Cerno, Barbara and Joseph

Barbara Hayah Cerno (born at Hopi in 1951) and Merle Joseph Martin Cerno (born at Acoma Pueblo in 1947) are a husband and wife team who make traditional Acoma pottery.

Joseph learned the basics from his mother, Santana “Annie” Cimmeron Cerno. Annie earned many awards for her work in the early days of the Santa Fe Indian Market. Joseph says he spent years working with his mother, learning to work with the clay, make the natural slips, pigments and paints they use and how to fire pots as large as he makes now.

Barbara is descended from a long line of Hopi potters and kachina carvers. After marrying Joseph she, too, learned the Acoma way from his mother.

Joseph usually makes the pots, Barbara usually decorates them. Together they make some of the largest and most colorful contemporary Acoma pots being made today. They have also have made some of the smallest Acoma pots, usually in the form of seed pots. On large water jars, they often decorate with a parrot theme and on seed pots Mimbres Revival designs are a common theme. Now and then they decorate some of their larger jars with Mimbres Revival themes, too.

Barbara and Joseph have earned many awards over the years as they have participated in shows at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, the InterTribal Ceremonial in Gallup and the Santa Fe Indian Market. Their finely shaped and beautifully painted jars are among their most popular work.

Their pottery is formed by hand using the coil method with hand-dug Acoma clays. Decorations are painted with colors derived from ground minerals and boiled-down plants, the latter usually boiled-down purple blossoms from bee weed. From the time they dig the clay to the final clean up after firing a jar can be months: the traditional method of making pottery is not a quick-and-easy process.

Some Awards Barbara and Joseph have earned

• 2000 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class II – Pottery, Div. E – Traditional pottery, jars with painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, Cat.1204 – Jars, Acoma (over 7″ tall), Third Place, Joseph and Barbara Cerno
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class II – Pottery, Div. F – Traditional pottery, painted designs on matte or semi–matte surface, Jars, Cat. 1304 – Jars, Acoma or Laguna (over 7 inches tall), First Place and Third Place, Joseph and Barbara Cerno
  – Div. J – Non-traditional, any forms using non-traditional materials or techniques, Cat. 1602 – Jars & vases painted (other than stoneware), Second Place, Joseph and Barbara Cerno
• 1982 Santa Fe Indian Market. Pottery, Second Place, Joseph and Barbara Cerno
• 1982 Heard Museum Guild Native American Arts Exhibit. Special Award, Ruth I. Elam Memorial Award – Miniature Pottery
  – Class V – Pottery, A – Traditional Construction, First Place and Second Place, Joseph and Barbara Cerno
  – Class D – Pottery Miniatures – First Place, Joseph and Barbara Cerno
• 1981 Santa Fe Indian Market. Pottery, First Place and Third Place, Joseph and Barbara Cerno