ration. In Maria’s case that surely holds true. A great artist is always recognized in his or her ability to see in different ways than the rest of the world and then translate that vision into a form for others to see and understand. It is this idea that defines an artist.As a young woman, Maria was known as the most skilled potter of her pueblo tribe. For this reason, an archaeologist asked her to recreate the original shapes of ancient black pots that he had excavated (Anthony ppPG). The challenge of the task took over the need to make new work or simply utilitarian work. It became her focal point of all her pottery work and effort. The work was an old style. One more labor intensive and eventually discarded. As with many other art forms, the original format is often considered less effective because it produces fewer actual pieces or the intended art. In reality, the tenacious effort applied in careful traditional processes allows the soul of the artist to infuse the artwork with the true intended meaning. It has been termed, “ black on Black” work. (Peterson 23)“Black on Black” sounds as though it may be an unimaginative concept, however, on the contrary it is truly subtle work, as a matte finish black surface is balanced and blended with a shiner, polychrome black. Could it be that the juxtaposition of the finishes serves as a metaphor for light in the darkness compared to flat darkness? Only Maria truly knows. It is almost as though a soft black is shadowed next to a bright one and the combination of both, create a piece visually greater that is the two finishes were to stand alone on two separate pieces. Therefore, what Maria has created in what at first seems to be a simple piece of ceramics, is actually a representation of her own views on spirituality and beauty (Peterson 37).By 1918, the years of effort, hard work, and dedication to their passion had paid off for Maria and her husba...
