Always Azul

Years ago when visiting one of the national parks -- Mesa Verde I think -- I bought a couple small salsa bowls at the gift shop. I always loved the colors and used them frequently for hors d'oeuvres.

But they never went with any other serving dishes or bowls, so I only used them by themselves for occasional small snack items.

I wanted to get more items in the same pattern or colors, but it was hard to read the maker of this pottery. I did finally figure out it was Always Azul Pottery in Villa Grove, Colorado, a tiny town of 190 people at the other end of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range from us, about 200 miles north.

Their website is extensive. You can order items and then switch up patterns and colors. 

I liked the stylized hieroglyphics pattern called "Ruins" and the bright turquoise and terracotta glaze called "Indian Summer". I wanted more items, but full dinner place settings seemed too much. So I just got a small salad plate to use with the salsa bowls, in the matching pattern.

Living in Santa Fe as a transplant from the east, I want to be careful not to overdo the southwest theme in my dress or decor. 

I don't want to do cosplay, I'm not a southwest native or indigenous Pueblo or a collector of fine native arts. A splash of high desert color, an item of native pottery or hand crafted jewelry or indigenous textiles is all that I can incorporate into my life and style and still be me. So, a salad plate and two salsa bowls.

But I liked the offerings at Always Azul, so I did order something else: a large chips and dip platter for a wedding gift for my great-niece.

The pattern of the big platter was "Indian Pots" and the color was the same "Indian Summer" turquoise and terracotta that I like.

It's nice stuff, don't you think?