Ambrose Atencio is a Santo Domingo potter who is in his forties. He is a regular exhibitor at Santa Fe's Indian Market and a very prolific potter. We find him to be one of the most compelling potter's from Santo Domingo Pueblo. His work is technically accomplished and his style is very traditional with evolving aspects specific to his search for mastery. He often paints birds, florals and geometrics. He is known for his thin slips which permit a translucence at the surface of his pots so that, depending on the light, the red clay foundation is perceived to greater or lesser degree. A photograph of Ambrose and an examples of his work are shown on page 59 of Dr. Gregory Schaaf's book Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2,000 Artist Biographies.

This is a high-walled bowl with with a lip. Ambrose used a very thin white slip almost like paint to create a wash on this surface prior to painting. Part of the magic of his most recent pots is this light slip and lightly applied paint which allows depths of the various layers of clay and paint to interact. His painting doesn't cover the clay so much as it complements the clay and the red earth interacts with the painting. These are very warm colors done on a nicely shaped vessel. The dark brown to black paint is from wild spinach, the orange paint is natural mineral paint.

This is a hand-coiled vessel made from clay gathered in a traditional manner at Santo Domingo Pueblo. Signed "Ambrose Atencio", "Kewa" (Santo Domingo Pueblo) and dated "2004".
 
                           Height: 7 1/4"          Diameter: 10 1/4"          Opening: 9 1/8"

                           Largest girth: 32 1/2"          Bottom: 6" diameter

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