Gonzales, Juanita

“My mother had a knack for saying the right thing at the right time.” – Adelphia Martinez, speaking of her mother, Juanita Gonzales

Juanita Gonzales was born Juanita Archuleta, at Taos Pueblo in 1909. She never learned much about pottery growing up as she was much more interested in medicine and healing. There were only a few potters at Taos anyway. In her early 20s, she was working in a hospital when she met Louis “Wo-peen” Gonzales (1907-c.1990).

Louis was an easel painter, one of the first group of muralists and easel painters known as the San Ildefonso School. After his 1932 showing at the Boston Art Club, one critic commented, “In character they are as definitely and clearly defined as the hieroglyphic paintings of the ancient Egyptians – only in a different and finer way.” Another critic compared his work favorably to the fine line 16th century miniature paintings of Persia. Then Louis suffered a hunting accident and lost his right arm.

Juanita met him in the hospital and helped to nurse him through his recovery. They fell in love and were married in 1933. She moved to his home at San Ildefonso Pueblo and a couple years later, their daughter, Adelphia Gonzales Martinez, was born. Then Juanita began to learn how to make pottery by watching and working with her sister-in-law, Rose Gonzales, while Louis set about learning to paint again using his left arm.

That was also around the time Juanita and Louis “adopted” Lorenzo Gonzales and his sister, Crucita (the future Blue Corn). Lorenzo and Crucita’s parents had died while they were away at the Indian boarding school in Santa Fe. Juanita and Louis watched over them when they came back to the pueblo in the summer. Those summers were also spent working together making pottery.

Juanita made black-on-black and redware jars, bowls, plates, wedding vases and figures, turtles and frogs mostly. She carved as many as she painted.

Juanita was multi-lingual. She was raised at Taos and grew up speaking Tiwa. When she married Louis, she moved to San Ildefonso and learned to speak Tewa. She and Louis both also spoke Spanish and English. In the 1970s Juanita decided to go back to school. She attended the College of Santa Fe and took courses centered around teaching Head Start, Home Enrichment and programs for the elderly. Her transcripts said she was an A and B student.

Juanita was a participant in the Santa Fe Indian Market and the New Mexico State Fair for more than 40 years. She participated in the Gallup InterTribal Ceremonial for more than 20 years and the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show for more than a decade. For many of those years she shared her booth at Santa Fe with her daughter, Adelphia. Eventually age took its toll and she stopped participating in all events in 1981. Over the years she earned a number of First and Second Place ribbons from every venue where she participated in the juried competitions.

Juanita signed most of her pottery “Juanita Wo-peen.” Some is signed “Louis & Juanita.” Wo-peen was Louis’ Tewa name, meaning: Medicine Mountain. At the time of his birth, the spiritual leaders of San Ildefonso emerged from their kiva and made a pilgrimage to Medicine Mountain. Louis served as Governor of San Ildefonso Pueblo in 1944-1945.