Handmade Tigua Pottery signed Sun Design
The pottery is handmade by Albert Alvidrez, a member of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo-Tigua Indian Reservation. Each piece is individually created using either a slab, pinch pot, hand-coiled, or wheel-thrown technique. The process takes approximately three weeks from start to finish.
Each piece is made from either natural or commercial clays. These are the general steps used to create each pottery piece:
- Work the clay. Make it pliable and soft
- Form the pottery piece using slab, pinch, or coil techniques.
- Allow to naturally air dry
- Refine the piece by sanding or rubbing the piece to establish a smooth surface
- Clean the piece with a wet sponge
- Allow the piece to dry
- Begin the process of painting. Artists will use natural, commercial, or a combination of pigments. Note: the artist does not use any pencil outlines to develop the design. It is applied and created one brushstroke at a time. Each pottery piece will dictate its final look and characteristics.
- Allow the piece to dry and set
- Prepare the piece for firing. Firing can take place in either an open outdoor firing or using a commercial kiln
- Allow the piece to cool
- The pottery piece is born!
The piece is signed and will come with a certificate of authenticity. Ysleta del Sur Pueblo-Tigua Indian Reservation is the only Pueblo tribe located on the outskirts of El Paso, Texas. There are a select few Tigua tribal artists who make their pottery. Albert works with all three forms of pottery making: wheel, ceramic cast, and traditional hand-built pottery.
Ysleta del Sur Pueblo (Tigua), Sandia, Isleta, Taos and Picuris pueblos have the same Tiwa dialect.
Origin: Ysleta del Sur Pueblo-Tigua Indian Reservation