Jemez Incised Pottery

Glendora Fragua is the daughter of Juanita Fragua who is best known for her beautiful melon bowls.  Glendora specializes in highly detailed, incised sgrafito pottery.  After firing, she carves her designs using sharp knives, exposing the clay body underneath the slipped surface.  Glendora welcomes challenge and is always coming up with many designs that are very different, compared to most Jemez pottery.  In 1997, Glendora won "Best of Pottery" at the Gallup Indian Ceremonial and is considered the finest creator of Jemez incised pottery.  

Glendora is part of a very talented family, with her sister and brother both being artists.  Her sister, B. J. Fragua makes pottery and her brother Cliff is an accomplished sculptor, working in marble and bronze.

Jemez Pueblo is located fifty miles northwest of Albuquerque and dates back to 1703.  The  pueblo has been relocated several times and for three centuries, the Jemez people fought the Spanish to finally settle where they are now.  Glendora digs all of her clay from the Jemez reservation, where the family also digs a black mineral from the earth, which is used for black slip.  They use this mineral instead of wild spinach, as many others potters do.  The majority of the clay is a soft gray color, which when fired turns a beautiful buff color.  Glendora uses a yellow clay, mixed with water as a slip that when fired turns a beautiful dark red.  

This particular pot has a tall, vase-like shape, with the sgrafito encompassing the entire surface of the pot.  The main design, encircling the equator of the pot features three Mimbres lizards, in black, surrounded by a myriad of geometric stylized designs.  There is a single zigzag band  encircling the bottom of the pot, in black and outlined by the incising.  The exposed natural tan clay makes for an excellent contrast to the black and red slips.  

The lizards and all of the designs are perfectly carved, and the incising is extremely well done.  Another fine detail are the turquoise cabochons, inset into the center of the lizards that lend a certain elegance to the pot.  The pot is absolutely stunning to look at, and amazing to think of all the work that went into the making of the piece.  The opening is highly polished and features a scalloped incised line that encircles the opening.  All three lizards have different stylized symbols painted onto their backs. 

Another feature is the 
addition of the beautiful lid.  The lid represents either clouds or Kiva steps.  The lid fits very well and really finishes the pot off nicely.  The edge of the lid is very thin and has a stopper like shape on the bottom.

Glendora is featured in several books and publications, including "Pueblo Pottery Families" by Lillian Peaster on pages 61-64, in "Southwestern Pottery from Anasazi to Zuni" on pages 82-84.  In "Southwestern Pottery", it is stated that "Glendora Daubs (Fragua) and her sister B. J.  Fragua rank at the top of the ladder among Jemez potters."  

The Fraguas are members of the Corn Clan and will usually try to incorporate a corn symbol in all of their work.  Glendora signs her pottery with a corn plant symbol and two vertical rows of dots on each side of the corn plant.