A black seed pot with a sgraffito geometric design on the top and three inlaid stones made by Barbara Gonzales of San Ildefonso
Barbara Gonzales, San Ildefonso, A black seed pot with a sgraffito geometric design on the top and three inlaid stones
Barbara Gonzales
San Ildefonso
$ 375
plsi4f310
A black seed pot with a sgraffito geometric design on the top and three inlaid stones
4 in L by 4 in W by 2 in H
Condition: Very good
Signature: Tahn Moo Whe
Date Created: 1973


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Barbara Gonzales

San Ildefonso
Sgraffito avanyu design on a duotone canteen

Born in 1947, Barbara Gonzales is the great-granddaughter of Maria Martinez and granddaughter of Adam and Santana Martinez. She credits her great-grandmother with changing the making of pottery from a craft to a fine art, and then credits her with being a major force in the shaping and evolution of that fine art.

Barbara lived in Maria's home from the time she was five until she was ten. That is when she learned the basics of the traditional way of making pottery from her great-grandmother. Barbara says pottery making was such an integral part of Maria's family life that she organically assimilated the skills simply from being in the presence. She also traveled with Maria to sell pots to tourists under the portal at the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe and at the train depot in Albuquerque. Her own first pieces were simple animal sculptures, then she progressed into small pots, then bowls and spheres. Slowly Barbara developed her style of small sculptures, polychrome pottery and stone-inlaid, sgraffito-etched red and black ware. Along with Popovi Da she was one of the early adopters of the two-tone technique (involving two firings to produce sienna effects on otherwise black pots). She also used inlaid turquoise, heishi beads and gemstones. Around 1973 she originated "the Spider" and "the webbing technique" in sgraffito on black pottery. That shortly became her trademark.

Barbara participated in the Santa Fe Indian Market for many years, earning First, Second and Third Place ribbons often. She was included in the Maria Martinez: Five Generations of Potters exhibition at the Renwick Gallery in 1978 and the Masters of Indian Market exhibition at the Santa Fe Indian Market in 1996.

Barbara was chosen as a representative of Maria's "craft lineage" in the 1997-8 Pottery by American Indian Women, The Legacy of Generations exhibition of the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Some of the Awards Barbara has Earned

  • 2000 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division H - Non-traditional pottery, any forms using non-traditional materials or techniques, Category 1520 - Miscellaneous, unpainted: Second Place
  • 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division H - Non-traditional any forms using non-traditional materials or techniques, Category 1510 - Single figures, (animal & other), all other: First Place
  • 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery - Division E - Traditional pottery, painted designs on burnished black or red surface: Best of Division
  • 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery - Division E - Traditional pottery, painted designs on burnished black or red surface, Category 1203 - Bowls, over 6 inches in diameter: First Place
  • 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery - Division E - Traditional pottery, painted designs on burnished black or red surface, Category 1206 - Plates: Third Place
  • 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery - Division E - Traditional pottery, painted designs on burnished black or red surface, Category 1207 - Miscellaneous: First Place
  • 1990 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division J - Non-traditional, any forms using non-traditional materials or techniques, Category 1403 - Jars & vases, unpainted (other than stoneware): Second Place
  • 1988 Gallup InterTribal Ceremonial, Classification IV - Pottery-jar, seed jar, canteen: Third Place
  • 1983 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division E - Traditional, painted designs on burnished black or red surface: Second Place
  • 1977 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts & Crafts Exhibit, Classification VII - Pottery, Division C - Miniatures, under 2-1/2": Second Place
  • 1974 12th Annual Scottsdale National Indian Arts Exhibition, Section C - Crafts, Classification VIII - Pottery, Division B - Adaptations: Honorable Mention

San Ildefonso Pueblo

Sacred Black Mesa at San Ildefonso Pueblo
Black Mesa at San Ildefonso Pueblo

San Ildefonso Pueblo is located about twenty miles northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico, mostly on the eastern bank of the Rio Grande. Although their ancestry has been traced to prehistoric pueblos in the Mesa Verde area, their most recent ancestral home is in the area of Bandelier National Monument, the prehistoric village of Tsankawi in particular. Tsankawi abuts the reservation on its northwest side.

