Singer, Mary

Born into Santa Clara Pueblo in May 1936, Mary Singer was the daughter of Pablita Chavarria. Among her siblings were Stella Chavarria, Florence Browning, Elizabeth Naranjo, Reycita Naranjo and Clara Shije. Pablita made sure all her kids learned how to make pottery as they were growing up. Mary excelled at it. She mostly made blackware jars and liked to carve them with bear claws, avanyus, inverted feathers and terraced clouds.

Mary was a participant in the One Space/Three Visions exhibit at the Albuquerque Museum in 1979. Her work was also included in a show with Margaret Tafoya and more than 40 other Santa Clara potters at the Sid Deutsch Gallery in Manhattan in 1985.

Some of the Awards Mary earned

• 1981 Santa Fe Indian Market, Second Place
• 1983 Santa Fe Indian Market, Third Place, 2 awards for carved black jars
• 1989 Santa Fe Indian Market, Third Place award for a carved plate
• 1990 Santa Fe Indian Market, Second Place award for a carved figure
• 1991 Santa Fe Indian Market, Second Place award for a carved plate;
  – Third Place award for a carved bowl
• 1992 Santa Fe Indian Market, Third Place award for a carved bowl less than 8 inches in diameter
• 1993 Santa Fe Indian Market, Second Place award for a carved wedding vase
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, First Place award for a figure;
  – First Place award for a black single figure;
  – Third Place award for a bowl with handles or lids
• 1998 Santa Fe Indian Market, First Place award for a figure;
  – Third Place award for a jar over 7 inches tall