Unknown San Ildefonso Pueblo

Native American

Blue Corn aka Crucita Calabaza

Native American
(1920–1999)

Bowl
Date unknown

Earthenware
2 x 12.25 x 12.25 in.
Museum Permanent Collection
1984.1459

Blue Corn’s Bowl is a blackware reduction-fired vessel with an intricate incised design of the eight-legged water serpent Avanyu. Corn used experimental approaches to both clays and glazes but is known best for her highly polished slip. Also known by the name Crucita Gonzalez
Calabaza, Blue Corn was a San Ildefonso Pueblo potter, who learned pottery making from her grandmother. Along with María and Juan Martinez, she is a key figure in revitalizing lost San Ildefonso Pueblo ceramic techniques. While the Martinezes gained fame for their blackware, Blue Corn reintroduced San Ildefonso polychrome techniques.

Blue Corn attended the Santa Fe Indian School. She is the recipient of the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts Lifetime Achievement Award and the Governor’s Award of New Mexico.

Matthew Limb

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This object has the following keywords:

• black
• bowl
• Native American

This object was included in the following exhibitions:

• Ceramics Case 5: Native American , 1/9/2012 - 7/20/2012
• Better Days 2020: Native American Pottery , 5/25/2019 - 12/19/2020
• SC Fall 24 - Native American Ceramics of the Southwest , 8/13/2024 - 5/2/2025

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