lthough around 200 Santa Clara potters are currently turning out stylish and highly priced blackware and redware, it wasn't always the case. When Stevenson and Cushing made their first Indian pottery-collecting expeditions for the Smithsonian in 1879, they gathered black, red, and micaceous bowls and storage jars from Santa Clara, all undecorated. Sara Fina Tafoya is generally credited with development of the first carved Santa Clara blackware in 1922. Later, her son Manuel, created deeper carving, and by 1930 the two were doing carved ware that resembles modern Tafoya pottery.

y the end of World War ll, the Tafoyas sold their pottery all over the southwest, paving the way for Sara Fina Tafoya's children, grandchildren and great great grandchildren to become some of the most prestigious and highest priced pottery groups in all of Southwestern pottery. And the tradition like the family continues to grow robustly with the Naranjos, Chaverrias, and Gutierrezes adding ever more upper level working potters to the family tree. The Tafoya's deeply carved design remained the traditional expression until Popovi Da began experimenting at San Ildefonso in the late 1950's, along with his son Tony and Tse-Pe and Dora.

mmediately behind them, Joseph Lonewolf and Grace Medicine Flower started an entire parade of followers from Santa Clara who worked intensively with inlaid coral and turquoise, double firing to create color changes on the pot and deft fineline incision patterns that challenge the eye. Paul Naranjo, Stephan Baca, Dolores Curran are all major artists in this subgroup of potters but whose tradition has attracted so many young potters that it could well become Santa Clara's dominant tradition in the future.

 

ITEM# 0015P Ron Suazo, Santa Clara.

As one of the potters who raised sgraffito designs and sienna coloring to impressive heights, this piece is not only highly collectible but beautifully rendered as well. The piece exhibits a bear claw pattern on one side, sunburst pattern on the opposite side, and a feather pattern with a single turquoise stone on each side.

 

Size: 3" high by 3-1/8" diameter.
Price: $525. Mint Condition.
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ITEM# 0040P Christina Naranjo, Santa Clara.

As the daughter of Sarafina Tafoya, Christina, and her sister, Margaret's carved work changed the general perception of Santa Clara pottery. Both continued raising the standards and worked in all their mother's form.

 

Size: 14-1/4" high by 9-1/2" diameter.
Price: $11,500. Mint Condition.
How to Order

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