RUSSELL A. SANCHEZ (SAN ILDEFONSO)

At 12 years old, Russell A. Sanchez learned to make pottery from his great-aunt Rose Gonzales. His artwork utilizes the traditional techniques of hand-coiling, stone polishing and firing, but he continues to be an innovator. Sanchez experiments with color, form and material, and he is known for incising high-grade turquoise and heishi shell into his pieces.