Santa Clara Pottery Today (Monograph Series - School of American Research, No. 29)

Santa Clara Pottery Today combines extensive historical research with the interviews granted by three Santa Clara potters. During the interviews, the author recorded and photographed each step—from clay pit to market—in the making of contemporary Santa Clara pottery. Collecting and preparing the clay, making slips and paints, modeling various kinds of vessels, sanding, smoothing, slipping, polishing, decorating, firing—all are described and illustrated so thoroughly that the reader can experiment with the Santa Clara techniques himself if he wishes.

Drawing on a variety of published and unpublished sources, the author also provides background on the evolution of Santa Clara pottery and identifies changes that have occurred in materials and techniques.