Naranjo, Forrest

The grandson of Rose Naranjo and son of Tito and Bernice Naranjo, Forrest Naranjo was born into Santa Clara Pueblo in 1963. Like his sister Dusty Naranjo, Forrest learned how to make pottery through watching and working with their mother as he grew up. He also picked up pointers from aunts Jody Folwell and Rina Swentzell. Among his cousins were Roxanne Swentzell and Jody Naranjo.

Forrest mostly made seed pots and jars in the family’s trademark sepia-brown color. He liked to decorate them with a mix of traditional and non-traditional sgraffito mountain goat, bear, bird, bison, human and geometric designs.

The Heard Museum database lists him as “Forest” but also has his physical file in the name “Forrest.” That database also says he appeared in an exhibit at the American Indian Art Fair and Festival in Dallas, Texas in 1990. Sometime after that he became Caroline Elliot. Caroline Elliot was a participant in the Heard Museum Guild Indian Art Fair and Market in Scottsdale in 2013, 2014, 2015 and again in 2017.