Acoma pottery and Laguna pottery are traditionally known for graceful, thinned-walled vessels with intricate painted geometric designs. The slate-like clay found in the region is fine but strong, allowing the potters to produce elegant pottery that is highly prized by collectors. Contemporary potters from these pueblos, especially those from Acoma Pueblo, have taken Acoma design aesthetic to extraordinary heights, painting ornate designs that are precisely engineered to change in proportion to the shape of the pot or vessel. Noted Contemporary Acoma potters include Adrian Trujillo, Franklin Peters, and Sandra Victorino. Contemporary Laguna potters include Calvin Analla, Jr., Gladys Paquin, and Thomas Natseway.
I had the pleasure of interviewing the contemporary artist Marla Allison on Art Dealer Diaries. Marla Allison has been a lot of different places and imbues this life experience into her art, with her heritage and sensibilities of historic pueblo pottery designs with a contemporary style.