Like the other Puebloan cultures of the American Southwest, the ceramic artisans of the Santa Clara Pueblo have a long history of creating both practical pottery vessels and works of art. Many Native ceramicists draw upon ancient traditions of gathering and processing clay from family sources, forming vessels and sculptures by hand, and decorating with clay slips tinted with natural mineral and vegetable pigments.

These ceramic figures were all made by artists of the Gutierrez family of ceramicists. The Seated Koshare Figure Holding a Pot, the two turtle figures, and the figure of Avanyu were made by Stephanie Naranjo, who learned traditional pottery from her grandaunt, Margaret Gutierrez.

The two prone Koshare figures, meanwhile, were made by Margaret and Luther Gutierrez, siblings who learned polychrome ceramics from their parents, Lela and Van Gutierrez.

With their black-and-white striped clothing and their tasseled hats, these three figures are readily identifiable as Koshares, the traditional clowns in Puebloan societies. Koshares are present in many traditional ceremonies, and they both entertain the community and teach lessons through humor.

In Pueblo legends, turtles are seen as blessings and are equated with protection and longevity; the shell plates on a turtle’s back is connected with healing and the moon cycles.  Turtles also serve as characters in stories of creation and stories of Uŋčí makȟá, or grandmother earth, who guides humans to live in peace.

This unusual figure is the depiction of a Puebloan supernatural water serpent known as Avanyu. This mythical creature serves as a guardian of water; Avanyu is often described as a creature that sends lightning from its mouth to bring thunderstorms and rain to the desert. Researched, Conserved, Restored, and Reconstructed by Sarah Powell

 

 

For more information, you may contact the researcher(s) noted in the title of this exhibit entry, or Dr. Billie Follensbee, the professor of the course, at BillieFollensbee@MissouriState.edu