Crucita Gonzales Calabaza (1921-1999) Blue Corn

Crucita Gonzales Calabaza (1921-1999) Blue Corn was born in San Ildefonso around 1923 and was encouraged by her grandmother, at an early age, to "forget school and become a potter." She did attend school at the pueblo and later at the Santa Fe Indian School, however. At age 20, she married Santiago (Sandy) Calabazas, a Kewa Pueblo (Santo Domingo) silversmith. During the 1940s, she worked at Los Alamos as a housecleaner for J. Robert Oppenheimer. Shortly after World War II, she took up pottery making and found her calling.

Blue Corn is famous for re-introducing San Ildefonso polychrome wares which had become a lost product after the blackware of Maria and Julian had become in such demand in the 1920s. She also made blackware and redware but is most often associated with polychrome wares.

Blue Corn passed away on May 3rd, 1999.  

Credit: Artist photograph of Blue Corn (Crucita Gonzales Calabaza) courtesy of Garry and Susan Zens. All images subject to copyright.

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