Mat-zwart-op-glanzend-zwart potje.<BR> <BR> SANTO DOMINGO<BR> <BR> Pottery production at Santo Domingo has continued relatively unchanged since prehistoric times, and was for local use only. Even the arrival of the railroad and the opening of a station had little impact. Characteristic are the bowls and ollas with their stylized motif-repeating decoration in black on a cream body with a redbrown base, known as Kiua Polychrome. In addition to this geometric style, a polychrome style developed which made use of naturalistic motifs of animals and plants, freely applied across the vessels' body.<BR> <BR> Julius Seligman of the Bernalillo Mercantile Company urged potters to develop more popular styles, and two Aguilar sister and a sister-in-law began producing vessels in the Kiua Polychrome style from around 1910 but with the geometric motifs in black and red covering almost the whole body, resulting in the distinctive Aguilar style pottery. In the 1930s the innovative blackware was adopted from Santa Clara but its quality never reached that of its neighbours. Monica Silva from Santa Clara settled in Santo Domingo and became one of the finest potters, working in the adopted decorative style. Santana Melchor became a most prominent potter and established a dynasty that has remained active untill today.<BR> <BR> Pottery production decreaded in quality and quantity after World War II, and since 1970 at Santo Domingo people increasingly specialized in the production of jewelry as the market soared in the hippy and flower power era.<BR> <BR> Robert Tenorio, a former student at the Institute of American Indian Arts, is an outstanding Santo Domingo potter who sells his work from his home. Captivating are his large vessels in the Aguilar style. Alvina Garcia who is represented in the Leiden collection makes traditional style pottery decorated with various repeating floral and naturalistic motifs.<BR> <BR> Santo Domingo's reputation as a pueblo producing arts and crafts is more based on its jewelry, mostly necklaces using silver and many varieties of colorful stones in various shapes, than its pottery. The patron saint's feast day on August 4 is celebrated with a Corn Dance. The restored church is also worth a visit. The pueblo has a visitor center near the highway where pottery and other crafts can be purchased. In the summertime the center is surrounded by booths where local artisans offer their work for sale, pricipally necklaces in a variety of styles and media. On the Labor Day weekend a special arts and crafts market welcomes visitors.<BR> <BR> (Hovens 2002)