Pacheco, Rose

“My favorite part of pottery making is designing. I also like meeting lots of people.”

Rose Pacheco was born into Santo Domingo Pueblo in December 1968. Her parents were Gilbert and Paulita Pacheco. Growing up in a pottery making household, Rose got interested in clay early. She started learning when she was about eight years old, making small rabbits and other animal figures. Later she started making polychrome dolls, Christmas ornaments and miniatures.

When her mother’s health started to fail (Pauline passed on in 2008), Rose and Billy Veale, her Dineh boyfriend, stepped in and kept the family’s pottery-making business going.

Billy and Rose both make, paint and fire their pottery. Rose’s pots have a more traditional Santo Domingo feel to them while Billy’s reflect more of his Dineh heritage.