Naranjo, Madeline E

Born into Santa Clara Pueblo in 1971, Madeline E. Naranjo has been making pottery since 1991. She learned the basics of the traditional skills through watching and working with her paternal grandmother (the Madeline Naranjo that she was named in honor of) when she was a teenager. Then Julie Gutierrez took Madeline under her wing and fine tuned her process.

Madeline’s husband, Adrian Garcia, is a respected sgraffito artist. Effie Garcia, Adrian’s mother, is an award-earning Santa Clara potter skilled in deep-carving.

Madeline and Adrian used to collaborate: Madeline made the pots and did the polishing while Adrian did the firing. Their work was usually turned black in the firing process. Both designed and carved their pots using a deep-carving method to create their distinctive, contemporary patterns. Deep carving is difficult since an artist cannot carve too deeply without damaging or destroying the pot.

Madeline and Adrian were respected for their meticulous designs and highly polished finish. Then they stopped collaborating. Madeline does everything on her own now and has earned multiple ribbons for her work at the Santa Fe Indian Market.

Some Awards Madeline has earned

  • 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II-D, Category 802 – Carved, any form, Honorable Mention
  • 2018 Santa Fe Indian Market: Sara Fina Tafoya Memorial Award for Best in Traditional Santa Clara Pueblo Pottery, 10 Inches and Under; Black
  • 2017 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″: First Place
  • 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised, in style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Category 1003 – bowls, under 8″ in diameter: Second Place
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