Tim Prythero Works

Tim Prythero, is famous for his attention to detail, down to the tear in the screen or the santo in the window.  Prythero’s work is found in collections throughout the world, including locally at the Albuquerque International Airport.  To have a “Prythero” piece is to be in the know of NM sculpture.  Completely hand-finished, three-dimensional hydrostone piece the work is reproduced from our original sculpture.  The ristras and doors are  made individually with particular care given to the smallest detail. The results are a very unique realism.

History
Houses in ancient and present day New Mexico are made using a unique process which involves mixing mud and straw and forming this mixture into adobe bricks.  These in turn are used as you would use other bricks in constructing homes.  The surface of the bricks are plastered with this same adobe material using only human hands.  Because these homes are energy efficient, there is very little need for air conditioning, and allowing a breeze to enter the home cools the interior sufficiently.  Thus, screen doors are in abundance in this area.  The Indian and Hispanic tradition of painting a door or door-trim blue or turquoise is to keep out evil spirits.
Regarding the ristras which are made from individual chili pods: the pods are dried in the sun where they turn from a dark green to a beautiful red.  They are then strung together and hung up for later use as a food seasoning.
The little round adobe ovens (hornos) are still used today for baking purposes.  A fire is started in the oven with piñon wood and allowed to burn to hot cinders.  The spent cinders are then removed and the horno (pronounced  “or-no”) floor is swept and mopped, and a piece of newspaper is thrown in.  If it ignites the horno is ready for baking.  A three inch hole in the top of the horno allows the smoke to escape.  The  wooden paddle is carved by hand to place the bread in and out of the oven.