Zuni artists of today uphold the centuries-old tradition that art is integral to both their secular lives and to their sacred rituals. Too few books have given outsiders a grasp and understanding of this special feature of Zuni art. This one, bringing knowledge and insights gained in two decades of field research in New Mexico, attempts to enter the special world of the Zunis by focusing on two present-day artists - a potter and her son, who makes fetishes of carved stone.

The author's exploration of Zuni culture put him in a maelstrom of family and community disputes. Detailed here, they expose the sensitive nature of art to the Zunis. His book places modern work within the context of Pueblo folk art from prehistoric times to the present.