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Erik Fender
Santa Clara

Erik Fender, Than Tsideh “Sunbird”, was born in 1970 into the Santa Clara Pueblo. He specializes in traditional and contemporary blackware pottery.

He started the art of pottery making by watching his grandmother, Carmelita Dunlap, as she would hand coil and hand paint her traditional black -on-black pottery. As he grew older, he started to experiment more with various techniques and clays. His style progressed from the traditional black-on-black pottery to an innovated two tone, black-on-red, separated by sgraffito low relief carving. He also makes beautiful polychrome pots and presently he specializes in green-on-black pots. He harvests his clumps of raw clay from the sacred grounds within the Santa Clara Pueblo, then, Erik breaks the clumps of clay to a fine powder substance and mixes it with volcanic ash and water, once that process is complete he hand coils snake like forms and begins to construct his vessel. When the vessel is built it is set out to dry. Once it has dried he sands it down to smooth out the surface. He stone polishes and hand paints his designs with all natural paints which are all boiled from native vegetation grown in the Pueblo . He is related to Martha Appleleaf Fendor (mother), Carmelita Dunlap (grandmother), Linda Dunlap (aunt), Jeannie Mountain Flower Dunlap (aunt), and Carlos Dunlap (grandfather). He signs his pottery as Than Tsideh which means “Sunbird”.

Awards:

-1987 New Mexico Congressional Art First Place
-1988 Santa Fe Indian Market First Place
-1998 Santa Fe Indian Market Honorable Mention

Publications:

- Pueblo Indian Pottery 750 Artist Biographies
- Pueblo Artists Portraits

Gordon Foley
Jemez/Oto-Missouria

Gordon Foley, “Middle of the Plaza”, was born in 1975 into the Jemez Pueblo; he is also Oto-Missouria. The lucrative aspect of the business was partially responsible for his inspiration. However, he was also inspired from his elders to learn the art of pottery making. As a child, Gordon would assist other members of his Pueblo to hand coil their pottery and observe their methods, with a careful eye, and gather knowledge so that one day he to would be able to make beautiful art of his own.

Gordon specializes in hand coiled contemporary styled pottery, but he is not limited to just that he also has made clay sculptures. All of his pottery is made from Mother Earth which is gathered around his home within the Jemez Pueblo. Then, he mixes the clay with white sand. Gordon uses the traditional coiling method to form each piece of pottery. Before the pottery dries he will form ribs around the exterior part of the pot. Once the Pottery is dried, he sands the pot around each rib with sand paper. Next, he applies the paint and then adds a finishing polish to the pottery. Finally, he will fire the pottery outdoors with cedar wood, which is the traditional way of potting. Gordon signs his pottery as: Gordon Foley, Jemez.

Gordon is related to many famous potters among them are following artists: Laura Gachupin (mother), Marie G. Romero (Grandmother), Bertha Gachupin (godmother), Maxine Toya (aunt), and Damian Toya (cousin).

Awards:

-1984 Santa Fe Indian Market 1st & 2nd Place
-1993 Santa Fe Indian Market 1st
-1997 Gallup Ceremonial 2nd Place
-1999 New Mexico State Fair 3rd Place
-1999 New Mexico State Fair 4th Place

Publications:

-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies

Clifford Kim Fragua
Jemez

Clifford Kim Fragua is a full blooded Native American Indian from the Jemez Pueblo. He was born in 1957 and has been hand making pottery sculptures since 1970. He was inspired to learn the art of clay sculpting from his Mother, the late Grace L. Fragua.

Clifford specializes in handmade storytellers, humorous koshares (ceremonial clowns), animals figurines, nativity’s, Christmas ornaments, and corn maidens. The materials that Clifford uses consist of native clay and temper found around the Jemez Pueblo. Natural clay is also used as colors to paint each piece. The clay and sand is prepared by drying, grinding, and sifting before it is mixed with water to produce the medium (weight of clay). The sculptures are then hand pinched, air dried, painted, and wood fired. The major portion of each sculpture is hollow. The end product is a natural tan-buff color where it is not painted. His work is a unique blend of the traditional and contemporary styles, producing one of a kind pieces. Emily Fragua-Tsosie, Bonnie Fragua, and Carol Fragua-Gachupin (sisters) are among the artists that Clifford is related to.

Awards:

-1992 Gallup Ceremonial 1st place
-1992 Totah Farmington Festival 2nd & 3rd

Publications:

-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
-Storytellers and Other Figurative Pottery

Glendora Fragua
Jemez

Glendora Fragua, formerly Glendora Daubs is a full blooded Native American Indian, she is a member of the Corn Clan from the Jemez Pueblo. She was born in September of 1958. She began the art of working with natural clays and slips in 1976. She was taught all the fundamentals of constructing pottery vessels the ancient traditional way of hand coiling, pinching, and firing outdoors by members of the Jemez Pueblo which have been passed down from generation to generation.

Glendora continues to use all naturals pigments and slips to construct her masterpieces. She specializes in hand coiled sgraffito vessels. She gathers all her clumps of clay and other natural plants and vegetation from within the Jemez Pueblo. Once, she has gathered all of her materials she breaks down the clumps of clay into a fine powder form and hand mixes with water and other natural minerals to a fine medium and begins to construct her vessels by using the ancient method of hand coiled and hand pinching the clay. When the vessels are constructed she sets them out to dry and when they are dried she hand sands her pieces to give them a smooth finish. Then, she begins to hand carve lizards, turtles, feathers, kiva steps, flowers, butterflies, corn stalks, and geometric designs. She fires her pieces and then accents her vessels with authentic turquoise or coral stones. She is a highly respected artist at the top of the ladder among the Jemez artists and collectors around the world. She signs her pottery as: A Cornstalk to denote her clan origin.

