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At Richardson’s Trading Post, we have always maintained that true luxury is found in the connection between the artist and the land. Nowhere is this more evident than in our collection of Native American pottery. Unlike modern ceramics formed on a motorized wheel or cast in a mold, the pieces lining our shelves in Gallup are born from a process that has remained largely unchanged for over a millennium. To hold a Native American clay pot is to hold the literal earth of the Southwest, transformed by hand and fire.
The Gathering: Respecting the Source
The process does not begin in a studio; it begins in the canyons and mesas of the high desert. Master potters from the surrounding Pueblos often travel great distances to secret locations to gather raw clay. This is a sacred act, often accompanied by prayers of thanks to the earth.
Once gathered, the clay must be cleaned of every pebble and root, then tempered with crushed volcanic rock or old pottery shards to ensure it can withstand the intense heat of firing. This labor-intensive preparation is why Native American pottery from New Mexico possesses a unique, tactile soul that factory-made items simply cannot replicate.
The Construction: The Mastery of the Coil
One of the most striking differences in authentic Native American pottery art is the absence of the potter’s wheel. Instead, artists use the ancient “coil and scrape” method. The potter rolls the clay into long, thin ropes, layering them one on top of another to build the walls of the vessel.
For smaller, more intimate pieces, an artist might start with Native American pinch pots, shaping the base with nothing but their thumbs. As the piece grows, they use smooth stones or pieces of dried gourd to scrape and polish the coils until the surface is perfectly uniform. This hand-coiling technique allows for the creation of massive Native American coil pots that remain remarkably thin-walled and lightweight—a true testament to the artist’s structural genius.
The Firing: The Breath of the Pit
The final and most precarious stage is the firing. Many of the masterworks at Richardson’s are still “pit-fired” outdoors using traditional fuels like cedar wood or dried sheep manure. There are no temperature gauges or digital timers; the artist relies on the color of the flame and the scent of the smoke.
This unpredictable environment is what creates the beautiful “fire clouds”—dark, smoky carbon marks—that are prized by collectors as the signature of an authentic outdoor firing. It is a high-stakes gamble where a single gust of wind can cause a piece to crack, ending weeks of work in an instant.
A Legacy in Your Hands
When you choose a piece of Native American pottery at Richardson’s, you aren’t just buying a vase or a bowl; you are inheriting a piece of history that began in the soil. Each piece carries the physical “fingerprint of the maker” and the elemental spirit of the New Mexico desert. We invite you to visit our post and feel the weight of this tradition for yourself.
