Kevin Naranjo
Santa Clara
Sacred Lands
6 1/4"
H x 7 1/2" D
This is easily the most spectacular
pottery I've ever seen by Kevin Naranjo. It began about a year
ago when we spoke with Kevin about creating something really
special - something unlike anything he had ever done before.
So he sat down and combined
elements from some of his favorite and most important works and
put them together on one pot. The theme was so full, however,
that he needed to adapt the size of thep to fit the designs.
The result - simply amazing!
The spirits of Chief Joseph,
Sitting Bull, and Geronimo rise up from the mountains behind
a valley of elk, while other pueblo designs embellish the rest
of the pot.
Kevin Naranjo, “Turquoise
Mountain”, was born into the Santa Clara Pueblo in 1972.
He was inspired to learn and continue the long lived tradition
of hand coiling pottery at the age of 10 back in 1982, by his
family and his love for nature.
Kevin specializes in the hand
coiled black/sienna Santa Clara sgraffito style pottery, almost
always with a wildlife theme reflecting his interest in hunting
and fishing.
He learned to pot form his
grandmother, Ursalita Naranjo and from his mother, the noted
potter Geri Naranjo. His sister is Monica Naranjo Romero. Among
his many awards are a "Best of Division" at the 1999
Santa Fe Indian Market and a "Best of Pottery" and
the 1992 Gallup Indian Ceremonial.
Kevin gathers his own clay
from the sacred grounds within Santa Clara Pueblo. He hand mixes,
coils, shapes, crafts, and fires his pottery the traditional
way, outdoors. Kevin signs his pottery as: Kevin Naranjo, Santa
Clara Pueblo.
