Laate, Carlos

Carlos Laate was born into Zuni Pueblo in 1962, the son of Etta Lynn and Lydatie Laate. He says he was inspired to make pottery by his grandmother, Daisy Hooee Nampeyo, and his aunt, Jennie Laate. Both women had taught pottery making at Zuni High School and are credited as being the impetus for the rebirth of the Zuni pottery tradition.

Carlos has been making pottery since 1987. He is 100% Zuni and prefers to use many of the old Zuni shapes (water jars, pitchers, owl effigies) and designs in his work. His father worked for many years in the forests and Carlos joined him often. You can see those influences in his use of turkeys, deer, birds and other wildlife in his designs. As Carlos says, there’s a lot of forest out there with lots of beautiful places to hike and hunt.

Carlos has participated in many shows and earned ribbons for everything from Best of Show (Twin Arrows Casino Resort, AZ) to Honorable Mention and Acquisition Awards to First, Second and Third Place ribbons. He’s participated in shows at the Heard Museum Guild Indian Art Fair & Market (Phoenix, AZ), Cherolette Hall (Prescott, AZ), Northern Arizona Museum (Flagstaff), and the Litchfield Park Native American Arts Festival (Litchfield Park, AZ). His work is also on display at the Utah Natural History Museum, University of Kansas-Lawrence, Tucson Museum of Art and the Heard Museum.