Generations in Native style
Chimayó Trading features Maria Martinez and Martha Appleleaf
THE SAN ILDEFONSO PUEBLO, north of Santa Fe, is home for San Ildefonso pottery, one of the most famous known art forms of the New Mexico Pueblos. Maria Martinez (18871980), the most influential Native potter of the 1900s, and her grandniece Martha Appleleaf are from the San Ildefonso Pueblo.
Appleleaf’s mother, Carmelita Dunlap, the niece of Maria Martinez, was considered Maria’s last direct protégé. Appleleaf learned how to make pottery from her mother, and won many first place ribbons at the Santa Fe Indian Market. Her pottery aesthetics are sometimes compared to Maria’s, which she is proud of, but is careful not to use her connection to the famous potter in her own work. “I am my own woman.”
Both women’s works are in museums and private collections all over the world. And you’ll find both of these women’s work at Chimayo Trading Del Norte.
Gallery owner Gabriel Abrums said Martha Appleleaf was one of three artists who convinced him he could carry on the family business from his father. “She made me feel the value in the relationships forged over time with native artists and inspired me to continue the tradition of embracing their craft. I see my role as a steward of the Northern New Mexico creative traditions, part of the circle from artist to the public. Most artists are not good at promoting themselves, Chimayo fills that role for them with integrity, and respect for their work and a commitment to preservation of their history.”
Abrums said the history of the black on black pottery began after New Mexico archaeologist Dr. Edgar Hewett found some 17th century black pottery shards while excavating the Bandelier dwellings in 1908. He asked Maria Martinez, who was already an established potter, to help revive this style of pottery. After many experiments, Maria and her husband, Julian Martinez, developed a technique using a reduction firing process which “starves the fire of oxygen and deprives the clay of its iron. In the presence of no oxygen the red clay turns to black.”
Abrums said he knows the work of his potters by the shapes they gravitate to, not by the designs on the surface of the work. Maria made her pots, but her husband painted them. After her husband’s death, she worked with her sons, Popovi Da and Adam, and her daughterin-law, Santana. Signatures help date the work. The oldest pieces by Maria and Julian are unsigned, 1918-1923. Once she gained recognition, 1923-1925 she signed the work, “Marie.” After that, “Marie + Julian” became the official signature until his death in 1943.
When her family began helping with collecting clay, firing and surface decoration, the new signature became “Marie + Santana” and for 30 years she also signed “Marie.” Once her son, Popovi Da began working alongside her, she referred to herself as “Maria” and in 1953 “Maria/Popovi.” When she worked alone she used her maiden name, “Maria Poveka.” Those pots were always undecorated, just polished.
Martha Appleleaf, like her aunt Maria, is also experimental. Following the black-on-black aesthetic, she created her signature green on black painting with a green clay slip, which has a very subtle green coloration after the firing and a gunmetal like sheen to it. Today she continues to create award winning pottery with traditional design and continues to do both black-on-black, classic red pottery and polychrome and modern styles.
She enjoys teaching others by doing rather than talking and refers to the clay as the clay mother, to be respected, not played with. She has two sons, five grandkids and 4 great-grandkids, “I tell my children, you don’t play with clay mother, you make something, and be grateful that she has allowed us to make her beautiful, and provide for you.”
Appleleaf said if there was one word to describe her great aunt Maria Martinez, it would be patience. “I never saw or heard her raise her voice or get angry. She was very patient and calming to those around her. She was already famous when I was around 8 years old. Maria was very generous with everyone in her family. We all learned and were inspired by her.”
Chimayo Trading Del Norte has several pieces from Maria Martinez and Martha Appleleaf in their gallery, including a recent acquisition of Maria’s pots from a private collector with rare pieces from different stages in her creative life.
For visual details of both potters’ work, visit the Chimayo website chimayotrading.com or visit the gallery next to San Francisco de Asís Mission Church, a historic and architecturally significant building on the main plaza of Ranchos de Taos.