Traditional San Ildefonso style pottery using natural clay, pigments and traditional outdoor open firing. Clay, polishing slip and paint pigments are hand dug from nearby hills and prepared by hand. Vessels are hand coiled using a puki (base) and formed to desired shape and height using a shaped dry gourd. Vessels are left to dry then smoothed with sandpaper. Pottery is then hand polished using a red clay and a smooth river stone. Designs are painted on the pottery with a yucca or camel hair brush using a creamy white/grey pigment. Pottery is then fired outdoors in an open fire using cow dung, cedar wood, cottonwood bark and horse manure.
