Quanita Kalestewa, Zuni Pueblo Potter

Zuni Pueblo artist Quanita Kalestewa is known for her traditional polychrome jars, cornmeal bowls, effigy pots, frog pots, owls, storytellers, jewelry and carvings. Quanita and her husband, Jack Kalestewa, began by making jewelry. They later turned to pottery making because of the high price of silver, as well has health concerns over breathing dust from grinding shells. They collect clay at Nutria Mesa. Their red paint is made from yellow ochre (limonite). They form their pottery in a trailer behind their home. The Kalestewa family continues to fire their pots traditionally with sheep manure outdoors. They also are known for making very thin-walled pottery.

Quanita (Juanita) Kalestewa (1932- ) is the daughter of Nellie Bica; wife of Jack Kalestewa; mother of Erma Jean Homer, Roweena Lention, and Connie Yatsayte. Quanita watched her mother, Nellie Bica, make pottery; However, Quanita did not get personally involved in pottery until the 1940s.

Reference: Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2,000 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf.

Relative Links: Zuni Pueblo, Nellie Bica, Southwest Indian Pottery