Tafoya, Legoria

Born into Santa Clara Pueblo in 1911, Legoria Velarde attended St. Catherine’s Indian School in Santa Fe. Shortly after graduating from there, she married Pasqual Tafoya.

Legoria started making pottery in 1930 after learning how by watching and working with her mother, Marianita Chavarria Velarde. At first, she only molded figurines based on forms from Tewa mythology. Later she made carved blackware bowls, jars and candlestick holders.

Legoria went to the Santa Fe Indian Market for the first time in 1940, earning a blue ribbon for a plain polished bowl that year. She earned numerous more awards over her long career. She collaborated with her daughter, Celes, for a number of years before she died in 1984.

In those years pieces she and Celes made together were signed “Legoria and Celes.” After Legoria died, Celes began making pottery with her daughter, Evelyn Aguilar.