Candelario, Hubert

Hubert Candelario (Butterfly) was born into San Felipe Pueblo in 1965. He’s been actively making pottery since 1987.

There was a time in the 1600s when San Felipe was an active pottery center but that ended with the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. San Felipe, Santo Domingo and Cochiti potters had been using leaded ores found in the Cerrillos Hills to decorate their pottery with and make the decorations last longer. They built a tremendous business with it but when the Spanish returned after the 1680 Revolt, they claimed all the lead deposits for themselves and that ended the making of pottery at San Felipe. After that San Felipe residents obtained their pottery in trade from neighbors, most often from Zia Pueblo.

Hubert earned an Associate’s Degree in Architectural Design and Drafting. That fostered his appreciation for structure and pure architectural form. He credits Maria Martinez as being a major influence in his pottery career. He also says Santa Clara potter Nancy Youngblood has had a direct impact on his work with her carved, multi-ribbed melon jars.

Hubert’s early works were traditional polished redware. Today he is famous for his contemporary, precisely carved puzzle pots, melon jars and pots perforated with circular or hexagonal holes.

The base structure of his pottery is formed using a red clay local to San Felipe. He completes the concept with layers of orange micaceous slip, burnished after each layer, to create his fabulous color and texture. The micaceous clay he gets from Nambe and Picuris Pueblos. He fires his pottery in a kiln to achieve an even color, free of fire clouds.

Hubert has earned numerous awards including more than one First Place ribbon at the Santa Fe Indian Market. His work was included in the 2002 exhibit and catalog Changing Hands: Art without Reservation at the American Craft Museum in New York City. One of his large swirl-cut melon jars was also selected for the permanent collection at the Denver Art Museum. Recently he earned a First Place ribbon for Miscellaneous pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market in 2019.

Hubert signs his work: “Hubert Candelario, San Felipe Pueblo”, generally followed by the date the piece was made.

Some Exhibits that featured pieces by Hubert

• Breaking the Mold. Denver Art Museum. October 7, 2006 – August 19, 2007
• Breaking the Surface: Carved Pottery Techniques and Designs. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. October 2004 – October 2005
• Indian Market: New Directions in Southwestern Native American Pottery. Peabody Essex Museum. Salem, Massachusetts. November 16, 2001 – March 17, 2002
• Exhibition of New Works. Gallery 10. Scottsdale, Arizona. March 28, 1996

Some Awards earned by Hubert

• 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II-E, Category 905, Miscellaneous, First Place
• 2020 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery: Innovation Award for Pottery. Awarded for artwork: Oval Pot with Hole with Lid with Holes
• 2019 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II-E, Category 905 – Contemporary pottery, any form or design, using commercial clays/glazes, all firing techniques – Miscellaneous: Second Place
• 2019 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II-G – Pottery miniatures not to exceed three (3) inches at its greatest dimension: Second Place. Awarded for artwork: “Mini or Small Pot Flowing”
• 2019 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market: Judge’s Award – Jeremy Frey. Awarded for artwork: “Mica 9 Dragonfly Pot with Holes”
• 2018 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Miniature pots, individual pieces under 3 inches in any dimension: Best of Division
• 2018 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II-F – Miniature pots, individual pieces under 3 inches in any dimension, Category 1002 – Contemporary: First Place
• 2018 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Pottery miniatures not to exceed three (3) inches at its greatest dimension: Fist Place. Awarded for artwork: “Starmelon Mica Mini”
• 2017 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division E – Contemporary Pottery, any form or design, using commercial clays/glazes, all firing techniques, Category 905 – Miscellaneous: Honorable Mention
• 2017 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market. Classification II Pottery, Division E – Any Design or Form with Native Materials, Kiln Fired Pottery: Second Place. Awarded for Artwork:  Mica Spirit Bowl
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market. Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Non-traditional pottery, using traditional materials and techniques, any form or design, Category 1403 – Ribbed jars, wedding jars, vases and bowls, First Place
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market. Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Non-traditional pottery, using traditional materials and techniques, any form or design, Category 1411 – Miscellaneous: First Place
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market. Classification II – Pottery, Division K – Pottery miniatures, 3″ or less in height or diameter, Category 1704 – Non-traditional forms or designs: First Place
• 2000 Santa Fe Indian Market. Classification II – Pottery, Division H – Non-traditional pottery, Category 1505 -Jars and vessels: Third Place
• 1997 Santa Fe Indian Market. Classification II – Pottery, Division H – non-traditional, Category 1505 – Jars: First Place
• 1997 Santa Fe Indian Market. Classification II – Pottery, Division H – Non-traditional, Category 1507 – Bowls: Third Place
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market. Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, Classification II – Pottery, Division H – Non-traditional, Category 1603 – Jars and vases: First Place
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market. Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, Classification II – Pottery, Division H – Non-traditional, Category 1604 – Bowls: Third Place