Vail Family

The Vail Family is well known for their contemporary
style of pottery known as "horse hair".  Tom Vail married
into the Navajo Nation.  He, along with his children
William "Skeeter" Vail, Loveitha Vail-Sanchez, and their
spouses Geraldine Vail and Ray Sanchez produce this
style of pottery.  Tom was born in 1933.  Skeeter was
born in 1961, his wife Gerie, was born in 1960, and
Loveitha was born in 1967.

They pour a ceramic white slip substance into a mold
and if forms itself into whatever shape of pot that they
decide on making.  Then, they pour out the excess slip
and let it set to dry.  The ceramic ware is then cleaned
and polished.  The heat up the ceramic ware in a kiln
and then randomly toss authentic hair taken from the
mane (thin lines) or the tail (thick lines) of a horse on the
heated pottery.  The resulting carbon being drawn into
the surface of the pot creates the wonderful designs
and patterns.  Finally, they clean the finished pottery
with a dry material and the finished product is a unique
marbleized flare styled pot.  This process of art is very
hazardous and time consuming.  When asked why they
do this they all agreed and replied, "We enjoy not
knowing what designs will form on the pot itself after the
horse hair has burned into the pot."  They sign their
pottery as:  Skeeter & Gerie Vail, Vail, and Loveitha
Vail-Sanchez.