By Karen Cordova

Karen Cordova (see KarenCordovaPottery.com) specializes in micaceous pottery which is indigenous to Taos and Picuris Pueblos. Her work is traditionally made, hand coiled and pit fired and built from clay gathered from historic clay pits where native peoples have gathered clay for hundreds of years. The clay is soaked and strained before it can be worked then is coiled into shape.

Pots are fired in an open pit, where they are placed on a grate, then dry bark is built into a teepee shape around the pots and it is ignited from beneath. After being fired the pots are left to cool and the process is complete.

Karen’s familial roots run deep in Taos county, New Mexico, where family members have farmed for generations. Of Native American and Spanish decent, Karen lives in the small northern New Mexican Village, Llano San Juan, overlooking the Penasco Valley.

Karen has been awarded the title of New Mexico arts master potter and has participated in the master apprentice program aimed at preserving New Mexico traditional arts. Karen has been making pottery for twenty five years and has won many awards for her work.