Tafoya, LuAnn

“People want to have your pots because of how you feel when you make your pots.”

LuAnn Tafoya was born into Santa Clara Pueblo, the daughter of Margaret Tafoya and granddaughter of Sara Fina Tafoya, LuAnn grew up learning how to make pottery from masters of the traditional craft. She began producing pottery in her late teens and the list of awards she has earned since then is very long.

LuAnn has participated in juried competitions at the Santa Fe Indian Market, Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial and the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show, earning awards almost every year since 1980. In 2003 she became only the second potter ever to earn both the Blue Ribbons for Best of Pottery and Best of Show at Santa Fe Indian Market.

Like her famous mother and grandmother, LuAnn specializes in larger pieces: red, black and brown, highly polished and exquisitely carved. She is also a master of the outdoor firing process.

Everything about the building, carving and firing of a large piece is different. The clay mix needs more temper, the building of the pot takes more time as it sometimes requires that a coil be allowed to dry some before the next coil is added. Polishing is a more drawn out process, as is carving. And then comes the most dangerous part of the process: the final firing. LuAnn has mastered them all.

LuAnn also learned to make pottery in the San Juan style (San Juan/Ohkay Owingeh has a very distinctive traditional style) and has earned awards for some of those pieces, too.

LuAnn has been a featured artist in books and exhibitions like The Legacy of Generations, Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery and Margaret Tafoya: A Tewa Potter’s Heritage & Legacy. Some of her work is on display at the Heard Museum of American Indian Art & History in Phoenix, the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC, the Cincinnati Museum of Fine Art, and at the Poeh Museum in Pojoaque, New Mexico.

LuAnn has made almost every traditional Santa Clara and San Juan pottery form. Her favorite designs to decorate with include bear paws, the avanyu, clouds, birds, kiva steps, winds and gourds.

Some Awards earned by LuAnn

• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, plain polished black, red, or white, including bear paw & melon design, Best of Division;
  – Cat. 901 – Jars, including wedding jars, First Place;
  – Div. C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Cat. 1001 – Jars, Second Place;
  – Cat. 1006 – Miscellaneous (can include vases, pitchers, ladles, canteens, boxes, plates, etc.), Second Place
• 2003 Santa Fe Indian Market. Best of Show
  – Class. II – Pottery, Best of Classification;
  – Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, plain polished black, red, or white, including bear paw or melon designs, Cat. 902 – Bowls, Third Place;
  – Div. C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Best of Division;
  – Cat. 1001 – Jars, First Place
• 2001 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Pottery, Div. C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Cat. 1001 – Jars, Second Place
• 2000 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, plain polished black, red, or white, including bear paw & melon design, Cat. 902 – Jars (over 9″ tall), First Place;
  – Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, plain polished black, red, or white, including bear paw & melon design, Cat. 902 – Jars (over 7″ tall), Second Place
• 1998 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, plain polished black, red, or white, including bear paw & melon design, Cat. 902 – Jars (over 9″ tall), Third Place;
  – Cat. 905 – Other bowls, Third Place;
  – Div. C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised, Cat. 1002 – Jars (up to 7″ tall), Honorable Mention
• 1997 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Div. C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised, Cat. 1002 – Jars (over 7″ tall), Third Place
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, plain polished black, red, or white, including bear paw & melon design, Cat. 904, Melon bowls & jars, all other, Third Place;
  – Div. C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised, Cat. 1002 – Jars (over 7″ tall), Third Place;
  – Cat. 1006 – Wedding vases, First Place
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market. Mela Youngblood Memorial Award for Excellence in Santa Clara Pottery from Class. II, Div. B or D;
  – Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, Cat. 902 – Jars (over 9 inches tall), Second Place;
  – Div. D – Traditional pottery, carved, Cat. 1102 – Jars (over 7 inches tall), First Place;
  – Cat. 1106 – Wedding vases, Second Place
• 1994 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Div. E – Traditional pottery, painted designs on burnished black or red surface; Cat. 1206 – Plates, Second Place
• 1993 Santa Fe Indian Market. Mela Youngblood Memorial Award for Excellence in Santa Clara Pottery from Class. II, Div. B or D;
  – Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, Cat. 904 – Melon bowls and jars, all other, First Place;
  – Jars (over 8″ tall); Div. D – Traditional pottery, carved, Best of Division;
  – Cat. 1102 – Jars (over 8″ tall), Second Place
• 1992 Santa Fe Indian Market. Mela Youngblood Memorial Award for Excellence in Santa Clara Pottery from Class. II, Div. B or D;
  Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, Cat. 902 – Jars (over 8″ tall), First Place;
  – Div. C – Traditional pottery, incised in the style of San Juan, Best of Division;
  – Div. D – Traditional pottery, carved, Best of Division;
  – Cat. 1102 – Jars (over 8″ tall), First Place, Third Place
• 1991 Santa Fe Indian Market. Mela Youngblood Memorial Award for Excellence in Santa Clara Pottery from Class. II, Div. B or D;
  – Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, Cat. 901 – Jars (to 8 inches), Second Place;
  – Cat. 902 – Jars (over 8 inches), Third Place;
  – Div. D – Traditional pottery, carved, Best of Division;
  – Cat. 1102 – Jars (over 8 inches), First Place;
  – Cat. 1105 – Wedding vases – First Place
• 1990 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, Cat. 802 – Jars (over 8″), First Place;
  – Div. C – Traditional pottery, incised (in the style of San Juan), Best of Division;
  – Div. D – Traditional pottery, carved, Cat. 1002 – Jars (over 8″), First Place, Second Place
• 1989 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, Cat. 802 – Jars (over 8″ tall), Second Place;
  – Cat. 805 – Other bowls, Third Place;
  – Div. C – Traditional pottery, incised (in the style of San Juan), Best of Division;
  – Div. D – Traditional pottery, carved, Best of Division;
  – Cat. 1002 – Jars (over 8″ tall), First Place
• 1986 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, Cat. 802 – Jars (over 8″ tall), Second Place;
  – Cat. 804 – Other bowls, First Place;
  – Div. D – Traditional pottery, carved, Cat. 1002 – Jars (over 8″ tall), Third Place
• 1985 Santa Fe Indian Market. Jack Hoover Memorial Award for Excellence in Santa Clara Pottery
• 1984 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional pottery, undecorated, Cat. 801 – Jars (up to 8 inches), Second Place
• 1983 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II – Pottery, Div. B – Traditional, undecorated, Second Place;
  – Div. D – Traditional, carved, First Place, Second Place