My time in the museum this week was spent working on the photographs I took of the vessels in Photoshop, finalizing the inventory sheets, making labels for the vessels in the Mezzanine, and attending a planning meeting for a fundraiser for the museum. It was a very productive week :)!

This week I would like to share with you the process of pottery making…

The process is quite similar for all the Pueblo Indians. Clay is the basic ingredient; the raw material is finely pulverized and cleaned of all stones. It is tempered with finely powdered material, such as sand, volcanic ash or potsherds that have been crushed. Temper varies among the pueblos, but the purpose of the temper is always the same. Temper keeps the wet clay from being too sticky and from cracking while the pottery dries. Each village is very conservative in sticking to its tradition, it is possible to attribute a pot to a certain village by the appearance of the temper alone.

A pot is formed by rolling the clay into small sections of “rope” and these are coiled to build up the walls of the pot. The shaping and thinning is accomplished with a piece of gourd for a scraper. If the pot is to be decorated with carving or scratching into the surface it takes place at this point.

The surface of the pot is quite rough, it cannot be highly polished and does not make a good base for painted designs. It is for this reason that most decorated Pueblo pottery is covered with slip. This is an especially fine white or red clay that is mopped on in a water suspension, while it is still damp, and is polished with a smooth stone or rag.

The under-body of the vessel is not slipped; the surface of the clay is smothered as well as possible by a process called “floating.” While the clay is still wet, the finest particles are puddled to the surface of the vessel with a smooth stone, thus producing a fine clay coating that can be polished almost like slip.

The vessels are laid out on a framework of rocks or sheet metal for firing. They are covered with slabs of dried cow dung or other slow burning fuel. If the desired color is jet black the fire is smothered; otherwise the fire produces shades of tan, cream, red, orange, and yellow.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Frank, Larry and Francis H. Harlow. Historic Pottery of the Pueblo Indians 1600-1880. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. 1990.

Last semester I was working on individual inventory sheets for the pottery in the museum. These sheets have as much documented information about the vessel as possible. Some of the information is the description of the vessel:   a descriptive title, object type, medium description, dimensions, and condition. I would like to share some of the different descriptive titles and use of the vessel you will come across when you visit the museum or when you view the different pueblo tabs on the webpage.

San Ildefonso. Olla. c. 1900-20. Red and black on white on red clay. 26.5×31 cm. (dia.) Gift of Mrs. Charles H. Woodard. 1965.1.27

The olla is a relatively large vessel used for collecting, carrying, and storing water. Since the beginning of the 18^th century they were almost always made with a depression on the bottom so that it may be carried on the head. The ollas served as a natural refrigerator, the porosity of the paste allowed the contents to cool by evaporation, making it a valuable commodity in the arid southwest.

Bowls are vessels with an opening at approximately the greatest width, whereas Jars have a narrow opening and are usually taller.

Large storage jars have a narrow mouth to facilitate coverage. Storage jars that held grain have come down from the generations among the most plentifully preserved of all the pottery forms of the middle Historic period. This is because they remained relatively undisturbed in corners of back rooms.

Water jars are smaller and lighter than storage jars. They were used to scoop up water form a stream or river. They usually have a concave base so it could be carried on top of the head, often without using the hands.

Mojave. Effigy Jar. Dark red, black, white, and orange on red clay. 18.7×11.6 cm. (dia.) Gift of Mrs. Bessie T. Barnes. 1965.2.3

Ceremonial vessel and Effigy figures in animal and human shapes are rare. They vary considerably in form and use. They are used to hold the sacred corn pollen. Ceremonial ware was the least handled and usually remained carefully stored away. Ceremonial bowls generally are more exotic in their decoration, covered with sacred symbols of the Indians religious traditions; these include human and animal figures, emblems of natural phenomena—lightening, rain, clouds, and depictions of mythological beings such as the sky serpents.

Dough Bowls are the largest bowls, often capable of holding a week’s supply of bread dough for a family.

Preservation of vessels has come from the Indians reverence of their pottery.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Frank, Larry and Francis H. Harlow. Historic Pottery of the Pueblo Indians 1600-1880. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. 1990.

I am excited and privileged that my journey as an intern will continue this spring semester. This semester I will be writing in my blog about different topics I am researching; as well as keeping you up to date on things that I am doing in the museum. I hope you have enjoyed reading about my journey as an intern this last semester. It has been a pleasure having you join me in this journey. May you experience joy and peace in your own journey. God Bless.

These past few weeks have been pretty busy at the museum. I have been photographing the pottery and filling out individual data sheets for each vessel. Some of the data that I am recording is the medium, condition, size, distinguishing marks, and potters signature or inscription if any.  I have enjoyed being able to see the pottery up close; each piece is unique and so beautiful.

The webpage showcases photographs of some of the pottery, retablos, and bultos from the museum. I invite you to take the time to click on all the tabs on the webpage; each tab has lots of great information!

I will continue my journey as an intern during the Spring Semester. I am definitely looking forward to it.

Peace and Enjoy

Photographer: Linda Relyea

Photographer: Linda Relyea

Matthew Barbour,  Regional Manager of Historic Sites New Mexico, spent a day at the museum sharing his expertise on the pottery collection at the museum. I was able to acquire additional information for the artifact data sheets. Little by little the blanks are starting to get filled in. It’s a wonderful to see a story evolve for each of the artifacts.

My husband and I took a road trip over Fall Break to visit the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango and the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum in Ignacio. We had the opportunity to meet some wonderful people, who extended a warm welcome to us.

The first stop of the day was at Fort Lewis College where we had the privilege of meeting and having Jeannie Brako, Curator of Collections as our tour guide. For over 35 years Jeanne has been dedicated to the advancement of museum methods and practices. She is the first Curator of Collections at Fort Lewis College’s Center of Southwest Studies. Her primary research interests focus on textiles and conservation techniques, giving her national reputation as a textile and objects conservator.

Our day at Fort Lewis began with Jeannie sharing the history of the center and their mission. We started our tour at the Robert Delaney Southwest Research Library and Archives; it is a research library that houses an open-stack book and periodical collection as well as special archival collections. On exhibit in the library was “Durango’s Cycling Legacy of Fort Lewis.”

Their current exhibits were:

“Parks, People, Preservation: Celebrating the National Park Service in the Southwest” this exhibit was centered on the national parks, monuments, and historic sites. The Four Corner states of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico were represented in this exhibition through historic and contemporary photographs and objects.

“Time Exposures: Picturing a History of Isleta Pueblo in the  19^th Century” The overall exhibit recounted the story told by the people of the Isleta Pueblo, how the arrival of the American soldiers and explorers in the mid-1800s changed their world dramatically. The exhibit was divided into three parts: first section described a traditional year for the Isleta community of ceremonies, hunting, gathering and farming, second section was the arrival of the Americans and the ways in which they disrupted the way of living for the Isleta Pueblo by the taking of their land and other resources and the third section of the exhibit showcased hundreds of historical photographs.

“The Durango Collection” contained one-of-a-kind textiles woven by both male and female weavers and represent the Pueblo, Navajo and Hispanic traditions.

The best part for me was seeing their archival process…the work rooms, lighting studio, their processing room for archives and the process of archiving the new acquisitions.

Next stop was a visit to the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum where our tour guide was Linda Baker, who is a member of the Southern Ute Tribe. Linda’s sharing of the history of the museum and of the exhibits was more than one of a curator, it was a personal sharing of her people. Two things Linda wanted us to know about the Southern Ute Indians was that they were a mountain tribe and they did not have a migration story. On display in the welcome gallery were four cases with artifacts connected to the “Ute Seasons” (four seasons). As we walked throughout the museum viewing the display cases I felt that we were the lucky ones to have Linda talk about the objects on a personal level. I could see the pride she has in her heritage and her people.

Also on exhibit is the, “Mountain Lion” exhibit curated by Jed Smith from Alamosa. Jed is an amazing young man who attended Alamosa High School and was a classmate of my youngest daughter, Marisa. He attended Fort Lewis College and did his internship with Jeannie at the cultural center. After graduating he was hired at the museum in Ignacio. I told Jed I would put the invite out for you to stop and see his current exhibit and any future ones. So, if you are ever in Ignacio do stop by and let him know how you heard of the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum and of his exhibits.

I would say that this part of my journey as an intern has been a remarkable experience. I have learned so much and my interest in museum work has increased. I was very fortunate to have spent the day visiting with Jeannie Brako and getting to see Fort Lewis College’s Center of Southwest Studies and Linda Baker at the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum. Thank you to all who made this experience possible.

The next time you are planning a trip, I would highly recommend these two sites as places to visit. Safe travels.

Though my week was short at the museum I was busy working on the individual artifact sheets. I am taking the information that Patrick Cruz shared with me during his visit to the museum and reviewing the artifact information that each folder contains. The goal is to try and gather as much information on each artifact as possible for each file.

web. Nov. 2016

The end of the week I traveled to the Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico for a photography class, while I was there I stopped by the museum at the ranch. I was warmly welcomed and was extended an invitation by the manager of the museum to go on a private tour when I shared with her about my internship at ASU. She showed me their work room, storage area of their artifacts, and she took the time to show me some of the accession records they have for the artifacts. I was impressed with their record keeping.

I asked the manager if she knew of potters named Doris Gato or Petra Tafoya, unfortunately she did not. She did however give me the contact information of a gentleman who works at the Santa Clara Pueblo Gallery who might know. It has been amazing what an incredible bond curators/ museum managers/staff have with each other. I am delighted to be a part of this group of hard working individuals.

An in-service was held this week to show staff of the museum how to set up the webpage for the Salazar Rio Grande del Norte Center. I selected “Lucie’s Journey” as the name for my blog, I am excited that people visiting the site will be able to read about my journey as an intern. I am positive that whoever reads my blog will learn something new from one or more of my blog posts. I hope you will enjoy reading, “Lucie’s Journey”.

Rio Grande Box Canyon September 2016  

On Saturday I took a trip out to the Rio Grande where the river enters the box canyon and continues its journey across the border into New Mexico to take photographs for the webpage. Along the way I passed Lobatos where I grew up, the T-Bone Ranch where my dad worked for several summers, and Punche Valley where my grandpa Trujillo worked as a vacquero. As I past these places many memories came to mind. As my husband Geronimo, my son Tomas, and I stood looking at the Rio Grande we shared stories of times we had been there with my dad Enos Ruybal. I dedicate these pictures of the Rio Grande on the webpage to my dad…rest in peace dad.  

As part of my internship I am able to visit two museums or research centers, to further my research, to see their museum collections, and to visit with the curator. One of the sites that I have selected is the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango. My request for a visit was received enthusiastically by the curator when I told her about my internship. She recommended that I visit the Southern Ute Museum in Ignacio. I have made contact with the museum to see if I can set up a private tour and a meeting with the curator. I am hoping to visit them during my fall break.

I look forward to sharing with you about my visits and posting some photographers from my trip.

This week I researched these names of Tomasita Montoya, Reyectia Trujillo, Lela and Van Gutierrez, Petra Tafoya, and Dora Gato to confirm if these individuals were potters.

I am delighted to share the following information on the potters whose pottery we are fortunate to have at the museum:

Tomasita Montoya (1899-1978) was a San Juan Potter. She was one of the original seven potters in the 1930’s “San Juan Revival”. Especially known for her incised polychrome redware jars, bowls and vases. Decoration on these vessels included clouds, kival steps, triangular fret and fine line hatching. On occasion she utilized micaceous clay, adding some textured geometric elements.

Tomasita worked along side her daughters; Dominguita Sisneros and Rosita de Herrera who are also famous potters.

Reyecita A Trujillo was from the San Juan Pueblo. and was one of the seven original potters who participated in the San Juan pottery revival. She worked with her husband Juan Hilario Trujillo who would carve designs on her pots. Known for her redware polychrome plates, carved blackware and micaceous jars.

• Lela and Van Gutierrez were potters from Santa Clara, they tested many ideas in pottery making, developing a decorative scheme that featured earth colors on a matte background. Using bold curvilinear designs on neutral tan or beige became the base for a new Santa Clara style. Lela and Van were true innovators and specialized in pictorial designs in using a variety of hues and colors not normally associated with pueblo pottery. Lela and her son Luther Gutierrez (1911-1987) collaborated on pottery following the death of Van in 1956. Luther continued in his father’s style.

There remain two names I am still researching, Dora Cata and Petra Tayofa. May my journey in search of two more potential potters be successful