Collection: Dr. Edwin Wade Southwest Pueblo Pottery Collection

Probably the most distinguishing characteristic of Southwest pueblo pottery are the coils. Clay Coil pots are built entirely by hand. They are never being thrown on a wheel. Many believe that using a wheel takes away from the artistic aspect, making it "too perfect". Small pots and figurines can simply be pinched out of small balls of clay, but anything larger must have a base called a puki, to support the rest of the pot. Once the puki is formed, usually from a bowl or pie tin, the Potter takes the first coil of moist clay and presses it against the inside wall of the round base. Each coil is added one by one, each being about an inch in diameter. The potter must constantly knead the clay to relinquish all air bubbles that would cause problems when firing. After a pot has been created, the artist refines the pot as they see fit. Pueblo Potters have long used pot sherds or pieces of gourd rind for scraping. Today potters use pieces of coconut shell, discarded eyeglass lenses, wooden spoons, the tops from candy and tobacco tins or most anything that will achieve the desired result to shape the new pot.

Thin walled handmade Southwest Pueblo Pottery is a sign of an artist's skill. Some potters strive for thinner and thinner walls, while others prefer thicker more sustainable walled pottery. Concerning the coils... scraping will remove almost all evidence of the clay coils. However, some artists prefer corrugated pottery and leave every coil visible and even decorate them.