Goldenrod

Gloria Goldenrod Garcia was born into Santa Clara Pueblo in 1942, daughter of Petra Montoya Gutierrez of Pojoaque Pueblo and Juan Gutierrez of Santa Clara Pueblo. Among Goldenrod’s sisters are Thelma Talachy, Lois Gutierrez de la Cruz and Minnie Vigil.

In 1942 World War II was on and Pojoaque Pueblo had been reestablished less than 10 years before. Living conditions were pretty rough and there was little infrastructure in place. When the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1933 asked for information on where to find the Pojoaque people, many of them came out of Santa Clara. Those families had left Pojoaque during a smallpox epidemic when the Cacique (the pueblo’s religious leader) died and the last Pueblo Governor left the area for work in Colorado, around 1908.

At Santa Clara, Petra’s children grew up surrounded by a vibrant artist community and they learned to make pottery from some of the greats. Eventually, Thelma chose to move back to Pojoaque Pueblo after marrying Joe Talachy while Goldenrod and the others stayed at Santa Clara.

Today, Goldenrod freehand etches (sgraffito style) her hand-coiled seed pots with designs that often feature buffalo, corn maidens, rain clouds, deer, bear paws and birds. She earned First Place and Best of Division ribbons at Santa Fe Indian Market three years after she began making pottery.

Goldenrod’s work has been featured in exhibitions all across the country. She was a participant at Santa Fe Indian Market for more than 20 years, earning more ribbons almost every year. The Smithsonian’s permanent collection features some of her work. The Heard Museum says that Goldenrod has been an exhibitor at their annual Indian Arts Fair and Market every year since 2010.

Some Exhibits that Featured Goldenrod’s Work

• Gifts from the Community. Heard Museum West. Surprise, Arizona. April 12 – October 12, 2008
• Choices and Change: American Indian Artists in the Southwest. Heard Museum North. Scottsdale, Arizona. June 20, 2007 – April 2012
• Images, Artists, Styles: Recent Acquisitions from the Heard Museum Collection. Heard Museum North. Scottsdale, Arizona. July 2001 – January 2002

Some Awards Goldenrod has Earned

• 2020 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Pottery miniatures not to exceed three (3) inches at its greatest dimension: Second Place. Awarded for artwork: “Wolves”
• 2017 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Pottery miniatures not to exceed three (3) inches at its greatest dimension: First Place. Awarded for artwork: “Black Bears”
• 2014 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division D – Traditional, native clay, hand built, figurative: Second Place
• 2012 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G Miniatures not to exceed 3″: First Place
• 2011 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Miniatures: Second Place. Shared with Preston Duwyenie
  2004 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division K – Pottery miniatures, 3″ or less in height or diameter, Category 1706 – Sgraffito: Third Place