Mary Cain
Santa Clara

Red Polished Vase

8" H x 7 1/2" D


Mary Cain, whose Tewa name was Blue Rain, was born in 1915 into the Santa Clara Pueblo and passed away in 2010 at the age of 95. She began hand coiling traditional Santa Clara pottery in 1930. According to Mary, “Pottery has been a part of her family heritage since as long as her great grandmother can recall.”

Mary’s mother, Cristina Naranjo, inspired and encouraged her to continue the long lived tradition of working with clay. Her grandmother, Serafina Tafoya, was also a great inspiration to her. Mary can trace her roots back to great, great grandparents Sarafina and Geronimo Tafoya.

Mary specialized in traditional hand coiled black on black or red Santa Clara hand polished pottery, with carvings of water serpents and bear paws. Mary says, “I love the work and will continue to do this for as long as I can.” She passed on the gift to her daughter Linda, as well as her grand-daughters Tammy Garcia and Autum Borts-Medlock.

In 2008, Cain received a lifetime achievement award from the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts.

Publications:

-Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery
-Talking with the Clay
-Southwest Pottery Anasazi to Zuni
-Pueblo Indian Pottery 750 Artist Biographies

Awards:

-Santa Fe Indian Market 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Place
-Eighth Northern Pueblo Exhibit 1st & 2nd Place
-New Mexico State Fair 1st Place

Gallery Price: $3,000.00

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