Hispanic Arts and Culture

Although our primary focus is Native American, occasionally we have pottery, sculpture, paintings, and figurines that are Hispanic in origin.  Many of the potters with Hispanic surnames are the product of intermarriage of Native Americans and Hispanics.  Prior to the Pueblo Revolt in 1680, the Spanish colonists bought pottery from the Pueblo Indians or used the pottery brought with them from Mexico and Spain.  By the late 1700s, the rapid increase in the Hispanic population and its migration throughout the Southwest resulted in decreased reliance on Pueblo pottery and the development of early Hispanic micaceous utilitarian pottery. Early colonial pottery was glazeware and then Hispanics started making plain pottery such as redware that employed the technique of stone polishing.  Micaceous ware is said to be very durable and the food cooked takes on a better flavor.  Utilitarian ware is still produced but now artists are producing figures and non-utilitarian ware.