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 to 1980); Santa Clara artists Margaret Tafoya (1904 to 2001), LuAnn Tafoya (b. 1938), and Stephanie Tafoya (b. 1991); Acoma potters Emma Lewis Mitchell (1931 to 2013) and Dorothy Torivio (1946 to 2011); and Hopi-Tewa artist Iris Youvella Nampeyo (1944 to 2018), among others. The potent vein of creativity defining the Pueblo pottery tradition extends to the present day through many centuries, communities, and families.

The exhibition is part of the museum’s multi-faceted participation in Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, an initiative of Craft in America.