Denise Chavarria Santa Clara Pottery

£169.00


Clay
Natural pigments

Height: 100 mm
Width: 70 mm
Opening: 15 mm

Handmade and signed by artist potter Denise Chavarria of the Santa Clara Tribe
Born in 1959, Denise Chavarria was 16 when she began learning the traditional art of pottery making from her mother, Stella Chavarria, and her grandmother, Teresita Naranjo. Her great-grandmother was Christina Naranjo and great-great-grandmother, Serafina Tafoya. Denise is part of a long line of very talented potters. Denise has participated in the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts and Crafts Show and the New Mexico State Fair, earning awards regularly since the early 1990’s. Denise and her sister, Loretta “Sunday” Chavarria, both still use the same designs they learned from their mother and grandmother.

“Santa Clara has a long history of pottery making and there are more than 200 active potters in the pueblo today. Until the 1920’s, the majority of Santa Clara pottery was undecorated redware, blackware or made of a natural micaceous clay. In the late 1920’s Sarafina Gutierrez Tafoya and her daughter, Margaret Tafoya, developed what is now known as deep-carved blackware. The two women were also instrumental in promoting the “bear claw” as a pueblo signature until today, it is the most recognized Santa Clara symbol. The Tafoyas also bucked the trend of producing smaller and smaller wares by creating some of the largest vessels ever made in the southwest.” Click here for the full article courtesy of Eyes of the Pot.

In stock

Our Native American pottery is ethically sourced and Fair Trade. Wilde Ones endeavours to consistently handpick the finest pieces from the best Native American artists. To that effect, we have been traveling to Arizona, New Mexico, California and Mexico every year since 1987. It is our pleasure to not only satisfy our customers with top quality products but also nurture strong healthy long-lasting relationships with our incredibly talented Native American craftsmen and craftswomen.