Santa Clara Pueblo Black Carved Canoe [SOLD]

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Teresita Naranjo, Santa Clara Pueblo Pottery

Teresita Tafoya Naranjo (1919-1999) Apple Blossom - Bay-Po-Vi has been acknowledged as one of the finest 20th century potters at Santa Clara Pueblo. Her unexpected death in 1999 was a loss to all pottery collectors.  She was active from 1935 to 1999 and was known for her black and redware carved works in the Santa Clara style.

 

She was the daughter of Victor and Christina Naranjo and wife of Joe Naranjo. After her husband passed away in 1950, she supported her family solely through sales of her pottery. In the last 20 years of her life, she was perhaps the finest potter of carved blackware at Santa Clara Pueblo.

 

Teresita fired her pottery using cow chips instead of strips of bark.  After the firing was almost complete, she covered the kiln with powdery dry horse manure in order for the firing to become one of reduction from its previous one of oxidation.  This is what causes red pottery to turn black during firing.

 

Although known for her magnificent large carved jars and wedding vessels, Teresita did occasionally make small tourist-style pottery to have available at her home for sale to those who could not afford to purchase her larger items.  This canoe is typical of the smaller objects she made for that purpose.  The carving of a design on a smaller items such as this was just as important to Teresita as doing so on a more expensive item.  She did not skimp because the item was small and inexpensive.

 

Condition: Original excellent condition.

Provenance: Delivered to us by a gentleman from Virginia

Recommended Reading: Santa Clara Pottery Today by Betty LeFree

 

Teresita Naranjo, Santa Clara Pueblo Pottery
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