Pueblo of Tesuque (Te Tsu Geh Oweenge)
Just ten miles from Santa Fe, artists from Tesuque Pueblo have sold their work there for centuries. In the early years, pottery was sold to Santa Fe households, and since the 19th century, arts and crafts have been sold to merchants who, in turn, sold them on to tourists visiting the Southwest. The items made for tourist sale were made to appeal to the visitors and be easily transportable back home, hence, the pottery forms and sizes changed from the larger utilitarian ollas and bowls made for personal use to small pitchers, vases and jars for the collector to take back home as souvenirs of Indian Country.
Tesuque Potters produced beautiful examples of Polychrome pottery prior to 1890, but rapidly slipped into producing garish tourist wares after that time. They made small jars and animal figurines and painted them in multi-colors after the firing process. They also made thousands of Tesuque Rain God figurines for the tourist market. Serious production of their earlier beautiful pottery never resumed – even after an attempt by some potters in the 1940’s and some potters still make Rain God figurines – a figurative shape that has never been duplicated by any other Pueblo. Today, however, there are many fine artists at Tesuque Pueblo creating pottery, paintings and sculpture. Silverwork and traditional clothing are also made at the pueblo.
For Directions, information about hours, admission fees and programs go to: https://www.tesuquepueblo.org/