Dolorita Padilla

Maria Dolorita Tafoya Padilla was a daughter of Sara Fina Tafoya, a pivotal figure in developing Santa Clara’s deep-carved pottery style, and sister to renowned potter Margaret Tafoya. She learned pottery-making growing up in Santa Clara Pueblo and specialized in carved blackware and black-on-black jars and bowls. Her pieces, like a black bowl with a carved avanyu (water serpent) design, are handcrafted using traditional methods. These involve coiling clay, polishing it to a high sheen, and firing it to achieve the iconic black finish. Her work is signed “Dolorita Santa Clara Pueblo” and is valued for its craftsmanship.