Jemez Pueblo Miniature Pottery By Glendora Fragua

Late 20th Century
1.75 W" x 1.25" H
Red on Red Seed Jar with Sgraffito Designs and One Turquoise
From a Private Colorado Collection
Excellent Condition

Glendora Fragua is a renowned Jemez Pueblo potter known for her elegant and sophisticated miniature pottery, which blends traditional techniques with contemporary sgraffito designs. Born in 1958 in St. Louis, Missouri, she learned the traditional Jemez pottery methods from her mother, Juanita Fragua, and was influenced by her grandmother, Beninga Medina Madelena, who helped revive pottery making at Jemez Pueblo. Glendora’s work is characterized by hand-coiled, highly polished red and buff clay vessels, often featuring precise sgraffito (etched) designs with motifs like cornstalks (reflecting her Corn Clan heritage), kiva steps, spirit figures, feathers, and geometric patterns. She uses natural clays, volcanic ash for temper, and earth- or plant-based paints, firing her pieces in an electric kiln for consistency.
Her miniature pottery includes seed pots and small jars, typically ranging from 1.5 to 4 inches in height and diameter. Glendora’s pottery is highly collectible, with pieces featured in the Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian and available through galleries like Pottery of the Southwest and C & D Gifts Native American Art.