Thomas Natseway

Born April 19, 1953 at Laguna Pueblo, NM

Thomas Natseway – his name, when written, is usually larger than the pottery he creates. A master potter of miniatures, he began working in 1979 under the guidance of an older, experienced potter, Ethel Shields and her daughter (now Thomas' wife) Charmae Shields Natseway, both from nearby Acoma Pueblo.
Thomas' creations are from some of the same raw materials that his Pueblo ancestors gathered from the earth. Each vessel is fashioned from clay dug from a large sandstone deposit some distance from Acoma Pueblo. The size of his pots rarely reaches beyond one inch, and typically is between 1/4" and 3/4". A "Thomas" miniature can also consist of a poised three-dimensional figure on it, or he may fashion a lid, which may be a Kachina mask, a butterfly, flower or frog.

Thomas admits that half the work is in forming the pot and the other half is in painting the pottery. All of his paints are natural colors, from minerals and vegetation. He uses Charmae's old brushes, which only have a few hairs left on them. He tried a brush made from yucca, but it was too thick since a single drop of paint will cover an entire pot. He paints his vessels without the aid of glasses or magnification. To create his intricate designs Thomas depends on draftsman's skills that he learned at school in Dallas. After the piece is painted, it is fired and is complete.

Thomas initially began decorating his pottery with Acoma fine-line designs. He then began to research the old Mimbres, Anasazi, Hohokum and Sikyatki (Hopi) pottery motifs. He became inspired by the challenge of creating these prehistoric designs on miniature pottery. Now Thomas’ miniatures may also reflect the form and designs of contemporary Pueblo pottery.

Thomas' pottery creations reflect his own personal style, a desire for quality, and the joy of perfecting a miniature with the definitive flawless design aspect of a full-size marvel. Thomas has won awards at prestigious competitions such as Santa Fe Indian Market, Eight Northern Pueblos, and the Gallup Ceremonial to name a few. Each new ribbon he wins is a testament to the beauty of a precious Thomas miniature.