Some of the most acclaimed ceramic art comes from the ancient traditions of Pueblo Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States. Hopi and Navajo artists continue to produce beautiful, authentic pottery that is sought after by collectors world wide.

Hopi pottery is made in the traditional way of first collecting clay that is indigenous to the region where they live. Before the pots are fired, they are polished and painted with plant and mineral paints. They fire the clay pots by packing them in dried sheep manure in large open pits outdoors. The pots are usually a light cream to medium buff color. Most Hopi pottery designs are inspired by 15th and 16th century pottery shards. The majority of Hopi potters are women and common designs they use to decorate the pots include eagles, parrots, pueblo villages, weather, roadrunners, kiva designs, corn and migration patterns. Most paint comes from a weed called Ausa.

Authentic Native American pottery is never created using a potter's wheel. Instead, it is slowly created by hand, using a method of coiling and pinching. Navajo potters commonly combine different types of clay, giving their pots unique characteristics. Navajo pottery is fired in an open pit outdoors for several hours, using juniper wood both underneath and above the pot. They then apply a coating of hot melted pitch from Pinon trees before the pot is cooled. In the past, Navajo pots were not decorated but used for utilitarian and ceremonial use. When the railroad finally reached Navajo country, pottery and other artwork were created as souvenirs. Another popular design for Navajo pottery is called horsehair pottery. Actual hair from the mane or tail of a horse is burned along the surface of the pot when it is red hot. The end result is a beautiful dark free flowing pattern that makes these pots so unique.