Smith, Elijah Naranjo

Elijah Naranjo Smith is the brother of Jody Naranjo. He was born into Santa Clara Pueblo in 1977 and he grew up watching his mother, Dolly Naranjo-Neikrug, and his grandmother, Rose Naranjo, making pottery. His mother was an educator and sometimes he would see her on Sesame Street or Reading Rainbow, teaching kids around the world how to make Pueblo pottery. But he wasn’t really interested until about 1998.

Among his close relatives are Nora Naranjo-Morse, Jody Folwell and Michael Naranjo. Roxanne Swentzell and Susan Folwell are cousins.

Elijah was still in college back then, mostly working menial hotel jobs to support himself. Then his sister suggested he try making pottery. He says as soon as he touched the clay he felt “This is what I want to do!” and he hasn’t looked back since.

Elijah didn’t consider himself an artist back then because making a beautiful piece took him so much time and effort. That said, Elijah earned the 2003 Ron & Susan Dubin Native American Artist Fellowship at the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe. There he was able to study in depth the Santa Clara pottery that was stored in their vaults. He drew the shapes and designs he found and when he returned home a couple months later, he had a portfolio of new designs to work with.

Elijah has been a participant in the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Guild Indian Art Fair & Market for years. He also participated in the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show while that was happening.