Naranjo, Monica
Monica Naranjo was born into Santa Clara Pueblo in 1975. The sister of Kevin Naranjo, she also learned the traditional way to make pottery from their mother, Geri Naranjo. Like her mother, Monica specializes in black and sienna miniatures with very fine traditional sgraffito decorations.
Monica began earning ribbons for her work while she was still a teenager. Monica is still making her trademark miniature black jars and seed pots (sometimes with sienna rims and spots) with fine sgraffito avanyu, feather and geometric designs.
She usually signs her pieces: Monica Naranjo Santa Clara Pueblo.
There is some confusion around Monica and her last name(s). She is Monica Naranjo but she was married for several years and signed her pottery as Monica Romero in those years. Then she signed Monica Naranjo-Romero for a while. Now it’s just Monica Naranjo.
Some Awards Monica has earned
- 1990 Santa Fe Indian Market, Third Place ribbon, ages 13-18, burnished black or red jar
- 1991 Santa Fe Indian Market, Second Place ribbon, ages 13-18, animal figure
- 1992 Santa Fe Indian Market, Second Place ribbon, ages 13-18, sgraffito;
– Second Place ribbon, burnished black or red jar;
– Second Place ribbon, miniature - 1993 Santa Fe Indian Market, First Place ribbon, ages 18 & under, miniature;
– Second Place ribbon, animal figure - 1998 Santa Fe Indian Market, First Place ribbon, miniature, sgraffito black;
– Third Place ribbon, miniature, sgraffito, all other