Undoubtedly the world's most famous Native American potter, Maria Montoya Martinez was born in the Tewa pueblo of San Ildefonso around 1887 (her baptism certificate says 1887, she herself thought she might have been 7 at the time). As she grew up, Maria observed her aunt, Nicolasa, and learned the basics of the traditional art of pottery making from her. In the early years of her career, Maria produced the traditional polychrome pottery of her village, generally black and terra cotta decorations painted on a background of white or tan. She shaped her pots the age-old way, by carefully hand-coiling and pinching the clay, then smoothing the inner and outer surfaces with gourd scrapers. Early on her pots were recognized as the thinnest, most beautifully shaped pots being made at San Ildefonso. Her husband, Julian, an accomplished painter of hides, paper and walls, decorated the pots for her, then worked with her in the firing of them.

Maria and Julian were married in 1904 and almost from the beginning of their relationship they were traveling to demonstrate their craft at various fairs and expositions. They spent their honeymoon in 1904 demonstrating pottery making at the Louisiana Purchase Exhibition at the St. Louis Worlds Fair. They demonstrated again at the Panama California Expo in San Diego in 1915, the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1934, and the Golden Gate International Expo in 1939. Native American craft fairs provided other marketing opportunities, and by signing her work Maria both heightened her visibility and commanded higher prices. In 1954, she won the Craftsmanship Medal, the nation's highest honor, from the American Institute of Architects.

Contrary to legend implying that Maria "discovered" the black pottery process, Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett, Professor of Archaeology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and Director of the Museum of New Mexico in Santa Fe, found shards of prehistoric black pottery while excavating in the ruins at Bandelier National Monument in 1908. To preserve and showcase that ancient product Hewett sought a skilled pueblo potter who could re-create that ancient pottery style for him. Everyone he asked referred him to Maria. Together they worked out a deal and he pre-ordered a series of black-on-black pots from her. That led to more than a decade of experimentation, until Maria and Julian were satisfied with their results in recreating that style of black ware. Their method required smothering the fire with manure during the firing process, effectively creating an "oxygen-reduction process" that turned the red pots black. Julian worked out the other half of the "black-on-black" process when he began painting his designs "in the negative," using a matte black slip on the polished pot surface to create his decorations. Once fired, that demonstrated the technique that has become so famous today. Still, Maria wasn't really happy with those first black-on-black pots until Hewett came to visit with some friends and students of his. Those visitors bought virtually every pot Maria had on hand and they encouraged her to make more. Maria responded by refining her process and technique with the clay and the fire. Julian responded by refining his designs and decorations. Together they elevated their art to a level not approached anywhere else for at least 10 years.

According to Susan Peterson in The Living Tradition of Maria Martinez, the six distinct steps involved in the creation of blackware pottery include, "finding and collecting the clay, forming a pot, scraping and sanding the pot to remove surface irregularities, applying the iron-bearing slip and burnishing it to a high sheen with a smooth stone, decorating the pot with another slip, and firing the pot."

Julian faced a challenge in attempting to decorate Maria's pots. The process he finally settled on involved polishing the background first and then applying the matte slip decoration. In 1918, Julian finished the first decorated black ware pot with a matte background and a polished avanyu (horned water serpent) design. Many of Julian's decorations were patterns adopted from ancient vessels of the Pueblos. Some of the patterns consisted of feathers, birds, road runner tracks, rain, clouds, mountains, and zigzags or kiva steps.

As her pots attracted more and more attention for their unique beauty, Maria began to charge modest prices. With the demand for her pots growing, she realized that her work could enrich the lives of the people of her pueblo, artistically and economically. In the ages-old tribal manner, she generously shared her techniques with others. Martinez was the matriarch of a "craft lineage" that continues today. In a career that spanned seven decades, her pottery brought honors and acclaim, revitalizing the art and the economy of San Ildefonso Pueblo.

Even though Julian decorated the pots, Maria claimed all the work in the early years because pottery was still considered a woman's job in the Pueblo. Maria left Julian's signature off their pieces to respect the Pueblo culture until 1925. After that, "Marie + Julian" was the official signature on their decorated pottery until Julian's death in 1943 (and she used "Marie" because Chester Faris, Director of the Santa Fe Indian School, had convinced her that was a name more familiar to the Anglo buying public). Undecorated pots during those years were signed simply "Marie." Maria's family began helping more with the pottery business after Julian's death. From 1943 to 1956 Maria's son Adam took over collecting clay while his wife Santana took over painting decorations. "Marie + Santana" was the signature on their pots. Popovi Da began learning to paint with Santana in 1950 and in 1956 he took over doing most of Maria's painting. The signature became "Maria/Popovi" until 1971 when Popovi passed on. He'd also often been busy with tribal politics during those years and, at times, couldn't keep up with painting Maria's pots. As Maria almost never painted a pot, those pots are plain and signed "Maria Poveka" (Poveka being her Tewa name, meaning: "pond lily"). Today, values on Maria's work vary based on the signature on the bottom, those with "Maria + Popovi" being valued highest.

After making pots for almost 80 years, Maria passed on in 1980.

Santana Roybal (1909-2002) was born into a family of well-known San Ildefonso potters and painters. She grew up learning to make pots from her grandmother, Dominguita Pino Martinez.

Santana married Adam Martinez (first-born son of Maria and Julian Martinez) in 1926 and they lived in his parents' home for the next 8 years. During that time Santana learned Maria's way of making pots and Julian's methods of painting them.

After Julian passed away in 1943, Adam and Santana dedicated themselves to helping Maria continue with her business. Adam took over his father's duties with gathering and processing clay and firing pots. Santana worked with Maria making pots and painting them. The signature on most of Maria's pottery made through those years (1943-1956) reads "Marie + Santana".

