Santa Clara Pueblo Pottery By Camillo Tafoya "Sunflower"

ca. 1973 

3.25" H x 4" D

Hand Coiled Redware Pottery with Sgraffito Etchings of Bear Claws, Hummingbirds, Flowers, Corn-on-the-Cob and a Tribal Scene with Feathers Signed #139

In Very Good Condition

Camillo "Sunflower" Tafoya (1902–1995) was a renowned Santa Clara Pueblo potter, known for his contributions to the traditional blackware and redware pottery of the Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico. As a member of the esteemed Tafoya family, his work is deeply rooted in the Pueblo’s centuries-old pottery-making tradition, which emphasizes hand-coiled techniques, natural clay sourced from the Pueblo, and distinctive firing methods to achieve glossy black or red finishes.

Camillo was the son of Sara Fina Tafoya, a master potter, and brother to Margaret Tafoya, the celebrated matriarch of Santa Clara potters. He learned the craft from his mother, mastering the art of creating polished blackware and redware vessels, often adorned with traditional designs such as the bear paw, kiva step, or Avanyu (water serpent).