Blackware Pot with Incised Design of Avanyu, 1993
by Kevin Naranjo
burnished blackware
2 3/8" high x 4 1/4" diameter
Born in 1972, Kevin Naranjo (Turquoise Mountain) learned his pottery skills from his grandmother, Ursulita Naranjo, and his mother, Geri Naranjo. Among his numerous awards are a "Best of Division" at the 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market and a "Best of Pottery" at the 1992 Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial.
Kevin works mostly with blackware and sgraffito designs that incorporate his love for nature and wildlife and traditional geometric designs. He also includes the traditional Santa Clara bear paw into nearly all his work, often in a sienna spot.
There is an interview with Kevin and his cousins, Joe and Eunice Naranjo where they demonstrate how they make their pottery and what the shapes and designs mean to them. During the video Andrea mentioned a puki several times. Puki is a term used to signify the form used to hold the base of a pot while it's being made: sometimes it's a bowl, sometimes another pot, but it gives the clay a base to sit on while the rest of the pot is being coiled. Kevin explained, "In Tewa puki means a baby's butt."
