Naranjo, Mollie

Mollie Naranjo (1914-1996) was a potter from Santa Clara Pueblo. Among her children were Robert Naranjo and Joe Naranjo. She mostly made black jars, bowls, wedding vases, engagement baskets and seed pots and carved them with versions of the avanyu and with geometric designs. She wasn’t very prolific but she made sure her children knew how to make pottery the traditional way.

Mollie’s husband, Juan Naranjo, worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for 37 years. For a good part of that time they lived in Dulce on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. Their sons were both born there. They returned to Santa Clara after Juan retired.