Recon Watchmen Creation Story

Wearing helmets adorned with Stargate crests and armed with impenetrable ha'pons (war shields), the Recon Watchmen seal off the roads and storm Castilian settlements. The enemy is besieged and driven out. Sadly, the aftermath is devastating. The Pueblo lands are destroyed. The Watchmen gather the survivors and search for any remaining clay artifacts from the battlefields. They know that challenges and persecution will continue, so it is imperative to preserve and protect their clay, culture, language and traditions from extinction.

Each Recon Watchman mask is custom-fabricated using silicone, latex and resin to form-fit each model's face. Armor is constructed and formed using foam and then meticulously painted and detailed with design accents. Weapons are crafted from wood and metal. Silk cloaks feature a coat of arms bearing Ortiz's signature design elements: Sun, Moon, Rez Spine and VMaze.

“I was invited to be a visiting artist at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana. I went in 2021, right after Indian Market, and stayed through the holiday time. My intent was to build the largest ceramic pieces that I could, larger than life-size. The foundation had a hydraulic lift, big doors to maneuver them through and big kilns for high-fire work. My friend Justin Reese came to help me. He's 6 foot 5, and his arms are longer than mine, so he can reach inside the bust to smooth all the coils. The Recon Watchmen come with different war shields, and they can be illuminated with LED lights through all the little holes.”