A mission church was built in 1617 and named for San Ildefonso. Hence the name. Before that the village was called Powhoge, "where the water cuts through" (in Tewa). Today's pueblo was established as long ago as the 1300s. When the Spanish arrived in 1540, they estimated the village population at about 2,000.

That mission was destroyed during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 and when Don Diego de Vargas returned to reclaim the San Ildefonso area in 1694, he found virtually all the Tewa people on top of nearby Black Mesa. After an extended siege the two sides negotiated a treaty and the people returned to their villages. However, the next 250 years were not good for them. The Spanish swine flu pandemic of 1918 reduced the pueblo's population to about 90. Their population has grown to more than 600 now but the only economic activity available on the pueblo involves creating art in one form or another. The only other work is off-pueblo. San Ildefonso's population is small compared to neighboring Santa Clara Pueblo, but the pueblo maintains its own religious traditions and ceremonial feast days.

San Ildefonso is most known for being the home of the most famous Pueblo Indian potter, Maria Martinez. Many other excellent potters from this pueblo have produced quality pottery, too, among them: Blue Corn, Tonita and Juan Roybal, Dora Tse Pe and Rose Gonzales. Of course the descendants of Maria Martinez are still important pillars of San Ildefonso's pottery tradition. Maria's influence reached far and wide, so far and wide that even Juan Quezada of the Mata Ortiz pottery renaissance in Chihuahua, Mexico, came to San Ildefonso to learn from her.

Map showing the location of San Ildefonso Pueblo

For more info:
at Wikipedia
official website
Pueblos of the Rio Grande, by Daniel Gibson
Photo is in the public domain

Seed Pots

Acoma, Hopi, Isleta, Jemez, Laguna, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, San Juan, Santa Clara
Seed pot jar
Sandra Victorino
Acoma Pueblo
Micaceous black Hopi seed pot
Preston Duwyenie
Hopi
Santa Clara Pueblo seed pot
Camilio Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo



It was a matter of survival to the ancient Native American people that seeds be stored properly until the next planting season. Small, hollow pots were made to ensure that the precious seeds would be kept safe from moisture, light and rodents. After seeds were put into the pot, the small hole in the pot was plugged. The following spring the plug was removed and the seeds were shaken from the pot directly onto the planting area.

Today, seed pots are no longer necessary due to readily available seeds from commercial suppliers. However, seed pots continue to be made as beautiful, decorative works of art. The sizes and shapes of seed pots have evolved and vary greatly, depending on the vision of Clay Mother as seen through the artist. The decorations vary, too, from simple white seed pots with raised relief to multi-colored painted, raised relief and sgraffito designs, sometimes with inlaid gemstones and silver lids.



Seed pot with sgraffito design and silver lid

Debra Duwyenie
Santa Clara Pueblo
Jemez Pueblo seed pot

Dominique Toya
Jemez Pueblo
Acoma Pueblo seed pot

Lucy Lewis
Acoma Pueblo

Maria Martinez Family Tree

Disclaimer: This "family tree" is a best effort on our part to determine who the potters are in this family and arrange them in a generational order. The general information available is questionable so we have tried to show each of these diagrams to living members of each family to get their input and approval, too. This diagram is subject to change should we get better info.

