Moquino, Jennifer Tafoya

Jennifer (Tafoya) Moquino was born to Ray Tafoya and Emily (Suazo) Tafoya of Santa Clara Pueblo in 1977. Both she and her husband, Michael Moquino (son of Corn Moquino), grew up in households where some aspect of the process of making pottery was unfolding in front of them on a daily basis. It is said she made her first piece of pottery when she was six years old.

Jennifer submitted a figure for judging in the 1992 Santa Fe Indian Market Student division (ages 13 through 18) and earned her first First Place ribbon. In 1996 she earned another First Place ribbon at Santa Fe for a figure. Jennifer and Michael became a husband-and-wife team in 1998 and, together, are still earning ribbons for their work.

Jennifer and Mike specialize in making miniature vases and seed pots. Mike makes most of the pieces and Jennifer does the sgraffito designs. Her favorite designs incorporate birds, insects, animals and flowers. Around 2015 Mike started making tiles that Jennifer etched and painted with a mix of Japanese animé designs with Pueblo themes and colors.

Some Awards Jennifer has earned

• 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II: Pottery, Best of Class
• 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification IIC, Category 701 – Carved or incised, black or red, under 8 inches, Second Place
• 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market, Division D, Contemporary pottery using traditional materials and firing techniques, Best of Division
• 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification IID, Category 801 – Sgraffito, any form, First Place
• 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification IID, Category 802 – Carved, any form, Second Place
• 2019 Santa Fe Indian Market: Tony Da Memorial Award: “New Vision in Pueblo Pottery.” For excellence in the creative and innovative use of traditional materials and techniques in creating new styles in Pueblo Pottery
• 2019 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division E – Contemporary pottery, any form or design, using commercial clays/glazes, all firing techniques, Category 906 – Sgraffito and carved, any form: First Place
• 2019 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Miniature pots, individual pieces under 3″ in any direction, Category 1003 – Figures, including sets: First Place
• 2018 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 inches: Second Place
• 2018 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division A – Painted, native clay, hand built, fired out-of-doors: Second Place. Awarded for a collaborative work with Jason Ebelacker: “Signs of Spring Water Jar”
• 2017 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II Pottery, Division F – Any Design or Form with Non-native Materials, Includes Kiln Fired Pottery: First Place. Awarded for collaborative artwork with Jason Ebelacker: “Autunmoki”
• 2016 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division D – Traditional – Native Clay, Hand Built, Figurative: Second Place
• 2016 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Non-Traditional Design or Form with Non-Native Materials: First Place with Christopher Youngblood Cutler
• 2014 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division E – Non-traditional Design or Form with Native Materials: Second Place. Award for collaborative work with Russell Sanchez. Awarded for artwork: Dragon Water Jar
• 2014 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Non-traditional Design or Form with non-native Materials: First Place. Awarded for artwork: “Feathered Serpent”
• 2013 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery: Best of Classification with Russell Sanchez
• 2013 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division D – Traditional – Native Clay, Hand Built, Figurative: First Place with Russell Sanchez
• 2013 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery – Division F – Non-Traditional Design or Form with Non-Native Materials: First Place with Russell Sanchez
• 2012 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional, Native Clay, Hand Built, Carved: First Place with Michael Lee
• 2012 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Miniatures Not to Exceed 3″: Second Place
  2008 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Pottery, Miniatures: Second Place
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery: Best of Classification
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division H – Non-Traditional Pottery using Traditional Materials and Techniques with Non-traditional Decorative Elements: Best of Division
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division H – Non-Traditional Pottery using Traditional Materials and Techniques with Non-traditional Decorative Elements, Category 1507 – Sgraffito: First Place
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division J – Non-Traditional Ceramics, All Materials, All Techniques, with or without Decorative Elements, Any Form, Any Design: Second Place