Acoma Pueblo, is located high atop a beautiful sandstone mesa. It is also known as "Sky City". The mesa top location afforded the residents protection from enemies and a beautiful vantage point. Maybe this partly explains the beauty of their designs. Acoma design is heavily influenced by the animals and plants in the natural world and their religious traditions. Contemporary potters like the late Lucy Lewis and her surviving daughters and grandchildren have taken the technique of painting fine lines on the pottery surface using a brush made from a yucca leaf to new heights. The contemporary designs includes intricate geometric markings which intersect and divide the surface. Some artists also add organic forms, to create a beautiful interplay of design and form. Acoma potters have long been admired for the thin walls of their pottery, and the regular, balanced shapes they take. Several Acoma potters working through the Zuni school system, helped the Zunis re-establish their fine pottery traditions, as well. Like Acoma pottery, Zuni pottery is unusually finely formed, thin walled, and very strong. The decoration styles are slightly different, but do share some common designs, such as the"house of the deer".

Like most Pueblo potters, individual families may protect the source of their clay, or it may be considered common property. Acoma Pueblo potters, for many years made a long, difficult trip to the source of their white slipping clay, which had to be dug out by hand. The dried clay layer was so hard it had to be dug out with picks and other sharp prying tools, then loaded and carried back to the home. This source is now much diminished, so other sources are being sought. The clays used for the body of the pots may come from other sources, many miles apart. When a batch is needed, it must be broken up, moistened, and carefully separated from naturally ocurring rocks and organics such as twigs or roots.The entire process is very time consuming and very physically demanding. As a result, the price paid for a traditionally made pot rarely is the sole compensation for all of the work and love which went into its creation. Most potters see their work as an important creative expression of their love for their traditions and their people. It is important to them that their pots go "to good homes", like yours!