The Art of Making Santa Clara Pottery:

By Marvin Moquino as Told to Dr Katherine Aaron

I've always felt honored whenever my husband and I are invited into the homes and workshops of Native American potters. Although the Pueblo potters that we know have freely shared the details of their art with us, none of them would allow the information to be published. So I was extremely happy when Marvin Moquino gave me permission to publish the process of how traditional pottery is created on the Santa Clara Pueblo. As any collector knows, styles and patterns are unique to each Pueblo, however the basic techniques of hand rolled construction throughout the Pueblos is the same as in the information that Marvin gave me about Santa Clara pottery.

Marvin didn't always want to be a potter; his first love was fire fighting. Not just any fire fighting, he was a Hot Shot Fire Fighter one of the men and women who brave and battle our outrageous forest fires that we have out West. Marvin's family has a long history of making traditional Santa Clara Pueblo pottery and he grew up watching the process. The pull back to his roots eventually overcame his love for fire fighting and now he works full time as a potter.

Marvin begins by digging select clay from the remote clay pits around the Santa Clara Pueblo. Certain clay pits provide the best texture and quality of clay for making pottery. The weather is a big factor as it can only be accessed during dry hot spells and even with four-wheel drive the clay is impossible to access after a rain or snow. Back at home Marvin spreads the clay out on a table to dry completely. The dry clay is placed into large tubs of hot water and after two or three days the clay has reached its right consistency. At this point it feels squishy enough to be worked through a screen to remove everything but the fine clay.

The fine white sand needed for construction is only available in another Pueblo since the sand around Santa Clara is too course. So Marvin drives quite a distance to dig the sand and then has to process it when he gets it home. He begins by picking out debris and rocks. Next he pulverizes the sand into a finer and finer texture until finally he sifts it until the remaining sand has the consistency of flour. He mixes this flour-like sand with his clay until they are totally infused with each other and the color and texture is uniform throughout.

The smaller pots are made with the pinching technique. Starting at the bottom and working their way up to the top they pinch and pull the clay into the desired shape. Care is taken to that the pottery walls are of an even thickness, size and then it's worked until the walls are completely smooth. Hand coiled construction is used for the larger pots. The process begins by rolling the clay into ropes. As each clay rope completed it's immediately worked into to the pot. Starting from the bottom the clay ropes are coiled around and around building up the walls of the pot. Each coil is pinched, pulled and smoothed into place one at a time. Then he carves his designs into the walls. If Marvin isn't pleased with the shape of the pot he turns the pot back into workable clay by soaking the entire piece in water.

The drying time varies depending on the humidity levels and how much clay was used. If the clay isn't completely dry it will crack when fired so great care is taken to make certain that the clay is thoroughly dried. After the drying process he sands the outer surface. Next he uses a polishing stone to burnish to outer walls of the pot. Good polishing stones are glass-like smooth river rocks that are highly prized and always passed down through generations in pottery making families. In addition to the polishing stone a polishing slip is added to help achieve that glass-like mirror finish. Marvin gathers the clay he uses as his polishing slip from another Pueblo far away from Santa Clara. This particular clay gives his redware that perfect deep red color. If he finds the pot isn’t as smooth as he would like he begins the polishing process again by sanding the surface and starting over.

Marvin and his family collect wood and horse manure locally to fire the pottery. Wood fires are used to fire the clay for redware. Horse manure is used as fuel to smoke the clay into that deep rich black color. After proper cooling the pots are ready to be sold, used or etched.

Marvin's wife Delores is also a potter who is well known for her etching and often they work together creating exquisite etched pieces. Making traditional Santa Clara pottery is as natural as breathing to Marvin, but those of us who love and appreciate his art marvel at the labor, talent and time each piece requires.