Damon Tso

Diné

Damon Tso is a Diné potter. I haven't seen anything new of his in a while but I know he's still working: he earned a nice ribbon at the 2019 Santa Fe Indian Market. He was also on the schedule to do a pottery making demonstration at the Grand Canyon in February 2020. But I haven't found much else.

Damon uses the same Black Mesa clay as the Williams family. He sometimes likes to add a much larger biyo' than they use and he sometimes carves designs that flow around his pieces. Like the Manygoats family, he also sometimes adds larger designs in repoussé.

From the above I would guess that he's from relatively close to Black Mesa. Most of the Diné potters in that area benefit from the nearby Shonto Trading Post and its owner: I've heard he was constantly encouraging and supporting them to do more and better. He also provided them with a well-known nearby marketplace.


Dragonfly and water pattern relief on a brown jar
Brown jar with dragonfly and water pattern relief
6.25 in H by 6.5 in Dia
Applique ear of corn and horned toad on a brown jar, Second prize winner Prize-winning brown jar decorated with an applique ear of corn and horned toad
11.25 in H by 7.75 in Dia
Brown jar with a sgraffito geometric design around the base and a pair of handles with ears of corn attached
A sgraffito design runs around the base of a brown jar with a pair of handles with ears of corn attached
7.25 in H by 7 in Dia

Diné Potters