Pueblo Pottery -- "Black Storage Jar"(p.8) -- Creating innovation by returning to and rediscovering the old traditions of production The ancient art of pottery of the Native American people is not a static thing -- rather it is a living and breathing art form. It is part of a craft that was vital to the tribal livelihood in ages past, and is a vital part of tourism in Native American reservation life, as people from as far as Detroit and other cities and nations come to the Pueblo reservations to purchase the pottery, witness how it is made, and meet with legendary craftsmen and women of the Pueblo...

She was legendary amongst her people for her ability to incorporate important practical artistic innovations into the craft of pottery making. This enabled different shades of black, particularly shiny black, to become part of the currently produced pottery works, as well as for these colors to merely exist in archeological history. Maria learned the basics of the craft of pottery making within the context of her tribe in the 1890's.…