If there is one name that stands out in the history of southwestern pottery it is Maria Poveka Martinez of San Ildefonso Pueblo. The technique for turning iron red clay into a gleaming coal black finish was an important aspect of ancient pottery that had been lost. It was the recovery of that ancient knowledge that gained Maria worldwide recognition and catapulted her work into museums and history books worldwide.

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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.

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Maria Martinez (1887–1980) and her husband Julian Martinez (1879–1943), from San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico, resurrected the iconic black-on-black pottery style that defines much of Pueblo ceramic art today. Maria is undoubtedly one of the best-known and most influential Native potters of the 1900s. She became famous for her creative pottery while traveling to museums, The World Fairs, The Whitehouse on several occasions and other events throughout her lifetime.

Read the full story Marie + Julian: The Ancient Roots of the Avanyu >>