Santo Domingo Pueblo Pottery By Robert Tenorio

Late 20th Century

 6.875" H x 6.25" D

From a Private Colorado Collection

Excellent Condition

Native Clay with Painted Black and Orange Geometric Patterns with Birds and Flowers and 2 Handles with Holes and Leather Handle Tied to the Holes. Has a Red Second Place Ribbon Award

Robert Tenorio, born December 29, 1950, is a renowned potter from Kewa Pueblo (Santo Domingo), New Mexico, celebrated for his role in reviving traditional Santo Domingo pottery. He began working with clay at age 10, learning from his grandmother Andrea Ortiz, great-aunt Lupe Tenorio, and later from Otellie Loloma at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe. His work is characterized by traditional hand-coiled techniques, using native clays and natural pigments like Rocky Mountain beeweed for black paint and green bentonite clay from Cochiti Pueblo for cream slip. His pottery often features a red base and interior with black geometric, floral, or animal designs (like birds, deer, or fish) on a buff background, reflecting centuries-old Santo Domingo styles.
He signs his work “Robert Tenorio, KEWA, N.M.,” sometimes with a small dipper star formation, and fires his pottery outdoors using cottonwood bark. Tenorio is known for experimenting with traditional firing methods and plant-based pigments to recreate historic black colors. His work blends reverence for Kewa heritage with innovative designs, making him one of the finest potters of the 20th century.