Opening on October 24—the same day King Galleries opened in 1996 in Scottsdale, Arizona—is the 30th Anniversary and Show Celebration. For this special showcase, the gallery has asked a variety of gallery artists to create new works for collectors. Owner Charles S. King revels in 30 years of success alongside many of the same artists who have been with the gallery since its opening.

Autumn Borts-Medlock (Santa Clara Pueblo), Potters at Pot Creek, native clay and native clay slips

 

“From the beginning, I wanted the gallery to celebrate important Native American pottery as great American art,” says King. “I have had the opportunity to work with all the great Native potters of the past 30 years, and to see that the art form is not just alive, but vibrant. It’s an exciting moment to celebrate the success of these artists in the art world and anticipate where many of them will be in the next 30 years.”

King loves history and research and has had the opportunity to write about Native American potters including Margaret Tafoya and Tony Da. “Understanding the evolution of this art form is amazing and speaks to the future of where the art is going,” King adds. “It is dynamic and exciting and continually changing.”

Sergio Lugo (Santa Clara Pueblo), Terrace, native clay, traditionally fired

 

Russell Sanchez (San Ildefonso), Red Bear with Inset Stones, clay.

 

Vessels on display include Santa Clara potter Autumn Borts-Medlock’s piece Potters at Pot Creek. “This vase is hand coiled with clay I dig and process myself just like the potters over a century ago had done,” says the artist. “[This piece] had been on my mind for many years until I finally decided to make it so. I dressed up my daughter, Rochelle Jewel, in a traditional dress made by my mother, Linda Cain, and we walked down to the creek for a photoshoot emulation of what I imagined it would be like going to collect water for the villagers.”

Borts-Medlock continues, “My carving skills have been elaborated on by creating depth of field in the layers of carved designs of clouds and cliffs, then adding birds or insects in flight. I like animal imagery blended with bold flowers. And now, I’m incorporating the feminine imagery into my designs, [along with] the connection between them and the clay.”

Jared Tso (Navajo (Diné)), The Blanket, native clay, traditionally fired

 

Nancy Youngblood (Santa Clara Pueblo), 32-Rib Swirl Melon Bowl and 16-Rib “S” Swirl Melon, clay.

 

Santa Clara potter Sergio Lugo, recent best of show winner at Santa Fe Indian Market, will show his piece Terrace, set with many angled pieces, also made of clay that Lugo digs himself. “This piece in particular was so difficult to shape and carve,” he notes, “and I had to spend so much time sanding and carving to make the whole piece look consistent from top to bottom. I have been experimenting with these pillar-like carvings that stick up above the piece to give them more dimension. This piece also has three layers of carving, which requires the piece to be built quite thick. It is deeply carved with a series of terrace or cloud designs.”

Also available is work by Russell Sanchez (San Ildefonso), known for his highly polished pottery that is inset with stones after the firing. His bear pieces, like the impeccable Red Bear with Inset Stones, are some of the artist’s favorite, but are also the most difficult to make. “They are coil-built and more of them don’t survive the making or firing process than make it through,” he says. “The large ones, like this red bear, are a rarity. I wanted to keep this bear simple, letting the color of the clay speak for itself. All the stones are added after the firing, which is a time-consuming process.”

Tammy Garcia (Santa Clara Pueblo), Chaco Canyon Water Jar, native clay and native clay slips

 

Overall, King is “honored to have a brief moment in the world of Native American pottery and see it welcomed on the world stage.” Join the celebration at the opening of the show on October 24, at the gallery’s Scottsdale, Arizona, location. —

King Galleries
Opens October 24, 2026
7077 E. Main Street, Suite 20 Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (480) 755-8080, www.kinggalleries.com

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