Teresita Naranjo is famous for her deeply carved pottery.  Each piece was coil built, carved, stone polished and traditionally fired outdoors.  She was a daughter of noted potter Christina Naranjo and a sister of Mary Cain.  This wedding vase by Teresita is from the 1970’s.  It is one of her classic shapes with the long necks and rounded spouts.  The body of the vase is deeply carved with a waters serpent (avanyu), which encircles the piece.  As the vase is turned there are additional cloud and rain designs.  The entire piece is beautifully polished and a classic for her work!  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Teresita Naranjo” and it is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Brand

Naranjo, Teresita (1919-1999)

Teresita Naranjo

Teresita Naranjo was a daughter of Christina Naranjo, a sister of Mary Cain and the great-aunt to Autumn Borts and Tammy Garcia. Her pottery can be found in the permanent collection of museums nationwide including The National Museum of the American Indian, the Denver Art Museum and the Heard. Teresita Naranjo holds a place of historic significance in Santa Clara pottery, as she is considered the first to carve outside the linear band designs for her imagery. Her carving was always deep and crisp, and the designs seem to flow gracefully around the surface.