Anderson Peynetsa was one
of the "star students" who learned pottery making from
Jennie Laate. His first class was in eighth grade. He progressed
through the beginning, intermediate and advanced courses. In
1986, Ralph T Coe, a renowned scholar of Native American Art,
described Anderson as "richly talented" and successful
graduate of the pottery program at the Zuni High School.
In 1988, he and his wife,
Avelia, collaborated on pottery they entered at the Zuni Show,
Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. The museum purchased
one of their black-on-red duck effigy pots. Two years later;
the museum added one of their black-on red ollas with a frieze
of eight deer with heart lines around the neck. During this period,
the Peynetsas also began applying water serpents, as three-dimensional
relief figures onto the outside of some of their pots.
Today, Anderson is amongst
the best contemporary Zuni pottery painters. He is noted for
his "precise, flowing lines." He also is an excellent
sculptor, applying relief figures as noted onto some of his pottery.
His lizard figures seem to walk out of the surface of his pots,
reminiscent of European master M. C. Escher. Anderson displays
a bold flowing style. His pottery is often quite innovative.
He has been an active potter
since the early 80s. He has exhibited at the Heard Museum, the
Museum of Northern Arizona, the Indian Market in Santa Fe and
the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos. He is featured in many fine
galleries and in all the major pottery publications.
Anderson's work has been published
in Gregory Schaaf's book Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2000 Artist
Biographies; in Hayes & Blom's Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi
to Zuni; and in Berger & Schiffer's Pueblo & Navajo Contemporary
Pottery. and Lillian Peaster's Pueblo Pottery Families.
