Russell Sanchez

San Ildefonso Pueblo

Russell Sanchez was born into San Ildefonso Pueblo in July 1966. His grandfather, Abel Sanchez (Oqwa Pi) (1899-1971), was an award-earning painter. Tomasena Cata Sanchez, (Russell's grandmother) was Rose Gonzales sister. Rose is the potter credited with introducing deep carved pottery at San Ildefonso.

Russell was encouraged by his great-aunt Rose to learn to make pottery when he was 12 years old. He was also encouraged by Rose's daughter-in-law, Dora Tse-Pe, who has been earning awards for her pottery since 1969. Russell learned the basic skills of potting from Rose, then refined those skills while observing Dora's pursuit of perfectionism. He was also encouraged and inspired by Tony Da and Jody Folwell.

Russell is a recognized innovator who has developed his own techniques of making pottery and is often referred to as a "modernist" potter. He is an outdoorsman and often collects clay for pottery making during his hiking and rafting expeditions. He has experimented with many different types of clay and often puts two or more colors of clay into the same vessel. He also found and uses a green clay that looks like jade after polishing. Russell sometimes adds a micaceous slip or inserts turquoise stones or strands of heishe beads into his pottery, too.

His designs are painted, carved or incised. He also makes figure lids using shapes like bears and shells for some of his pieces. Since 1973, Russell has regularly earned ribbons at the Santa Fe Indian Market for his innovative pottery. He has also earned ribbons from the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show and the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market in Phoenix, Arizona.


Sgraffito bear design and inlaid turquoise on a tall necked black jar with sienna rim
Tall-necked black jar with sienna rim and sgraffito bear design with inlaid turquoise
4 in H by 3 in Dia
Avanyu design carved into a lidded black jar with a micaceous slip
Animal figure lid on a black jar carved with an avanyu design with an inlaid turquoise eye and a micaceous slip
7.75 in H by 6.5 in Dia
Bear lid and turquoise heishi decoration on a polished red jar
Polished red jar with bear lid and band of turquoise heishi beads
5.75 in H by 4.5 in Dia
A ring of heishi beads and a sgraffito fish design on a carved red and green jar with a micaceous slip
Micaceous slip on a carved red and green jar decorated with sgraffito fish design and a ring of heishi beads
4.5 in H by 4.5 in Dia
Inlaid heishe beads and a sgraffito geometric design on a polychrome jar with an organic opening
Polychrome jar with an organic opening, inlaid band of heishe beads and a sgraffito geometric design
5.75 in H by 4 in Dia
Lightly carved brown jar with sgraffito and painted fans
Sgraffito and painted fans on a lightly carved brown jar
6.75 in H by 3 in Dia
A sgraffito geometric design and inlaid strands of heishe beads on a lidded polychrome jar
Feathered lid on a polychrome jar with a sgraffito geometric design and inlaid strands of heishe beads
7.5 in H by 5.25 in Dia
A sgraffito bear and medallion design with inlaid strands of heishe beads on a miniature golden micaceous seed pot
A miniature golden micaceous seed pot with a sgraffito bear design and inlaid ring of heishe beads
1.5 in H by 2 in Dia
Inlaid heishe beads and a sgraffito bird and geometric design with three green medallions on a red seed pot also with a sgraffito design
Red seed pot with a sgraffito design plus inlaid bands of heishe beads around three green medallions with sgraffito bird and geometric designs
3 in H by 2.25 in Dia
A lidded black jar with bands of sgraffito geometric design and inlaid heishi beads, plus a sgraffito avanyu with an inlaid stone
Bands of sgraffito geometric design and inlaid heishi beads with a sgraffito avanyu and inlaid stones on a lidded black jar
8.75 in H by 7 in Dia

San Ildefonso Pueblo Potters