Santo Domingo Pottery
Kewa Pueblo (formerly Santo Domingo Pueblo) is one of the best known tribes of the Southwest Indians, largely because of the expertise demonstrated in marketing their crafts. The Pueblo is fifth in population of the nineteen New Mexico Pueblos, and is largely considered the most conservative in terms of customs and culture.
Santo Domingo pottery can be distinguished by its buff colored clay, cream slip, and dark black geometric designs. The elastic clay at Santo Domingo lends itself to large forms such as storage jars, dough bowls, and large ollas. The designs are mainly geometric with particular attention to the negative spaces. Occasionally we also see elaborate bird motifs and even polychrome designs. What makes Santo Domingo pottery so unique and remarkable, however, is the ways in which artists create the vessel’s appearance. Many Pueblos use a stone-finish technique to give their pieces a polished gloss, but Santo Domingo artists use an egg white finish to achieve a glossy sheen. The pottery of this pueblo is strictly traditional, reproducing with care, the ancient forms and decorations.
The Santo Domingo Pueblo is located approximately midway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, on the banks of the Rio Grande.
