Any discussion or study of Pueblo Pottery will inevitably lead to one name: Maria Martinez.

Collectors claim that they have “a Maria” and her fine black on black pieces are legend. If you have ever dreamed that you might add one of Maria’s pieces to your collection, now you have that opportunity.

Chimayo Trading is showing several elegant black pieces from the famous potter. Born into the San Ildefonso Pueblo, (located between Santa Fe and the city of Los Alamos) Maria learned the traditions of her Pueblo by watching members of her family as they worked with clay, a Native American tradition. At age 11, she began making her own work, and experimented with firing techniques, becoming better with each bowl or plate or pot that she made. Later, she would be challenged to discover the secret of the fine black pottery of the past.

Read the Chimayo Trading Newsletter on Maria Martinez >> Maria Martinez