Native American Pottery for the Home

Home decorating has become truly a matter of taste. With the exception of those redoing a period room, most people simply go with what they like. Color schemes and period themes have given way to eclectic tastes. This is also true when people choose the all important accessories for their rooms. They do not give enough thought to the overall context of the room and how the accent piece will fit in. This is especially true when people purchase pottery accent pieces. There are no hard and fast decorating rules anymore, but there are in general three types of pottery that will work in most decors. They are not interchangeable. They reflect the traditional, rustic, or contemporary bent of the decorator.

A distinctive accent piece of pottery can bring the color scheme in a room together. It can truly be an accent piece or a focal point of a particular corner or display case in a room.

Native American Pottery

A Zuni pot will be out of place in a home that is trying to present the feel of an English cottage. Native American pottery fits in homes that have a South Western feel or even an arts and craft theme. Native American pottery is perfect for the decorator with rustic taste. It is fine to have wedge wood in your dining room and rustic Navajo in your outdoorsy or even modern family room.

Remember if the focus of your room is your collection of pottery from different pueblos then focus you furniture and other accent pieces around the collection. You display should not look like an afterthought. Native Americans practiced the art of pottery making for thousands of years. Place valuable antique Native American pottery out of the way of the hassle and bustle of the house put still in a place it can be seen and appreciated by visitors in your home. I
f you collect Native American Pottery when you travel, place modern made pieces in different areas of your house along with other art and photographs that reflect the origins of that specific piece of pottery.

If you have never collected Native American Pottery familiarize yourself with the look of different artists by looking at Native American pottery online. There are also several good books on the subject by which you can learn the difference between antique, vintage, and modern Native American pottery. Join a group of collectors at your local Indian Art museum if you have one or a group of collectors online.

If you can plan a vacation to Arizona or New Mexico, in both places you can visit pueblos where much of the newer Native American pottery is made. Many times these places will include a cultural center that shows the work of local artiest. This is the best place to purchase and find accent pieces that compliment your modern Native American pottery. If you community has local paw wows open to the public you may be able to find Native American pottery that is indigenous to your area.

Sometimes it is cheaper to buy pottery from the artist directly. Look for the business cards of the artist in the tourist shop that is selling their pottery. Expect to pay more for pots that are hand thrown and not produced by mold. You can purchase a number of different types of Native American pottery ollas, bowls, seed pots, traditional wedding vases, and figures of animals...

The more you learn about Native American pottery the more you will know about Native American culture. This makes this type of pottery collection a chance to educate your children about cultures that they do not learn a great deal about in school. So make looking for the perfect Native American wedding vase a family project.

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