The Legacy of the Tafoya Family – A Journey Through Generations of Pueblo Pottery

This special exhibition celebrates the Tafoya family's profound impact on Pueblo pottery, highlighting the extraordinary contributions of several generations of artisans who have shaped this vibrant artistic tradition.

The exhibition traces the artistic lineage of the Tafoya family, beginning with Sara Fina Tafoya (1863-1949), the pioneering matriarch whose innovative pressed impression designs in redware and blackware pottery laid the foundation for the family's unique style. Her daughter, Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001), expanded this legacy with her acclaimed large, polished blackware vessels. Margaret's deep carving and precise symmetrical forms garnered widespread recognition, cementing the Tafoya family's esteemed reputation in Pueblo pottery.

Throughout the years, the Tafoya family has introduced several influential techniques, from Sara Fina’s pressed impression pieces and Margaret’s deep carving to contemporary adaptations of these techniques seen in Nathan Youngblood’s works. These innovators have enhanced the visual and tactile appeal of Pueblo pottery, making the Tafoya name synonymous with excellence and creativity.

This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to explore over a century of artistic evolution through a curated selection of works by the Tafoya family and associated artists. Featured will be early pieces by Sara Fina Tafoya, Margaret Tafoya’s large polished vessels, and contemporary works by Tammy Garcia, Autumn Borts, Nancy Youngblood and her children, Linda Cain, Joseph Lonewolf, Grace Medicine Flower, Jason Ebelacker, Richard Ebelacker, Virginia Ebelacker, Mary Ester Archuleta, and Daryl Whitegeese, among others.

Tafoya Family Tree 1  page 137

Naranjo Family Tree 2  page 138

Reference for Family Trees and biographical information: 

Pueblo Indian Pottery: 750 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf