I went down to the Arizona State Museum library last Wednesday and did some research. I looked at Ceramics and Ideology: Salado Polychrome Pottery by Patricia L. Crown she writes a lot about the red slip but completely ignores the biggest issue of all which is the white slip. There is absolutely nothing unique about the red slip on Salado pottery, the white however is entirely unique. (more…)
Thoughts On “Ceramics and Ideology: Salado Polychrome Pottery”
Friday, November 19th, 2004THE MYSTERY OF THE DESERT
Friday, November 12th, 2004You probably thought the mystery of the desert was “The Thing” along I-10 between Wilcox and Benson, but you would be wrong. The real mystery of the desert is “what in the heck did the Salado use for a white slip on Pinto, Gila and Tonto polychrome”?
Most of the stuff you read (POTTERY AND PIGMENTS IN ARIZONA: SALADO POLYCHROME) says that it was a kaolin type clay, but I doubt the people that write these things have ever attempted to duplicate Salado pottery. (more…)
Traditional Potter’s Manifesto
Wednesday, November 10th, 2004In my opinion there is way too much modern in most traditional southwestern pottery, the key word here is “traditional”. Modern technology in pottery is fine but if that is what you are doing, why make pretensions of being traditional, unless perhaps you are just using tradition to sell your artwork. Southwest pottery is beautiful to look at for sure, but there is another beauty there as well, a poetic beauty. There are two points in which it is poetically beautiful. (more…)
DEFINING “TRADITIONAL” SOUTHWEST POTTERY
Friday, October 22nd, 2004I’ve been reading The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz, (a very good book that I would highly recommend) and at the same time working on several new pots. Which has got me thinking about what is traditional southwestern pottery and where it crosses the line and just becomes pottery. (more…)
CORONADO’S CURIOUS TRAIL
Tuesday, October 12th, 2004I ran a lot of different scenerios this weekend and just frustrating because nothing really fits perfectly.
There are three places in the area where mountain ranges appear to “turn west” and must be crossed over to get to the level land on the other side as it is said the Coronado expedition did. The junction of the Rincons and Catalinas and Reddington Pass, the junction of the Chiricahuas and Dos Cabazas at Apache Pass and the Pinalenos and Santa Teresas at Eagle Pass. (more…)
