Kiowa - Santa Clara Pueblo

Emily Suazo-Tafoya is a full blooded Native American Indian born in 1959.

She is Kiowa and Santa Clara. She was inspired to learn the art of pottery making from several family members, including her Grandmother, Clara Suazo. Emily has been making pottery since 1973.

Emily specializes in the handmade and handcrafted incised (sgrafitto) Santa Clara Pueblo pottery. Her pottery is made the traditional way and then completely covered with contemporary designs. Emily digs her clay from the local hills then combines it with volcanic ash found in the Espanola Valley of northern New Mexico. The pottery is carefully formed and a clay slip is applied in layers. The pottery is then polished to a high sheen. The firing techniques bring out the desired colors like black, red, or green. The pottery is then painstakingly etched.

Every one of her pots has its own distinct personality, whether it be of the human or wildlife design. It’s important to Emily that she produces a clean and sharp image on every pot she makes. The result is a “sparkling pottery gem”, prized by collectors the world over. Emily stated that: “It is important to me to share my unique style of contemporary pottery. It is also important to stay within traditional methods of potting.”

Emily signs her pottery as: Snow-Cap Mountains, Emily Tafoya, SCP.

Emily is related to the following artists: Jennifer Tafoya (daughter) and the late Ray Tafoya (husband).

Awards:
-1997 Gallup Ceremonial 2nd Place
-1998 New Mexico State Fair 2nd Place
-1999 Santa Fe Indian Market 1st Place
Publications:
-Southwestern Pottery 1999 Edition
-Pueblo Indian Pottery 750 Artist Biographies