Santa Clara Pottery By Marvin Moquino

Late 20th/Early 21st Century
3.75" H x 3.875" D
Black on Black Carved Pot with Water Serpent
From a Private Colorado Collection
Excellent Condition
Marvin Moquino is a potter from Santa Clara Pueblo, known for his traditional and contemporary pottery, often created alongside his wife, Delores Moquino. Taught by Marvin's father, Corn Moquino, they specialize in hand-coiled, thick-walled blackware pottery, featuring deep-carved designs and sgraffito etching, a technique where the surface is scratched to reveal intricate patterns. Their work includes traditional Santa Clara blackware vases, bowls, and jars, often adorned with motifs like the Avanyu (water serpent). For example, a 3 3/8" tall blackware vase by Marvin features a carved Avanyu and a polished, glass-like finish achieved through a wet stone polishing process. Marvin is part of a large family of potters, including his father, Corn, and siblings Bernice, Melvin, James, and Michael, all of whom learned the craft from Corn, a Zia-Hopi potter who married into Santa Clara and pioneered sgraffito techniques in the 1960s. Santa Clara Pueblo, located along the Rio Grande about 25 miles north of Santa Fe, is renowned for its pottery tradition, with the largest number of potters among the pueblos.