Publications:

-Southwestern Pottery Anasazi to Zuni
-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies

Awards:

- Santa Fe Indian Market
- Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial
-Eight Northern India Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show

Joseph Fragua
Jemez

Joseph Fragua is a full blooded Native American Indian. He was born into the Jemez Pueblo in 1977. Joseph was inspired to learn the art of working with natural clay by assisting Sharon Sarracino construct her pottery. Sharon shared with Joseph all the fundamentals of working with clay and using the ancient traditional methods of hand coiling just like their ancestors before them. Joseph was quoted as saying: “I enjoy working with clay because it is a part of me that I am giving to the world, and the reactions on the faces of those who admire my work inspire me to become more creative with my ideas”.

Joseph specializes in contemporary hand coiled pottery. He gathers his raw clumps of clay from within the Jemez Pueblo. He breaks down the clumps of clay and cleans the fine sands of clay for impurities. Then, Joseph hand mixes the clay with sand and water, then, he begins the hand coiling process by rolling the clay into snake like coils and begins hand building a clay vessel. Once the vessel is built he sets the piece out to dry, this is a crucial stage because if it dries to quickly the vessel may crack. Once the vessel has dried, he sands his piece down to give it a smooth finish. Then, he begins the painting process with a stem of a yucca plant that has been fashioned into a brush. His designs include flowers hummingbirds, butterflies, eagle feathers, and intricate geometric designs. He on occasion with hand sculpt a kachina maiden with a beautiful head dress on his pottery. Finally, when the painting is done he fires his pottery in a kiln so that the painting doesn’t rub off. Joseph enjoys hand coiling all types of clay art. He accepts new challenges eagerly. He signs his pottery as: Fragua, Jemez. He is related to: Margaret Toya (grandmother).

Awards:

- New Mexico State Fair

Publications:

-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies

Matthew E. Fragua
Jemez

Matthew E. Fragua, “Spotted Eagle”, is a full blooded Native American Indian. He was born into the Jemez Pueblo in 1963. He began experimenting with clay at the age of 16, in 1978. His inspiration was his Great Grandmother, Persingula Gachupin. She taught him all the fundamentals of constructing clay sculptures using ancient traditional methods which were passed down from generation to generation.

Matthew specializes in hand making koshare storytellers, horses, figurines and he can hand coil pottery. Matthew digs up his own clay, cleans, mixes, molds, paints, and fires his pottery, the traditional way, outdoors. He uses all natural colors and clays. Matthew signs his pottery as: M. Fragua, Jemez. Matthew is related to the following artists: Marie Romero (aunt), Laura Gachupin (cousin), and the famous Maxine Toya (cousin).

Awards:

- New Mexico State Fair

Publications:

-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies

Virginia Fragua
Jemez

Virginia Fragua, “Ponca Flower” is a full blooded Native American Indian. She is a member of the Corn Clan and was born into the Jemez Pueblo in 1961. She was inspired to continue the long lived family tradition of hand coiling pottery, using ancient traditional methods at the age of 16. Her inspiration came from her grandmother, Persingula M. Gachupin. They developed a very close relationship during this time. She taught her all the fundamentals of working with clay. Virginia also helped her mother paint her pottery when she was a child.

Virginia specializes in hand coiled melon styled pottery. She was taught where to gather her clay, clean it, mix, hand coil, shape, add melon ridges, paint, and fire her pottery the traditional way, outdoors, with cedarwood chips. She also polishes her pottery to a nice shine. She really enjoys the challenge of hand making all different sizes and shapes. All of her pottery has a corn symbol hand painted on it to denote her Clan origin. Virginia signs her pottery as: V.P. Fragua, Jemez.

Virginia is related to the following artists: Lenora G. Fragua (mother), Marie G. Romero (aunt), Bertha Gachupin (sister), Damian Toya (cousin), Camillia Toya (cousin) and the famous Maxine Toya (aunt).

Awards:

-1990 New Mexico State Fair

Publications:

-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
-Southwestern Pottery 1999 Edition

Emily Fragua-Tsosie
Jemez

Emily Fragua-Tsosie, “Corn Pollen”, was born in 1951 into the Pueblo of the Jemez. Emily was inspired by her mother and grandmother to hand coil and pinch clay sculptures, at the age of 12. They encouraged and motivated her to learn the art of working with clay so that she could add to the long lived tradition of constructing art, using ancient methods.

Emily was taught where to gather the clay, clean, sift, shape, mold, paint, and fire her pottery, outdoors. By the late 1960’s she started making her own corn dolls and other sculptures. People often ask what her favorite type of art to make is and she replys, “Everything I create is a favorite piece because I created it.” Emily specializes in storytellers and corn maidens. She signs her pottery as: E. Fragua Tsosie, Jemez.

Emily is related to the following artists: Leonard Tsosie (husband), Rose Fragua, Chris Fragua, and Caroline Gachupin.

Awards:

-Santa Fe Indian Market 2nd place
-Santa Fe Indian Market 3rd place
-Eighth Northern Indian Arts 1st place
-Other awards too numerous to list

Publications:

-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
-Storytellers and Other Figurative Pottery
- Pueblo Family Pottery