Speckled Rock, Paul

Paul Speckled Rock was born into Santa Clara Pueblo in February 1952, the son of Tonita Tafoya and Paul Tafoya. His maternal grandmother was Severa Tafoya and that’s who showed him how to make pottery.

When Paul was 21, he decided to become a full-time painter. He learned on his own, progressing from easy watercolors to bright and bold acrylics. By 1977 he was moving into creating bronzes. In 1979 he added lithographs to his repertoire. Shortly after that he went to his grandmother and asked her help in learning how to make pottery. She taught him well, he was earning awards for his pieces within a couple years.

Paul made redware and blackware, especially bear fetishes and sculptures. Sadly he passed on in 2017. His son, Adam Speckled Rock, is still making pottery.