Santa Clara Pueblo Mini Olla Black Pottery By Anita Suazo

Mid/Late 20th Century

2" H x 2" D

Hand Built from Local Santa Clara Clay and Polished to a Mirror like Sheen and Fired Black

Excellent Condition

Anita Suazo (b. 1937), daughter of potter Belen Tapia, learned traditional methods from her mother and has been creating pottery since childhood. She's a master of both blackware and redware, often incorporating multi-colored mineral slips (e.g., red and yellow) inspired by ancient Pueblo and prehistoric motifs like rain clouds, feathers, or geometric patterns. Suazo has won awards at the Santa Fe Indian Market and the Eight Northern Pueblos Indian Arts and Crafts Show. She has also taught pottery at the University of New Mexico and UC Davis, preserving the craft. Her cousin, Margaret Tafoya, was another influential Santa Clara potter known for large storage jars.

Suazo's work emphasizes traditional coiling (building pots from clay ropes without a wheel), scraping for thin walls, and open-pit firing. Her pieces are functional yet artistic, blending utility with symbolism tied to Tewa culture, such as water serpents representing life-giving rivers.