In 1956 Maria began working with her youngest son, Popovi Da. It took him a while to get his skills up to snuff but that same year, he replaced Santana as Maria's primary painter. Adam and Santana graduated to making pottery on their own. Their signature became "Santana + Adam".

They were participants every year at the Santa Fe Indian Market from 1970 to 1999, earning several First, Second and Third Place ribbons plus Best of Class and Best of Division. In 1981 they earned the "Maria Poveka Award for Best Traditional San Ildefonso Pottery."

Andrea held an Indian Market Reception in the gallery featuring Adam and Santana on August 16, 1996. It was an evening cherished by all who came.

Adam and Santana had seven children and they taught most of them how to make pottery the traditional way.

Some Exhibits that Featured Adam and Santana's Work:

• Awa Tsireh: Pueblo Painter and Metalsmith. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. November 4, 2017 - July 1, 2018. Note: curated by Diana F. Pardue and Norman Sandfield; accompanied by a catalog.
• A Century of Pueblo Painters: San Ildefonso Pueblo 1900-1999. Adobe Gallery. Santa Fe, New Mexico. March 3, 2017 - April 30, 2017. Group show and sale with the following artists: José Angela Aguilar, Gilbert Atencio, Popovi Da, Tony Da, Louis Gonzales, Julián Martinez, Richard Martinez, Santana Roybal Martinez, José Encarnacion Peña, Tonita Vigil Peña, Tony Pena, Alfonso Roybal, José Disiderio Roybal, Tonita Roybal, Abel Sanchez, Romando Vigil, and Tomacito Vigil
• Something Old, Something New, Nothing Borrowed: New Acquisitions from the Heard Museum Collection. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. April 2, 2011 - March 18, 2012
• Gifts from the Community. Heard Museum West. Surprise, AZ. April 12, 2008 - October 12, 2008
• Home: Native Peoples in the Southwest. Heard Museum. Phoenix, AZ. 2005
• The Collection Passions of Dennis and Janis Lyon. Heard Museum. Phoenix, AZ. May 1, 2004 - September 1, 2004
• A Revolution in the Making: The Pottery of Maria and Julian Martinez. Heard Museum. Phoenix, AZ. May 10, 2003 - September 14, 2003
• Hold Everything! Masterworks of Basketry and Pottery from the Heard Museum. Heard Museum. Phoenix, AZ. November 1, 2001 - March 10, 2002
• Passionate Involvement: Recent Acquisitions of the Heard Museum. Heard Museum. Phoenix, AZ. March 1, 2001 - October 1, 2001
• The Legacy of Generations: Pottery by American Indian Women. Heard Museum. Phoenix, AZ. February 14, 1998 - May 17, 1998
• The Legacy of Generations: Pottery by American Indian Women. The Museum of Women in the Arts. Washington, DC. October 9, 1997 - January 11, 1998
• Recent Acquisitions from the Herman and Claire Bloom Collection. Heard Museum. Phoenix, AZ January 11, 1997 - July 1,1997
• 1979 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts & Crafts Exhibit. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. November 21, 1979 - December 3, 1979
• 1978 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts & Crafts Exhibit. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. November 24, 1978 - December 2, 1978
• The Martinez Tradition. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. April 29, 1978 - August 30, 1978
• 1977 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts & Crafts Exhibit. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. November 25, 1977 - December 3, 1977
• 1969 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts and Crafts Show. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. 1969.
• 1968 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts and Crafts Show. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. 1968.

Some Awards Earned by Adam and Santana:

• 1990 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division E - Traditional pottery, painted designs on burnished black or red surface, Category 1108 - Plates: Third Place
• 1986 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division E - Traditional pottery, painted designs on burnished black or red surface: Best of Division with Adam Martinez
• 1986 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division E - Traditional pottery, painted designs on burnished black or red surface, Category 1101 - Jars up to 8 inches tall: Second Place
• 1986 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division E - Traditional pottery, painted designs on burnished black or red surface, Category 1103 - Bowls: First Place
• 1984 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division E - Traditional pottery, painted designs on burnished black or red surface: Best of Division with Adam Martinez
• 1984 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division E - Traditional pottery, painted designs on burnished black or red surface: Category 1101 - Jars up to 8 inches tall: First Place. Awarded for collaborative artwork with Adam Martinez
• 1983 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division B - Traditional, undecorated: Third Place
• 1979 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts & Crafts Exhibit, Classification VII - Pottery, Division A - Traditional methods of construction and firing: Honorable Mention. Awarded for artwork: Mat Design Bowl
• 1978 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts & Crafts Exhibit, Classification VII - Pottery, Division A - Traditional: First Place shared with Adam Martinez. Awarded for artwork: Wedding jar
• 1978 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts & Crafts Exhibit, Classification VII - Pottery, Division A - Traditional: Honorable Mention shared with Adam Martinez. Awarded for artwork: Small jar
• 1977 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts & Crafts Exhibit, Classification VII - Pottery, Division A - Traditional shapes and design: Second Place with Adam Martinez. Awarded for artwork: Large bowl with lid
• 1969 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts & Crafts Exhibit, Classification X - Pottery, Division A - Traditional as to materials, methods, shape, and design: Third Place
• 1968 Heard Museum Guild Indian Arts & Crafts Show, Classification IX - Pottery, Division A - Traditional materials, methods and design: First Place with Adam Martinez. Awarded for artwork: Feather Design Jug
• 1922 Southwest Indian Fair and Arts and Crafts Exhibition: Drawings of Pottery Designs: Pupils of Pueblo Day School: First Place. National Guard Armory, Santa Fe, New Mexico. September 1922. Note: awarded the Dougan Fund Prize for $2.00