Collateta, Kathleen

“The birds take our prayers up to the higher spirit.”

Born in November 1969, Kathleen Collateta Sandia is a member of the Sun Clan at Jemez Pueblo. Her mother, Antonita Collateta, is from Jemez Pueblo and well known for her traditional embroidery on dance costumes. Her father, Tom Collateta Sr. is a well known Hopi-Tewa Kachina carver from First Mesa.

Kathleen makes her living as a potter, working with her husband, Adrian Sandia, at Jemez Pueblo. They are also teaching their children how to make pottery the traditional way.

Beginning in 1985, Kathleen began learning from her Hopi grandmother, Sara Collateta, who showed her the intricacies of many ancient Hopi designs as well as techniques for drawing and painting them. Kathleen taught herself to mold and shape her pots in many different styles which she hand coils of clay she digs at Hopi. She paints with natural pigments: the black paint is made from boiled-down wild spinach mixed with a black rock she grinds to powder. She also fires her pottery outdoors in the traditional way.

Kathleen primarily makes black-and-red-on-yellow vases and seed pots. She also makes black-and-red-on-white bowls, jars and wedding vases. Her favorite designs are birds and bird elements, clouds, rain, mudheads, Polik-Mana (Butterfly Maiden) and Dawa (the Sun kachina).

Kathleen’s favorite design is the parrot, which represents male and female (groom and bride) and is usually enhanced with the feather designs which represent all birds. “The birds take our prayers up to the higher spirit,” she says.

Kathleen tells us she loves to make pottery: it makes her happy to know that someone will have a piece of hers in their home as a valued possession.

An article highlighting Kathleen was published in the summer 1995 edition of The Messenger (a publication of the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian). Kathleen earned a Best of Show ribbon at the New Mexico State Fair in 2004. She signs the back of her pottery “K. Collateta” with the sun symbol above her name.