James L Bowen on thu 17 feb 00
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A place NCECA bound potters should consider visiting is the Koshare Indian
Museum in La Junta, Co. La Junta is 65 miles East of Pueblo Co on Hwy 50.
Probably a two hour drive from Denver. Easy for those coming from the south =
on
I-25 or from the East or Southeast on Hwy 50 or Hwy 287. They have an =
excellent
pottery collection with strong representation in old and mid 20th century =
pots.
We drove down Tuesday and were given the tour by the Director of =
collections.
What a surprise. Seven or eight Maria Martinez pots, several Margaret =
Tafoya, a
terrific Nampeyo group, many Anasazi pieces and the most large old pueblo
polychrome pots I have seen. Ask to be shown the large pots that were sadly
converted to lighting devices. I have been to the Denver and Colorado =
Springs
museums and there are more and better Southwestern pots here. The collector
that created this collection was friends with many of the pueblo potters and
artists. Then there is the other Indian art and artifacts. From their flier
=22This outstanding collection contains artwork from seven of the original =
Taos
Founders artists: Oscar berninghaus, Bert Phillips, E I Couse, Joseph Henry
Sharp, E. Martin Hennings, E L Blumenschein, W Herbert =22Buck=22 Denton. =
Work by
other notable artists include Woody Crumbo, Joseph Imhoff, Clayton Staples,
Thomas E Mails, Ernesto Zepeda, Arthur Merril and Ila Macafee Turner. The
collection also features a selection of pottery, beadwork,
quillwork,instruments, and jewelry from a variety of Native American tribes =
and
boasts work by such renowned potters as Maria Martinez of San Ildefonso =
Pueblo
and the Nampeyo family of Hopi First Mesa=22. I saw also a strong Santo =
Domingo
pottery group and some huge Santa Clara ollas. Also a nice group of old
Santeros and many frames of arrow and spear points from all over the area. =
You
can contact Jo Kent the collections manager at 800-693-KIVA or 719-384-8836
Email jo.kent=40ojc.cccoes.edu. Nearby is Bents Old Fort and this is well =
worth
the time to see for anyone interested in frontier life on the Santa Fe =
Trail.
The founder of the Koshare museum started collecting in the 1920's. Jo Kent
told me if a group of say eight or more were intersted in viewing parts of =
the
collection in storage (not on display for lack of space) she would be glad =
to
oblige. Cost of admission =242.00 .
Dale McDonell on mon 21 feb 00
I have always found the Koshare museum to be one of the most inspiring places
to visit .It is actually possible to feel the beauty of the spirit of the
potters from some century ago.I happen to live about 10 miles as the eagle
flies from there so of course I needed to addend some input.Firstly,the drive
from Denver is approximately 4 NOT 2 hours.I also feel that it is important
to mention the name of Buck Burshears,who was the person who personally knew
not only the potters but also the artists of the "school" of the DH Lawrence
/Taos/Santa Fe.And more importantly purchased their art.I doubt that anyone
of us would visit the Koshare museum without feeling as if we had discovered
an unburied treasure.I hope to meet at the conference in the BIG TOWN
DENVER,fromDale McDonell on the plains of SE CO:flat as a pancake and brown
as a turd
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