Paul and Dorothy Gutierrez, Santa Clara Pueblo Potters

Paul and Dorothy Gutierrez are a husband-and-wife pottery making team living at Santa Clara Pueblo. They are specialists at making figurative pottery. Dorothy models the clay and Paul does the sanding and polishing. Paul is the grandson of Lela and Van Gutierrez and the son of Luther Gutierrez, (of Margaret & Luther fame), all of Santa Clara Pueblo.

Dorothy is Diné of the Navajo Nation and has been an active potter since the 1970s. When she first began making her clay figures in 1971, she had expert instructions from Margaret Gutierrez, Paul's aunt. "During her first year Dorothy made ten Nativity sets, along with many miniature buffaloes, beavers, bears, and wedding vases. Since 1972, when she began entering her work in competitions, she has been winning awards at all the major shows in the Southwest. In 1975 her seventeen-piece blackware Nativity won First Prize in sculpture at the fall Indian crafts show at the Deer Dancer Gallery in Denver. At the 1976 show, one of her miniatures redware Nativities took Best of Show in the contemporary category, and she has won the top awards every year since." [Monthan,1979:67]

We have been told that Paul Gutierrez (circa 1938- ) and Dorothy Gutierrez (1940- ) are no longer active potters but I have not yet verified this.

Reference: Monthan, Guy and Doris. Nacimientos: Nativity Scenes by Southwest Indian Artisans

TAGS: Santa Clara Pueblo, Lela and Van Gutierrez, Luther Gutierrez, figurative pottery