Micaceous Pottery

Micaceous Clay Pottery

Featuring work by Taos Pueblo/Southern Ute master potter Karen Cordova; Myrtle Cata of San Felipe and San Juan Pueblos; Marcella and Emma Yepa of Jemez Pueblo; Phogeh Povi of San Juan Pueblo; Jennifer Tse-Pe of San Ildefonso Pueblo; Glen Gomes of Taos and Pojoaque Pueblos; Allen Lasiloo of Zuni Pueblo; George Gonzales of Taos Pueblo, and Ignacia Duran of Tesuque Pueblo.

We believe that micaceous pottery offers the greatest potential for increased popularity and collecting by those who appreciate Native American pottery. It's 'discovery' is only a matter of time. To learn more about the wonderful work being done by potters working with micaceous clay read "All That Glitters" by Duane Anderson or contact the Indian Arts Research Center. To read an excerpt from Duane Anderson's book, click here.

Karen Cordova has been a potter for over 20 years. She specializes in micaceous pottery which is traditionally made, hand coiled and pit fired.

Karen’s familial roots run deep in Taos county where family members have farmed for generations. She is of Taos Pueblo, southern Ute and Spanish decent. Karen has been awarded the title of New Mexico Arts Master Potter and has participated in the Master Apprentice Project aimed at preserving New Mexico traditional arts. The twisted handle bean pot above measures 6.5 inches tall by 9.5 inches wide - a beautiful piece. Your price $625 ~ Item #MIC201 Click here to see an enlarged image. SALE PRICE $440 ~ 30% off.

Karen has had her work published in many publications including Southwest Art Magazine, The Taos News, the Sun Journal, Taos Collectors Guide and Taos Magazine. Over the years Karen has been 12 First and Second place awards at the Picuris Arts and Crafts Fair.

The flat handle bean pot at right measures 10 inches tall by 10 inches wide. Your price $850 ~ Item MIC202. Click here to see an enlarged image. SALE PRICE $595 ~ 30% off.

Karen’s pots are hand coiled, traditionally pit fired, and built from clay gathered from historic clay pits where native peoples have gathered clays for hundreds of years. This style of pottery is indigenous to Taos and Picuris Pueblos. The clay is gathered in the summertime and the naturally present mica in the clay gives the pottery its beautiful glimmer.

The large lidded pot at left was the first pot we ever saw by Karen and ultimately the one that made us want to offer her work to our collectors. This is a sensuous, beautiful pot with a twisted handle lid and smoke clouds on the bottom from having been pit fired in the traditional way. This is a superior piece of micaceous pottery for the superior collection (museum quality) created by a certified micaceous clay master potter. It measures 12.5 inches tall by 9.5 inches wide. Your price $1250 ~ Item #MIC207. Click here to see an enlargement. SALE PRICE ~ $875 ~ 30% off.

It can take two weeks to three months for each piece to be completed. The clay, in its natural environment, is dry like and dirt, but the experienced clay gatherer knows it on sight. The clay is soaked and strained before it can be worked. It is then coiled into shape. While it is drying designs may be etched into the clay. The pottery is then left in a dark room to slowly dry before firing.

Pots are fired in an open pit where they are placed on a grate. Then dry bark is built into a teepee formation around the pots and it is ignited from beneath. After two hours of being in the fire the pots are left to sit for another hour before the process is completed and the pottery is finished. Pueblo Pottery Maine is honored to present the work of this extraordinary master potter. Her work would be a valuable asset to any collection.

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Juanita Suazo Dubray of Taos Pueblo is descended from an unbroken line of Taos Pueblos Natives. She was designated a Master Potter in 1994 by the School of American research and was invited as one of ten micaceous master potters (Pueblo, Navajo & Apache) to attend the school’s Micaceous Pottery Artists Convocation. These artists and their work are featured in Duane Anderson’s book All That Glitters. “The Corn Design came to me in a dream 1986, after my daughter Nanette died in a tragic motorcycle accident. The Corn symbolizes my daughter's spirit and each Corn piece is infused with happiness, healing, love and beauty, which is passed on to those acquiring the pots.” These are known as ‘healing pots’ and she has been making them for over 18 years. The pot above measures 5.5 inches tall by 6.8 inches wide. Your price $495 ~ Item #MIC343. Click here to see an enlargement.

Juanita’s work has been shown in the following museums, private collections and galleries including the Institute of American Indian Art (Santa Fe, NM), Millicent Rogers Museum (Taos, NM); Heard Museum (Phoenix, AZ); Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (Albuquerque, NM); the Museum of New Mexico (Santa Fe, NM) and many other collections. In addition, she has been in many shows and exhibits, including: Denver Indian Market (1988); Santa Fe Indian Market (1988); Eight Northern Pueblos Indian Market (1988, 1989, and 1992); Smithsonian Institution, Renwick Gallery in Washington DC (1992-93); and Taos Invites (1993). Her work has been published in "Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi to Zuni" by Hayes & Blom; "Pueblo & Navajo Contemporary Pottery" by Berger and Schiffer; "All That Glitters" by Duane Anderson; the Santa Fe New Mexican and Taos Magazine.

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