For more than two millennia, Pueblo potters living in the southwestern region of North America have created clay jars and bowls for storage and ceremonial purposes. Women makers are at the forefront of this work, imparting their knowledge and practice to their daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, nieces, and other family members.

In 1998, the National Museum of Women in the Arts organized the first museum survey dedicated to women Pueblo potters. Burnished marks the first time that NMWA’s pottery collection is presented in a focus exhibition. In addition to sharing brand-new acquisitions, the presentation features long-time favorites, many donated by NMWA’s founders Wilhelmina Cole Holladay and Wallace F. Holladay. Reflecting the couple’s commitment to supporting women artists, this exhibition also includes works from the collection of their son Hap Holladay, who carries on his parents’ advocacy for women in this dynamic art form.

The twenty-four clay vessels in this exhibition reflect the diverse traditions and material cultures across Pueblo communities. Featured artists include San Ildefonso potter Maria Martinez (1887–1980); Santa Clara artists Margaret Tafoya (1904–2001), LuAnn Tafoya (b. 1938), and Stephanie Tafoya (b. 1991); Acoma potters Emma Lewis Mitchell (1931–2013) and Dorothy Torivio (1946–2011); and Hopi-Tewa artist Iris Youvella Nampeyo (1944–2018), among others. The potent vein of creativity defining the Pueblo pottery tradition extends to the present day through many centuries, communities, and families.