Highlight of the Month

The Highlight of the Month program at The Indian Craft Shop focuses on a particular craft area, region or artist family/group. Our aim is to illustrate the diversity of tribal groups and the wide variety of artistic expressions and traditions in the country today.

Mary Small
January 2002

Mary Small

We are excited about highlighting Mary Small (Jemez Pueblo) as our Artist of the Month for both January and February. From the age of 8, Mary helped her mother make pottery and weave yucca baskets. Today, she is one of the leading potters from the Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico. In 2002, she adds the title of Indian Arts and Crafts Association Artist of the Year to her other honors and awards from the Santa Fe Indian Market, Eight Northern Pueblos Indian Arts Show, the Heard Museum Art Show and many others.

Mary has become well known for her clay slip glazes, especially the delicate matte gray that has become a trademark of her pots. The gray glaze is made from the Rocky Mountain bee plant that is boiled down into a sticky pigment and then mixed with the white clay. Mary's pottery is often the traditional jar shapes, taking on a unique look with her signature slips and an occasional turquoise stone setting. A one-page artist profile on Mary is available at the Shop.