![A monumental and ornate blackware vessel by Margaret Tafoya attained $16,000 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2018 at Cowan’s Auctions.](https://www.liveauctioneers.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ornate-carving-1030x1030.jpg)
NEW YORK — Santa Clara blackware pottery is renowned for its sleek and nearly metallic black finish that is typically carved with Native American imagery or geometric elements. Pueblo potters in this region of New Mexico, particularly the Tafoya family, are well known for their handcrafted vessels, which traditionally have been made by girls and women. A few men potters, however, have seen their work perform well at auction, and have become more well known in recent decades, including Joseph Lonewolf, Nathan Martinez, Greg Garcia, and Jerry Sisneros.