Mary Small
Jemez Pueblo
Fresh Fallen
Snow
3 1/2"
H x 4 1/2" D
Mary Small, "Kal-la-Tee"
(New Indian Basket), was born into the Jemez pueblo in 1945 to
Seriaco and Perfectita Toya, all members of the Sun Clan. Mary
learned the art of traditional pottery making by assisting her
mother at the age of 8. Mary was schooled in the "old way"
of pottery making and has mastered the art of processing clay
from the earth, hand coiling and outdoor firing.
Mary and her husband experimented
with natural paints to come up with her unique blue/gray slip
and burnt red/orange designs. Mary has become well known for
her clay slip glazes, especially the delicate matte gray that
has become a trademark of her pots. The gray glaze is made from
the Rocky Mountain bee plant that is boiled down into a sticky
pigment and then mixed with the white clay. Mary's pottery is
often the traditional jar shapes, taking on a unique look with
her signature slips and an occasional turquoise stone setting.
Mary prays to her pots at
each stage of the clay rocess. "When my pottery is finished,
they are blessed. They have power," Small said. She believes
her pottery will bring good luck to all who purchase her creations.
Mary feels that Native Americans have a special responsibility
to protect the larger society from its own lack of harmony with
nature and the best way to help is to continue being faithful
to their heritage.
She has won many awards for
her pottery including Santa Fe Indian Market, Powhatan Renape
Nation Indian Arts Festival, Heard Museum Show, New Mexico State
Fair, Gallup Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial, and Indian Artist
of the Year.
Mary Small is credited with
having revived the quality pottery movement in Jemez. She still
uses mineral pigments and fires her pots outdoors the old way.
Mary was named Indian Arts and Crafts Association Artist of the
Year for 2002.
