$495.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.
ca 1993
3 3/8" x3 3/8"
An unusual "Melon" or "Gourd" jar.
From a Private Colorado Collection
Excellent Condition
Denny Gutierrez (1942–2013)Denny Gutierrez was a skilled traditional potter from Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico, celebrated for his finely crafted blackware and redware vessels that exemplified the Pueblo's mastery of hand-coiled ceramics and polished finishes. Denny began actively producing pottery in 1960, immersing himself in the Tewa traditions of his community and contributing to the Gutierrez family's broader legacy in Pueblo ceramics, alongside relatives like the renowned figurative team of Paul and Dorothy Gutierrez.
Adhering to ancestral methods, Denny sourced local clay from Santa Clara lands, hand-coiled his forms without a wheel, applied fine slips, stone-polished surfaces to a high sheen, and pit-fired outdoors to achieve the signature black and red hues through reduction techniques. His work featured well-balanced jars, bowls, seed pots, and innovative forms like swirling and faceted melon bowls, which he developed in the 1990s, often incorporating subtle modifications to traditional motifs such as angled feathers and bear paws for a distinctive touch. These pieces reflected the evolution of Santa Clara pottery from utilitarian storage jars to collectible art, with burnished surfaces that captured light and texture in elegant harmony.
Beyond his artistic pursuits, Denny served as Governor of Santa Clara Pueblo from 2000 to 2004, balancing leadership in community governance with his creative practice and underscoring the interconnected roles of art and culture in Tewa life. He signed his works with etched marks like "Denny / Santa Clara / [year]" or "Gutierrez," often including the production year, as seen on pieces from the 1990s. Denny passed away in 2013, leaving a legacy of meticulously crafted pottery featured in collections across the Southwest and documented in key references like Gregory Schaaf's Pueblo Indian Pottery: 750 Artist Biographies, where his contributions to Santa Clara's blackware tradition are chronicled.
Condition:
Excellent
Tribe:
Santa Clara
Year Range:
2000 - Current
Region:
Southwest
Dimensions:
3.38 in3.38 in
Category:
Pottery Bowls and Jars Post 1940
