Gladys Paquin
Laguna
Classic Laguna
Vase
8 1/4"
H x 7" D
Pottery making had almost
died at Laguna Pueblo in the 1950s and 1960.
Gladys Paquin was born at
Laguna Pueblo to a father who was Zuni and a mother who was Laguna.
She was however, raised at Santa Ana Pueblo which is where she
received the name "Sratyu'we" that she uses to sign
her pots. She says that the name has no translation to English.
She lived in California for
27 years before moving back to Laguna Pueblo. In 1980 Gladys
began potting and now focuses on very traditional Laguna designs
although she will sometimes make pots combining both Zuni and
Laguna elements.
She harvests her raw materials
such as clumps of various types of clays and vegetation such
as Rocky Mountain bee plant which provides the natural black
color within the Laguna Pueblo. She breaks each clump of clay
into a powder form and mixes water along with other natural pigments
and begins rolling the moist clay into snake like coils and begins
building a natural vessel. Once the vessel has been shaped she
sets it out to dry, once it has dried she sands down all the
roughness for a fine smooth texture. She boils all her colors
from natural clays and vegetation and hand paints her designs.
She uses books and museum
collections for research and inspiration in older Laguna pottery.
Presently she is probably the foremost traditional Laguna potter.
Sadly, her productivity has declined in recent years due to burnout
and fatigue.
Her son, Andrew Padilla, is
a very talented potter in a very contemperary style in contrast
to his mother. She is mentioned prominently in " Talking
with the Clay" and "Acoma and Laguna Pottery."
She has been honored many times at Santa Fe Indian Market includingspecial
awards in Traditional Pottery.
She signs her pottery as:
Gladys Sratyu’we Paquin, Laguna.
Awards:
-Santa Fe Indian Market 1st Place
-Santa Fe Indian Market Best of Division
-1993 Santa Fe Indian Market Indian Art Fund Award
-Eitejorg Indian Market, Indiana 2nd Place
-Santa Monica Art Show, California 1st Place
Publications:
-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
-Talking With The Clay
-Lost and Found Traditions
-From This Earth
-Acoma and Laguna Pottery
-Southwestern Pottery Anasazi to Zuni
Permanent Displays:
-School of American Research, Santa Fe, New Mexico
-Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe, New Mexico
-Natural History Museum, Los Angeles, California
-Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
-Cincinnati Art Museum, Ohio
