.

Depending on which Pueblo the pottery comes from, the decoration and finishing on pottery can vary drastically. From carved or etched (sgraffio), to painted, sculpted, and burnished designs. Some finishes are even reliant on the firing process itself. Designs created using slip, colored liquid clay, or paint are often geometric or symbolic but can feature figural motifs as well such as depictions of various animals. The materials used to color the slip also all come exclusively from the earth. Some of the materials used to create the different shades of slip and paint decorating the lovely forms are rare and must be collected from specific deposits, while others are as abundant as mud itself, and can be found as easily as looking down.

Once regarded as a folk art, or as utilitarian products, native pottery is now a pillar of the Native American fine art movement.