Juanita Fragua
Jemez
Butterfly
Seasons
7 1/4"
H x 8 1/2" D
Born in 1935, Juanita Fragua
grew up at Jemez Pueblo and later attended Santa Fe Indian School.
She has been active as a potter since about 1950. She has exhibited
her work at the SWAIA Indian Market in Santa Fe since 1982.
Juanita is one of the foremost
potters responsible for the renaissance pottery. She has been
making traditional pottery for over 25 years, beginning at a
time when sun-dried poster-painted pottery was the norm at Jemez
Pueblo.
Her beautiful stone-polished
pottery has brought her recognition and blue ribbons at shows
all over the country. She also has two very talented potting
daughters: Glendora Fragua and Betty Jean (BJ) Fragua.
Her son, Clifford Fragua,
is one of the best known Indian sculptors. All in all, a very
talented family inspired by the vision of Juanita.
Juanita has won many awards
and has gained fame for her beautiful melon bowls, and swirl
pots, occasionally using a micaceous slip to obtain a finely
polished finish. Juanita is well-known to collectors of fine
quality Southwest pottery.
Juanita is cited in Southern
Pueblo Pottery by Schaaf. Her work has been featured in Native
Peoples, American Indian Art, Indian Artist Magazine, Cowboys
and Indians and The Indian Trader.