A week with Nathan Youngblood - learning the basics of making Santa Clara pottery, and participating in Mark Tahbo's Hopi firing

I just had the great pleasure of attending Nathan Youngblood's week long, Idyllwild, CA course on Santa Clara pottery focusing on the distinctive black polished work with carved designs. Nathan guided us through all the traditional steps, methods, and techniques. Designing, hand-building using the coil technique, carving, slipping, and stone burnishing, The week culminated with a reduction firing for our newly made black ware. We also had the opportunity to visit Mark Tahbo's class in Hopi pottery and attend his firing.

After sixteen years in the business, and having several times had the honor of judging pottery at the Santa Fe and Heard Museum Indian Markets, this week of wonderful, practical experience made me even more appreciative of the efforts and skills brought to bear in making these exquisite pots. Every aspect of the process involves such high level skill, patience, and risk-taking. I struggled to simply draw a straight line on my pot to design it, and each step was more challenging than the last ! You can see my end result - a jar with a lip - in the photos above. Nathan also made a bowl for each of us to design, and mine - carved with a bird image and added mica beak and flowers - is also shown above. The best part is that it is signed by us both: NATHAN YOUNGBLOOD AND JILL GILLER. To all those artists who still make their pottery in the classic, old-style, traditional ways, I send my accolades and appreciation, Your soulfulness shows through.