Padilla, Andrew

Andrew Padilla was born to Gladys Paquin and Andy Padilla in 1956. He said he was inspired to learn the art of working with clay by his paternal grandmother, Reycita Padilla. She was from Santa Clara Pueblo and started teaching Andrew the fundamentals of traditional pottery making when he was ten years old. She taught him how to make traditional black-on-black Santa Clara pottery. He was producing Santa Clara-style pottery until he moved to Laguna Pueblo in 1982.

At Laguna he began experimenting with white Laguna clay while working with his mother. Gladys also showed Andrew which mesas around Laguna provided the best clay so he could use only the finest natural clays and pigments to make his pottery. She also showed him her special techniques for working with that Laguna clay.

Over the years Andrew showed his work at the Santa Fe Indian Market and at the Heard Museum Indian Art Fair & Market in Phoenix. Among the ribbons he took home were a Second Place ribbon from Santa Fe and a Best of Division ribbon from the Heard.

Andrew told us his favorite shapes to make were melon jars, especially when he could add a lid shaped like the profile of the Laguna Mission church. He also enjoyed fashioning all-white wedding vases.

Andrew successfully combined the best of Santa Clara and Laguna styles to create his own elegant and contemporary style of art. He said he got his inspiration from taking hikes in Nature. He was also an avid fisherman and a dedicated Denver Broncos fan. Sadly, Andrew passed on in 2021.

Some Awards Andrew earned

• 2017 Santa Fe Indian Market: Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional Burnished Black or Red Ware, Incised, Painted or Carved, Category 701 – Carved or incised, black or red, under 8″: Second Place
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, Category 905 – Miscellaneous: Second Place