In the Southwest, Pueblo Indian tribes generally experience limited rainfall year-round. Dramatic summer storms can be pretty intense. To take advantage of this, Pueblo people have often placed their cornfields near the mouths of the many arroyos that empty out of the mountains, capturing runoff for their crops.
Often, a storm will occur in the high mountains, while skies are clear above the Pueblo villages. Those tending the fields know that the rain that falls miles away will make its way down the valleys to these open waterways that wind through the foothills, usually dry and empty. As the water comes down, you can hear it rushing through the channel, moving from side to side as the landscape curves and directs its travel.
To the people dependent on the water, it is a pleasant sound, and the ancient Puebloans believed it was the sound of the Avanyu, a water serpent, bringing water to the people.
It is easy to understand how this belief has been passed down and how the symbol of the Avanyu has become one of the most popular designs in Pueblo pottery. Water is key in the Desert Southwest.
Maria Martinez (1887-1980), the potter of San Ildefonso, discovered the ancient secret of creating black pottery. She and her son collaborated on this beautiful plate, featuring a highly polished black finish and an Avanyu design painted with a matte grey slip. Maria polished and crafted the pot, which her son Popovi Da (1923 – 1980) then decorated. This pot was crafted between 1956 and 1970. She was known for her plates; this small one, seven inches in diameter, is an excellent example of that style.
Blue Corn (Crucita Gonzales Calabaza, 1921-1999) was another great potter from San Ildefonso. She was given her name by Maria Martinez’s sister at her naming ceremony. She became known for her polychrome pottery, but she also made some beautiful black pieces, and in a few of them, she carved designs. Her husband, Santiago Calabaza, also assisted in carving and painting the pots. And, of course, she sometimes used the symbol of the Avanyu.
This bowl is a fine example of Blue Corn’s work. With its shiny black finish, the serpent stands out from the grey slip it is carved into.
Many potters have incorporated the Avanyu image into their pottery for decades. Few reached the fame and popularity of Maria Martinez and Blue Corn from San Ildefonso.
