Gutierrez, Denny

Denny Gutierrez (1942-2013) was a potter from Santa Clara Pueblo. He learned to make pottery the traditional way from his mother, Katherine Gutierrez. His aunt, Clara Stone, and sister, JoAnn Million, were also well-known potters.

Denny developed a distinctive style of spiral-faceted melon jar in the 1990s. He earned awards at the Santa Fe Indian Market and Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show for different versions of it every year for a decade.

Denny was also a long-time pueblo council member and served as governor of Santa Clara Pueblo from 2000 to 2004. He said he made his pottery at the end of the day, it helped him to relax. He celebrated the job change in 2004 by earning a First Place ribbon for a plain melon jar at the Santa Fe Indian Market.