Moquino, Corn

Corn Moquino was born to Augustine Moquino (Hopi) and Benina Shije (Zia Pueblo) in 1929. Corn lived a very different life. As a child he was removed from his family home at Zia by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and sent to an Indian boarding school. He hated it and escaped at the age of 12.

He became a sheepherder and ranch hand, traveling around the country and growing up. For a while he worked as a backup singer for Hank Williams Jr. and other country greats of the time. Then he met the love of his life: Christine Herrera. They got married and he moved to her home at Santa Clara Pueblo.

At Santa Clara, Corn became intrigued with making traditional pottery. He said he taught himself how to do it and he started producing pottery around 1963. He was in the forefront of the development of sgraffito and he grew to be well known for his distinctive style.

Over the years Corn earned multiple ribbons for his work at Santa Fe Indian Market, Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show, the Heard Museum Indian Arts Fair & Market, Gallup InterTribal Ceremonial, New Mexico State Fair and other juried competitions and exhibitions across the country.

Corn and Christine had 9 children: 8 boys and 1 girl. Learning from Dad as they grew up, Bernice, Melvin, James, Marvin and Michael all became potters. Corn taught his nephew, Robert Allen Homer, how to make pottery, too. Corn passed away in 2016.