Betty Manygoats

Betty Barlow Manygoats (b.1945) is Dine’, from the Water Clan. She learned to make pottery from her mother, Zonie Barlow. As early as 1978 Betty introduced a horny toad motif to her pots, winning awards for her work at the annual Navajo exhibitions held at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff and the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup, New Mexico. Betty uses Navajo clay from Black Mesa, forming it into coils that wind upward. She then smooths the coiled clay and adds the decorations. Horned toad scales are fashioned with a bobby pin. Fireclouds occur where the wood ash comes in contact with the clay. After firing, warm piñon pitch is applied inside and out.