Sue Tapia is originally from Laguna Pueblo and was married to Tom Tapia.  Together they made pottery together, along with her individual pieces.  This bowl is coil built, carved, stone polished and traditionally fired.  It is a “Lightning Design” and alternates between polished and mica slipped bands.  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Sue Tapia”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Tomasita Montoya is one of the early revivalists in San Juan pottery.  She was one of the original eight San Juan potters who revived the art form in the 1930s.  The Pueblo was renown for their pottery but by about 1900 there were no potters left. In 1930 Regina Cata organized a pottery study group at San Juan Pueblo with the intent of revitalizing pottery production. The group studied ancient potsherds of wares made at San Juan in earlier times and selected Potsuwi‘i Incised Ware (1450-1500) as a basis for a contemporary pottery type.  This bowl is one of her classic incised pieces.  It is polished red on the top and the base.  The center section is incised with a double row of rain designs.  The recessed area of the incised designs has a mica slip.  The bowl is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Tomasita Montoya”.

Sharon Naranjo Garcia (b. 1951) is a granddaughter of Christina Naranjo.  She learned to make pottery from her grandmother and is known for her traditional style of pottery. This jar is a classic Santa Clara shape with the wide shoulder and sloping neck.  The neck is carved with a feather pattern and stone polished.  The central band is matte and carved with four cloud designs.  Below that matte band is a carved water serpent (avanyu) and it is stone polished, as is the lower section of the bowl.  It is fired a deep black.  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Sharon Naranjo Garcia”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Dominguita Sisneros Naranjo is a daughter of noted Ohkay Owingeh potter Tomasita Montoya and a sister of Rosita de Herrera. This bowl is coil built and the top rim is pushed down in an undulating manner.  The top and bottom are fully polished red.  Interestingly, this is either an early piece of her pottery, or she found some of her mother’s old slip, as the red on this piece is the deep red from the earlier Ohkay Owingeh pottery. The body of the bowl is tan polished and incised with a mesa and cloud motif. The incised area is lightly slipped with a micaceous clay.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Dominguita Sisneros”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

Tomasita Montoya is one of the early revivalists in San Juan pottery.  She was one of the original seven San Juan potters who revived the art form in the 1930’s.  The Pueblo was renown for their pottery but by about 1890 there were no potters left. In 1930 Regina Cata organized a pottery study group at San Juan Pueblo with the intent of revitalizing pottery production. The group studied ancient potsherds of wares made at San Juan in earlier times and selected Potsuwi‘i Incised Ware (1450-1500) as a basis for a contemporary pottery type.  This jar is one of her classic incised water jars.  The neck and base are both fully polished red.  The center section is incised with a square pattern.  There is just a bit of mica used to highlight the incised designs.  This jar is in good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Tomasita Montoya”.