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Fiona and Andy Tsosie are typical of quite a few artisans who work with The Gathering Place. They worked in Gallup NM for a number of years, barely making enough money to get by. A few years ago, they returned to the region where they grew up.

It was a choice to improve their quality of life. Moving back onto the Reservation, the Tsosies started painting and etching pottery in addition to working with other southwest crafts.

Their association with the Navajo Co-op started soon thereafter. Fiona and Andy say they like working with Pottery, as it give them freedom and flexibility to spend more time with their first love,their children.

Their first love may be their family, but they also pour an amazing amount of love into the pottery they create. The Tsosies' distinctive style can be seen in everything from traditional vases and seed pots to storyteller pottery and ornaments.

Fiona usually starts the designing process by taking unfired pottery and laying down the colors. Placing a flat bottomed pot on a hand spun wheel, Fiona paints color after color with a fine-tipped brush. She takes time to edge and contour the raw clay with a knife, making sure the pot is even.

Andy usually takes over when there is etching to be done. Using a small, fine tipped blade, Andy begins carving out traditional patterns or pictures for the piece.

Once the pattern is finished, the pot is ready for a glaze or goes straight to the oven for firing. Either way, the results are remarkable.

You can see examples of their work at the Navajo Co-op Store, Pottery.

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