Cavan Gonzales

San Ildefonso Pueblo

Cavan Gonzales

Cavan Gonzales (Tse-whang - Eagle Tail) is the great-great-grandson of Maria Martinez and, following in the family tradition, he's been earning awards for his artistic creations since he was five years old. Early in his life he was a noted painter but before long, he switched to making pottery. Like his illustrious forebears, he specializes in black-on-black, black-on-red and polychrome pottery with intricately painted motifs. His personal favorite style to make is large bowls but I've seen more of his jars than bowls.

Cavan learned the traditional way to make pottery from his mother, Barbara Gonzales. He attended Alfred University where he studied the science of ceramics. Then he won the Presidential Scholar Award from the White House in 1988.

Cavan's pottery is in collections at the New Mexico State Capitol in Santa Fe, the Heard Museum in Phoenix and at the Kennedy Center and the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. At San Ildefonso he is credited with being a leader in the revival of San Ildefonso polychromes.

Cavan usually signs his pottery with his Tewa name: Tse-Whang.