Santa Clara Pueblo Red Clay Pottery By Gary Gutieriez

Late 20th Century

Nativity with Bear - 2.5" H x 3.875" L x 1.875" W - Babe in a Cradle - 1.25" H x 2.75" L x 1.625" W - Figure Maiden Prayer Posture - 3.25" H x 2.75" L x 2.5" W - Brave Figure Posture - 4.125" H x 2.25" L x 2" W

Hand Coiled from Local Red Clay of a Nativity with Bear, Babe in a Cradle, Figure Maiden Prayer Posture and Brave Figure Posture with Carved Matte Details

In Very Good Condition

Gary Gutierrez is a renowned potter from Santa Clara Pueblo (Tewa name: Kha'po Owingeh) in New Mexico, born in 1967. He comes from a prominent multi-generational pottery family and began working with clay at age 9, inspired by ancient Anasazi (Ancestral Puebloan) styles.

Gary specializes in hand-coiled figurines and vessels, often recreating what he calls "Anasazi-style" pieces. Santa Clara Pueblo is famous for its polished blackware (reduction-fired) and redware (oxidized-fired) pottery, frequently featuring deep carving (carved designs) or sgraffito (etched patterns). While Gary produces both black and red pieces, his works include carved red clay pottery, aligning with the pueblo's tradition of glossy red vessels with incised motifs like geometric patterns, animals, or symbolic elements (e.g., bear paws, avanyu water serpents).

Provenance:  From the Len and Toni Wood Private Collection, Laguna Beach, California