Begay, Harrison Jr

Harrison Begay Jr. was born in the Jeddito Canyon area, near Keams Canyon on the Dineh Nation. He was a painter before he married Marie John of Santa Clara Pueblo and moved to her home there. At Santa Clara, his wife and his mother-in-law taught him the traditional Santa Clara way to make pottery.

Harrison likes to carve his pieces. In the early years of his pottery career he mostly carved typical Santa Clara designs. Then he started carving designs based on the Dineh spiritual pantheon and on petroglyphs he found out in the countryside.

Harrison has earned a number of awards for his work over the years. Lately he’s been experimenting with using matte paint on parts of his polished-and-carved pieces and varying his firing effects to deliver different colors of pottery at the end.

Harrison taught his son, Daniel, to make Santa Clara-style pottery, too.

Some Exhibits that featured Harrison’s work

• Crafted to Perfection: the Nancy & Alan Cameros Collection of Southwestern Pottery. Rockwell Museum of Western Art. Corning, New York. November 22, 2007 – May 18, 2008
• Private Reception and Showing: Harrison Begay, Jr. and Daniel Begay. Texas Star Bank. McKinney, Texas. November 24-26, 2006
• American Indian Festival and Market. Dallas, Texas. October 28, 2001
• Native New Mexico, Inc. Santa Fe, New Mexico. August 16, 2001
• Blue Rain Gallery. Chicago, Illinois. March 23-25, 2001
• Grand Opening, David V. Draper Gallery. Santa Fe, New Mexico. June 9, 2000
• Blue Rain Gallery. Ellipse Arts Center. Arlington, Virginia. March 26-28, 1999
• New Works in Clay by Jody Naranjo and Harrison Begay. Faust Gallery. Scottsdale, Arizona. December 4, 1999
• New Works by Hubert Candelario, Linda Tafoya-Oyenque, Russell Sanchez, Harrison Begay. Gallery 10. Scottsdale, Arizona. March 28, 1996
• Dallas Indian Market. Dallas, Texas. October 1992

Some Awards Harrison has Earned

• 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification IIC, Category 701 – Carved or incised, black or red, under eight inches, First Place
• 2019 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional burnished black or red ware, incised, painted or carved, Category 701 – Carved or incised, black or red, under 8″: Second Place
• 2019 Heard Museum Guild Indian Art Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Carved, native clay, hand built, fired out-of-doors: Second Place. Awarded for artwork: “Yei, Hummingbird & Dragonfly”
• 2014 Heard Museum Guild Indian Art Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional, native clay, hand built, carved: Honorable Mention. Awarded for artwork: “Morning Prayer”
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised, in style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Category 1006 – Miscellaneous (can include vases, pitchers, ladles, canteens, boxes, plates, etc.: Third Place
• 2003 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised, in style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Category 1001 – Jars: Second Place
• 2003 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised, in style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Category 1006 – Miscellaneous (can include vases, pitchers, ladles, canteens, boxes, plates: Second Place
• 2001 American Indian Festival and Market, Dallas, Texas, Pottery: Best in Class
  – First Place
  – Honorable Mention
• 2001 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised, jars, Category 1001 – Jars: First Place
• 2001 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised, jars, Category 1005 – Miscellaneous (can include all vase forms, pitchers, ladles canteens, plates, boxes: Third Place
• 2001 Santa Fe Indian Market: Special Award in Pottery
• 2000 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional Pottery, carved or incised (in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara & other tribal styles), Category 1002 – Jars (over 7″ tall): First Place
• 2000 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional Pottery, carved or incised (in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara & other tribal styles), Category 1002 – Jars (over 7″ tall): Third Place
• 2000 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification VII – Pottery, Division B – Traditional, native clay, hand built, unpainted: Honorable Mention. Awarded for artwork: “Yei (Man and Woman)”
• 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional Pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara & other tribal styles, Category 1001 – Jars (up to 7″ tall): First Place
• 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional Pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara & other tribal styles, Category 1002 – Jars (over 7″ tall): First Place
• 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional Pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara & other tribal styles, Category 1009 – Miscellaneous, including canteens: Third Place
• 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C: Best of Division
• 1998 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification – Pottery, Division J – Pottery Miniatures, Category 1605 – Traditional forms, other bowls: Third Place
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C -Traditional pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, other tribal styles, Category 1004 – Bowls (over 7″ in diameter): Second Place
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division J – Pottery Miniatures, 3″ or less in height or diameter, Category 1605 – Traditional forms, other bowls: First Place
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division D – Traditional pottery, carved, Category 1103 – Bowls (up to 7 inches in diameter): Third Place
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division K – Pottery miniatures, 3″ or less in height or diameter, Category 1705 – Traditional forms – other bowls: First Place
• 1992 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division J – Non-traditional, any forms using non-traditional materials or techniques, Category 1604 – Bowls (other than stoneware): Second Place