Dorothy and Paul Gutierrez

Santa Clara Pueblo

Dorothy (Corn Maiden) and Paul (White Corn) Gutierrez were both born in 1940, he into Santa Clara Pueblo, she into the Navajo Nation. Paul's grandparents were Lela and Van Gutierrez, his father Luther (of Margaret and Luther Gutierrez). Paul began working with clay around the age of twelve while Dorothy first touched clay in day school. They were married in 1965 and had two sons, Gary and Paul, Jr.

Dorothy and Paul specialize in storytellers, mudheads, angels, animals, ornaments and nativities, in black and red. They were among the first at Santa Clara to make nativities.

They work as a team with Dorothy forming the figures and Paul doing the polishing and finish work. They follow the traditional methods from the first gathering of the clay through processing it, forming the pieces, polishing, defining further, then firing, praying every step of the way. As Paul once said, "They come out different each time, with different faces. It's nice." Their creations range from miniatures to about 6 inches tall. Some of their nativities have up to 17 figures.

Dorothy and Paul earned multiple First and Second Place ribbons at shows like the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show, Santa Fe Indian Market, Heard Museum Guild Indian Art Fair & Market and the Gallup InterTribal Ceremonials.


Four children on a black storyteller
Black storyteller with four children
3.75 in H by 3.25 in Dia
Eight pieces in a black nativity
Black nativity with eight pieces
2.75 in H by 2.75 in Dia
Measurement of angel
Five pieces in a black nativity
Black nativity with five pieces
3.5 in H by 3.25 in Dia
Measurement of Joseph
Three children on a black storyteller figure
Black storyteller with three children
3.25 in H by 3 in Dia
Four children on a black storyteller figure
Black storyteller with four children
3.25 in H by 3 in Dia
Six children on a black storyteller
Black storyteller with six children
5 in H by 5.25 in Dia
Seven pieces in a red nativity set
Red nativity set with seven pieces
2.5 in H by 1.75 in Dia
Measurement of largest piece
One child on a black grandmother storyteller
Black on black grandmother storyteller with one child
2.75 in H by 2.25 in Dia
2 children on a black mudhead
Black mudhead with two children
3 in H by 2.5 in Dia
6 mudhead children on a lounging black mudhead storyteller
A lounging black mudhead storyteler with 6 mudhead children
4 in H by 7.5 in Dia
4-car red train set Red train set with 4 cars
5.75 in H by 8 in Dia
Measurement of largest piece
Twisted brown handle on a red wedding vase
A red wedding vase with a twisted brown handle
3 in H by 2.5 in Dia
Miniature black bear figure
Miniature black bear figure
0.75 in H by 0.75 in Dia
A miniature red bowl with a bear paw design
A bear paw design on a miniature red bowl
1.25 in Dia by 0.5 in H

Santa Clara Pueblo Potters