Garcia, Tammy

“Her work is sensual, her proportion is exquisite, the carving and design is superb. She’s truly contemporary, but she’s utilizing designs and motifs from centuries back. And if her work is anything less than superb, she won’t sell it. It’s that simple. Everything she does is blue ribbon.” – Martha Albrecht, former President of the Wheelwright Museum, Santa Fe

Tammy Garcia was born into Santa Clara Pueblo in 1969. She is the daughter of Linda Cain, granddaughter of Mary and Willie Cain, great-granddaughter of Christina Naranjo. Autumn Borts-Medlock is her sister. Tammy learned how to make pottery from her mother and was active in the marketplace as a teenager.

Working with clay, Tammy makes carved redware and blackware, seed pots, storage jars, jars and canteens. Her designs are inspired by ancient Anasazi and Mimbres designs, scenes and symbols from life in Santa Clara Pueblo, and scenes gathered from other Native American cultures.

The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture declared Tammy to be their 2013 Native Treasures Living Treasure.

Some Exhibits that have featured Tammy’s work

• Masters of the American West. Autry Museum of the American West. Los Angeles, California. February 27, 2021 – April 11, 2021. Note: virtual art show and sale
• Layers: Life in Clay. King Galleries. Santa Fe, New Mexico. April 18, 2020 – May 2, 2020. Note: one-person show featuring new work by Tammy Garcia
• Preston Singletary: Artist, Innovator, Collaborator. Blue Rain Gallery. Santa Fe, New Mexico. Opened August 6, 2019. Note: includes collaborative works by Preston Singletary with Harlan Reano, Jody Naranjo, and Tammy Garcia. Accompanied by an exhibition catalog
• Masters of the American West. Autry Museum of the American West. Los Angeles, California. February 9, 2019 – March 24, 2019. Note: participating artists include Tony Abeyta, Tammy Garcia, Doug Hyde, Oreland C. Joe Sr., Kevin Red Star, Mateo Romero, and others
• What’s New in New: Selections from the Carol Warren Collection. Lloyd Kiva New Gallery, Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. Santa Fe, New Mexico. June 3, 2018 – February 26, 2019. Note: exhibiting works include art by artists Tony Abeyta, Autumn Borts-Medlock, Preston Duwyenie, Tammy Garcia, Dan Namingha, Les Namingha, Jody Naranjo, Roxanne Swentzell, and Tito Naranjo
• Masters of the American West. Autry Museum of the American West. Los Angeles, California. February 10, 2018 – March 25, 2018. Note: exhibiting artists include Tony Abeyta, Tammy Garcia, Oreland C. Joe Sr., Kevin Red Star, Mateo Romero, among others
• Beauty Speaks for Us. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. February 10, 2017 – March 31, 2017
• Creative Casting: Bronzes from the Heard Collection. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. Opened February 9, 2017
• From the Belly of Our Being: Art by and about Native Creation. Oklahoma State University Museum of Art. Stillwater, Oklahoma. September 27, 2016 – January 28, 2017. Group exhibition curated by Heather Ahtone and includes the following artists: Keri Ataumbi, Julie Buffalohead, Nanibah Chacon, Anita Fields, Tammy Garcia, Shan Goshorn, Teri Greeves, Linda Lomahaftewa, Cedar Marie, Meryl McMaster, America Meredith, Molly Murphy Adams, Luanne Redeye, Cara Romero, Erin Shaw, C. Maxx Stevens, Marie Watt, Dyani White Hawk, Melanie Yazzie, and Debra Yepa-Pappan
• Something Old, Something New, Nothing Borrowed: New Acquisitions from the Heard Museum Collection. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. April 2, 2011 – March 18, 2012
• Tammy Garcia and Preston Singletary. SOFA (Sculpture Objects Functional Art+Design) Exhibition. Chicago, Illinois. November 5-8, 2009
• Visions Beyond Clay: The Artwork of Tammy Garcia. Rockwell Museum of Western Art. Corning, N.Y. May 23, 2009 – September 13, 2009
• Beyond Tradition: The Pueblo Pottery of Tammy Garcia. National Museum of Women in the Arts. Washington, DC. August 22, 2008 – February 3, 2009
• Crafted to Perfection: The Nancy & Alan Cameros Collection of Southwestern Pottery. Rockwell Museum of Western Art. Corning, N.Y. November 22, 2007 – May 18, 2008
• Origins in Tradition: Sculpture by Tammy Garcia. Museum of Indian Arts & Culture. Santa Fe, NM. May 20, 2007 – April 28, 2008
• Tammy Garcia: Visions in Glass, A Collaboration with Preston Singletary. Blue Rain Gallery. Santa Fe, NM. April 1, 2005 – April 30, 2005
• Breaking the Surface: Carved Pottery Techniques and Designs. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. October 2, 2004 – October 3, 2005
• Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation: Contemporary Native American Art from the Southwest. 2002-2003 Traveling exhibition planned for the following venues: American Craft Museum, New York, NY, May 9, 2002-September 15, 2002; Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, October 13, 2002-January 5, 2003; Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, OK, January 19, 2003-March 16, 2003
• Indian Market: New Directions in Southwestern Native American Pottery. Peabody Essex Museum. Salem, MA. 2001 November 16, 2001 – March 17, 2002
• Hold Everything! Masterworks of Basketry and Pottery from the Heard Museum. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. November 1, 2001 – March 10, 2002