  • Cipriana Peña (c. 1810-)
    • Santana Peña (1846-) & Antonio Domingo Peña (1841-)
      • Nicolasa Peña Montoya (1863-1904) & Juan Cruz Montoya
        • Tonita Martinez Roybal (1892-1945) & Alfredo Montoya
        • Isabel Montoya (1898-1996) & Benjamin Atencio
          • Angelita Atencio Sanchez (1927-1993) & Santiago Sanchez
            • Sandra Sanchez Chaparro
          • Gilbert Atencio (1930-1995)
          • Tony Atencio (1928-)
          • Helen Gutierrez (1935-1993) & Frank Gutierrez (Santa Clara)
            • Carol & James Gutierrez
            • Kathy Gutierrez Naranjo & Ernest J. Naranjo
            • Rose Gutierrez
            • Geraldine Gutierrez Shije (1959-)
        • Rayita Montoya
        • Santana Montoya & Antonio Vigil
          • Lupita Vigil Martinez (1918-2006) & Anselmo Martinez (1909-1965)
      • Reyes Peña (d. 1909) & Tomas Montoya (d. 1914)
        • Desideria Montoya (1889-1982)
        • Maria Montoya Martinez (1887-1980) & Julian Martinez (1884-1943)
          • Adam Martinez (1903-2000) and Santana Roybal Martinez (1909-2002)
            • George Martinez (1943-) & Pauline Martinez (Santa Clara)(1950-)
              • Adam Martinez
              • Jesse Martinez
              • Jolene Martinez
            • Anita Martinez (d. 1992) & Pino Martinez
              • Barbara Tahn-Moo-Whe Gonzales (1947-) & Robert Gonzales
                • Aaron Gonzales (1971-)
                • Brandon Gonzales (1983-)
                • Cavan Gonzales (1970-)
                • Derek Gonzales (1986-)
              • Kathy Wan Povi Sanchez (1950-) & Gilbert Sanchez
                • Corrine Sanchez
                • Gilbert Abel Sanchez
                • Liana Sanchez
                • Wayland Sanchez
              • Evelyn Than-Povi Garcia
                • Myra Garcia
                  • Berlinda Garcia
              • Peter Pino
            • Viola Martinez/Sunset Cruz & Johnnie Cruz Sr.
              • Beverly Martinez (1960-1987)
              • Marvin Martinez (1964-) and Frances Martinez
                • Marvin Lee Martinez
              • Johnnie Cruz Jr. (1975-)
          • Popovi Da (1921-1971) & Anita Da
            • Tony Da (1940-2008)
        • Maximiliana Montoya (1885-1955) & Cresencio Martinez (1879-1918)
        • Juanita Vigil (1898-1933) & Romando Vigil (1902-1978)
          • Carmelita Vigil (1925-1999) & Nicholas Cata
            • Martha Appleleaf (1950-)
              • Erik Fender (1970-)
            • Gloria Maxey (d. 1999)
              • Angelina Maxey (1970-)
              • Jessie Maxey (1972-)
          • Carmelita Vigil (Dunlap) (1925-1999) & Carlos Dunlap (d. 1971)
            • Carlos Sunrise Dunlap (1958-1981)
            • Cynthia Star Flower Dunlap (1959-)
            • Jeannie Mountain Flower Dunlap (1953-)
            • Linda Dunlap (1955-)
      • Philomena Peña & Juan Gonzales & Ramona Sanchez (Robert's mother)
        • Robert Gonzales & Rose (Cata) Gonzales (San Juan)
          • Tse-Pe & Dora Tse-Pe (Zia)
            • Candace Tse-Pe
            • Gerri Tse-Pe
            • Irene Tse-Pe
          • Tse-Pe (1940-2000) & Jennifer Tse-Pe (Sisneros) (second wife, San Juan/Santa Clara)
        • Oqwa Pi (Abel Sanchez)(1899-1971) & Tomasena (Cata) Sanchez (1903-1985, Rose Gonzales' sister)
          • Skipped generation
            • Russell Sanchez (1966-)
        • Louis Wo-Peen Gonzales & Juanita Wo-Peen Gonzales (1909-1988)
          • Adelphia Martinez
          • Lorenzo Gonzales (adopted) (1922-1995)
          • Blue Corn (Crucita Calabaza - Lorenzo's sister) (1921-1999)
    • Tonita Peña (1847-c. 1910)
      • Anastacia Peña (c. 1876-)
        • Luisa Peña
      • Isabel Peña (c. 1881-) & Pasqual Martinez
        • Teracita Martinez
        • Petronella Martinez & Emiliano Abeyta (San Juan/Ohkay Owingeh)
          • Philopeta Martinez (1925-) & Patrick Torres
            • Elvis Torres (1960-)
          • Torivia Martinez

Some of the above info is drawn from Pueblo Indian Pottery, 750 Artist Biographies, by Gregory Schaaf, © 2000, Center for Indigenous Arts & Studies

Other info is derived from personal contacts with family members and through interminable searches of the Internet.