San Ildefonso / Tewa

 

Alice Martinez and her son, Ruben have formed a partnership with pottery making. They are from the Pueblo of San Ildefonso/Tewa.

Alice is now in her seventies, and has been making pottery since she was twenty years old. Alice was inspired to continue the long lived tradition of hand coiling pottery from her parents, Richard and Lucy Martinez.

Ruben learned the fundamentals of pottery making from his mother and now they have joined forces and combined their efforts to make some of the finest black on black pottery available today.

Over the last fifty years, Alice and Ruben have perfected the Tunyo Polychrome mate on polished black style pottery that the Martinez family from San Ildefonso had become famous for back in the early 1900’s.

They make pottery the traditional way; they gather the clay from sacred grounds within the San Ildefonso Pueblo, clean the clay,hand coil, shape, and fire the traditional way, outdoors, with horse manure.

Alice’s father, Richard Martinez was the adopted son of the famous Maria Martinez.

Awards:
-Eight Northern Pueblos Exhibit
-Pueblo Indian Pottery 750 Artist Biographies