The Clay form as a canvas for images

This post deals with the question about describing a technique or process I have worked with this quarter.  I want to talk about the Mata Ortiz/Casas Grandes pottery and the unique way the ancient SW natives (and their North central Mexican relatives).  Here is an example:

This is an earthenware pot around 10" X 10" which is covered with a white slip and the design is painted over the top.  I'm guessing it is low fired with natural slips and stains.  This pot is typical of the surface designs in this area around 1000 AD.  Now let's look at what developed from this form a few hundred years later: 

what was one color over the white slip surface has become a true "Polychrome" with black and red slips over the surface in very interesting designs.  Looks easy enough, but it proves to be more of a practical problem in application. 

I reviewed the Mata Ortiz shards of a local artist and discovered that they are is truly very thin, and the white slip covering is relatively uniform. The lips of the pots were a bit thicker, indicating that they actually used these paintings some for (possible) practical uses.  They could also have been used for burials or other ceremonials?  Basically, todays archaeologists have no real idea what the utilitarian nature of this stuff is? 

In trying first to create suitable jars for slip covering/design application, I discovered that slips are much harder to apply when the slip surface is burnished.  For this reason I have tried sanding it to achieve a smooth surface.  It seems it is best to bisque the pot and then sand it with water to avoid dust.  Of course, the natives, working outside, would not have been particularly concerned with dust. Also, doubtful if they had high quality sand paper? 

After making a few of these jars (between 10" and 12" diameter) it is my guess that there was some specialization going on.  It seems that creating these stone canvasas in 1100 AD would have requaired pot builders specializing in the high quality displayed here AND specialized surface decorators.  I suppose in a primitive studio an artist could construct and fire a couple of jars.  I once visited Choco Canyon, NM and judging by the sheer volume of shards, that the natives either broke a lot of pots, or were unconcerned with having to replace these pots frequently.  Some areas are literally paved with shards. 

Back to process.  First of all, lead pencil marks completely disappear when fired to cone 06.  Also a wood fired kiln would have required a very tight fitting sager for firing this clean.  The application of a consistent red slip would also have required much cultural continuity in the pottery trade. I have no idea what the design painters were thinking when they did these surface embellishments.  They seem almost humorous and current, more like something from cubism.  

Also, the artistic talent required to get this detail with hand made slips and hand made brushes is truly amazing.  The consistency of line and form on these surfaces is incredably difficult to achieve, particularly on a three deminsional surface.  I don't see any crowding or compromise with the form so planning must have been parimount.  

Here we are back at a black slip on white body, with a bit of red color on the pot lip.  The reds, from pot to pot, vary from almost yellow to almost orange, and always a bit redder than is possible with just red iron oxide.  I am guessing specialists mined and processed these slips for the artists. 

Bowls were more common at the earlier phases of this ceramic era. With bowls the primary designs were inside the bowl.  I'm guessing this was one step in the evolution of the "surface for design" tradition.  Cooking in these utinsels would have resulted in smoke blacking, which is uncommon with the pieces I have seen photographed. 

Another bowl interior

and a fanciful figure jar.  Aside from the primitive characterization, these figurines are surprisingly lifelike and expressive, suggesting individual representations.

Naturally, like myself, other modern potters have been impressed with the ancient tradition of SW polychrome and tried to replicate it on pottery. I show these successful, modern approaches, both to illustrate their success and to illustrate their lack of success.  They have replicated the technical intensity of the pieces, but are too perfect to capture the aliveness of the originals.  The edges are too perfect, the use of stencils is evident, and the colors are too uniform.  

check out the next piece for the contrast of new and old: 

and finally, here is a modern photo illustrating the setting in which the original pieces were made.  This is a thunderstorm taking place over a site near Casas Grandes.  

Are there other technique and process answers to gleen from the old pottery.  I'm guessing it will be very hard to  replicate their process and remain true to the present.  The modern potter has electric kilns and can thus avoid reduction firing.  They have a modern tradition of ceramic color supply houses to solve the problems of mineral stains.  And, practically anything can be painted on the 3D surface as long as the artist considers that all scenes fold back on themselves side to side and top to bottom.  I  hope to have a few pots to show in a future post around the middle of April.  Stay tuned.