I work in the traditional hand coiled building method of pottery making. I collect the clay and mineral rocks from the areas surrounding our pueblo. The clay is soaked and the temper (basalt, a volcanic rock) is hand ground into a fine powder. I add the temper to the softened clay and knead my clay into a perfect consistency for building my pottery. After the pottery has dried and the surface prepared, each piece is hand painted with natural ground minerals and clays with a yucca leaf. The designs I paint are traditional designs from my Zia Pueblo heritage. Although I have practiced the traditional firing technic, I now use a kiln to fire my pieces.
