Robert Tenorio (b. 1950) of Kewa Pueblo (Santo Domingo), New Mexico is one of the foremost Pueblo potters working today and has played an extremely important role in reviving and bringing attention to the legacy of Kewa pottery. He first learned the fundamentals of working with clay at the age of ten from family members, including his grandmother Andrea Ortiz. Today he is known for his polychrome pots created in the traditional Santo Domingo style, which typically features a red base and red interior and black designs painted on a buff background. All of Robert’s pots are constructed by hand using the traditional coil method and fired outdoors in an open kiln using cottonwood bark as fuel. His pigments are also created from natural organic materials, including Rocky Mountain beeweed. Robert studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) and has won numerous awards at Santa Fe Indian Market and other prestigious Native arts shows.
Robert shares that the inspiration for this particular piece comes from when he was a young boy living in the Pueblo and would watch the train pass through.
It measures 5.5″ w by 4.” h. Signed “Robert Tenorio Kewa N.M.” on the exterior bottom and has a handprint stamped on the interior bottom.