Kevin Naranjo

Santa Clara Pueblo

Photo of Kevin Naranjo
Kevin Naranjo

Born in 1972, Kevin Naranjo (Turquoise Mountain) learned his pottery skills from his grandmother, Ursulita Naranjo, and his mother, Geri Naranjo. Among his numerous awards are a "Best of Division" at the 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market and a "Best of Pottery" at the 1992 Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial.

Kevin works mostly with blackware and sgraffito designs that incorporate his love for nature and wildlife and traditional geometric designs. He also includes the traditional Santa Clara bear paw into nearly all his work, often in a sienna spot.

There is an interview with Kevin and his cousins, Joe and Eunice Naranjo where they demonstrate how they make their pottery and what the shapes and designs mean to them. During the video Andrea mentioned a puki several times (puki is a term we use to signify the form used to hold the base of a pot while it's being made: sometimes it's a bowl, sometimes another pot, but it gives the clay a base to sit on while the rest of the pot is being coiled). Finally she asked why they were laughing and Kevin explained, "In Tewa puki means a baby's butt." Then we were all laughing.

Kevin signs his pottery: "Kevin Naranjo, Santa Clara Pueblo".

Sgraffito wildlife designs and sienna spots on a black jar
Black jar with sgraffito wildlife designs and sienna spots
1.25 in H by 1.75 in Dia
Sgraffito wildlife designs and sienna spots on a black jar
Black jar with sgraffito nature scene and geometric designs
3.5 in H by 3.5 in Dia
Sgraffito geometric designs with a sienna rim on a black jar
Black jar with sgraffito traditional geometric designs and a sienna rim
2.25 in H by 3.5 in Dia
Sgraffito avanyu, feather and geometric designs with bear paw, sienna spots and sienna rim on a black jar
Black jar with sgraffito avanyu, feather and geometric designs with bear paw, sienna spots and sienna rim
2.5 in H by 3.25 in Dia
Sgraffito roadrunner, avanyu and geometric design on a black jar with sienna rim and spots
Black jar with sienna rim and spots plus sgraffito roadrunner, avanyu and geometric design
1.75 in H by 2.75 in Dia
Sgraffito feather, avanyu, butterfly and geometric design on a black jar with sienna rim
Black jar with sienna rim plus sgraffito feather, avanyu, butterfly and geometric design
2.5 in H by 2.5 in Dia
Sgraffito nature, wildlife and geometric designs on a black jar with a sienna rim
Black jar with a sienna rim decorated with sgraffito nature, wildlife and geometric designs
3.75 in H by 4.75 in Dia
Sgraffito wildlife and feather motif on a black jar with a sienna rim
Black jar with a sienna rim and sgraffito wildlife and feather designs
1.75 in H by 2.5 in Dia
Sgraffito feather, nature and geometric designs on a black jar with a sienna rim
Miniature black jar with a sienna rim and sgraffito nature, feather and geometric designs
2.25 in H by 2.25 in Dia
Sgraffito wildlife, nature, pueblo ruin and geometric design on a black jar with a sienna rim
Sienna rim on a black jar with sgraffito nature, wildlife, pueblo ruin and geometric design
5.75 in H by 6 in Dia
Sgraffito nature, wildlife and geometric design on a miniature black jar with a sienna rim
Miniature black jar with a sienna rim and decorated with sgraffito wildlife, nature and geometric design
1.25 in H by 1.5 in Dia
Sgraffito feather, avanyu, eagle, pueblo ruins and geometric design on a black jar with a sienna rim
Sienna rim on a black jar decorated with a sgraffito feather, avanyu, eagle, pueblo ruin and geometric design
2.25 in H by 2.25 in Dia
Sgraffito bear, mountain lion and eagle medallions and geometric design on a black jar
Black jar with sgraffito bear, mountain lion and eagle medallions and geometric design
3.5 in H by 3.75 in Dia
Sgraffito pueblo, wildlife, feather, avanyu and geometric design on a black  jar with a sienna rim
Black jar with a sienna rim and sgraffito wildlife, avanyu, pueblo, feather and geometric design
1.25 in H by 2 in Dia
Sgraffito bear paw, feather and geometric design on a black plate
Black plate decorated with a sgraffito feather, bear paw and geometric design
0.5 in H by 2.25 in Dia
Sgraffito geometric design on 5 sides of a miniature black bowl
Miniature black bowl decorated with a sgraffito geometric design on five sides
0.75 in H by 1.5 in Dia

Santa Clara Pueblo Potters