Some of the other awards Tammy has earned

• 2020 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification – Sculpture V, Division C – Other media (ceramic, glass, wood, woven fabric, and all other materials): Second Place. Awarded for artwork: “Sikyatki Birds”
• 2019 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification V – Sculpture, Division B – Bronze: Second Place. Awarded for artwork: “Fish and Game, Edition 35”
• 2018 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification V – Sculpture, Division B – Bronze: First Place. Awarded for artwork: “Bear Fetish”
• 2008 The New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Art
• 1998 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, other tribe styles, Category 1001 – Jars (up to 7″ all), First Place
• 1998 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, other tribe styles, Category 1002 – Jars (over 7″ tall): Second Place
• 1998 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Non-traditional pottery, new forms, using traditional materials & techniques, Category 1404 – Jars: First Place
• 1997 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, other tribal styles, Best of Division
• 1997 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, other tribal styles, Category 1002, Jars – (over 7″ tall): First Place
• 1997 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, other tribal styles, Category 1009 – Miscellaneous, including canteens: Second Place
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, other tribal styles: Best of Division
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, other tribal styles, Category 1001 – Jars (up to 7″ tall): First Place
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, other tribal styles, Category 1002 – Jars (over 7″ tall), First Place
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, other tribal styles, Category 1006 – Wedding vases: Second Place
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division C – Traditional pottery, carved or incised in the style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, other tribal styles, Category 1009 – Miscellaneous, including canteens: First Place
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Non-traditional pottery, new forms, using traditional materials & techniques, Category 1410 – Miscellaneous (over 6″) only items with figures or designs in relief: First Place
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Best of Classification
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division D – Traditional pottery, carved: Best of Division
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division D – Traditional pottery, carved, Category 1101 – Jars (up to 7 inches tall): First Place
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division D – Traditional pottery, carved, Category 1102 – Jars (over 7 inches tall): First Place
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division D – Traditional pottery, carved, Category 1102 – Jars (over 7 inches tall): Second Place
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division J – Non-traditional, any forms using non-traditional materials or techniques, Category 1602 – Jars & vases, painted (other than stoneware): First Place
• 1994 Santa Fe Indian Market: Large Pottery Award – Best Traditional Pottery jar or bowl, 15″ or more in height or diameter
• 1994 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division D – Traditional pottery, carved, Category 1101 – Jars (up to 7 inches tall): Second Place
• 1994 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division D – Traditional pottery, carved, Category 1102 – Jars (over 7 inches tall): Second Place
• 1994 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division D – Traditional pottery, carved, Category 1104 – Bowls (over 7 inches in diameter): Second Place
• 1988 Gallup InterTribal Ceremonial, Classification – Pottery, 402 – Jar, seed jar, canteen: Third Place
• 1988 Gallup InterTribal Ceremonial, Classification – Pottery, 403 – Vase, wedding vase: First Place