Jody Naranjo facts for kids

Jody Naranjo is a talented artist from the Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico in the United States. She is known for making beautiful Tewa pottery. Jody comes from a family of traditional Tewa potters. She learned how to make pottery from her mom, Dolly Naranjo, and other women in her family. Jody also studied art at the Institute of American Indian Arts. She started selling her amazing artwork when she was just fifteen years old! You can easily recognize her unique style, which often shows her fun sense of humor. Jody has three daughters and stays connected to her family's traditions and her friends. Her art is shown at the Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe.

How Jody Makes Pottery

Jody uses old, traditional ways to create her pottery. She even digs the clay herself from the lands around her pueblo. After digging, she prepares the raw clay carefully. This involves sifting, soaking, and straining it until it's perfect for making pots.

Pottery Techniques

Jody uses two main techniques for her pottery:

• Coiling: This is where she builds the pot by stacking long, rope-like coils of clay on top of each other.
• Pit Firing: After shaping, the pots are baked in a special outdoor pit. This ancient method gives the pottery unique colors and textures.

Art Themes and Recognition

Jody often decorates her pottery with images of women, which she calls "pueblo girls," and animals. These are common themes in her artwork. She takes part in the famous Santa Fe Indian Market. She won first prize for her pottery there in both 2011 and 2022. Jody has also been an artist-in-residence at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. In 2007, she won "Best in Show" at the Eiteljorg's Indian Market. Her beautiful work has also been shown at the Heard Museum.

See Also

• Nora Naranjo-Morse, Jody Naranjo's aunt
• Jody Folwell, her aunt
• Roxanne Swentzell, her cousin
• Rose Naranjo, a very important potter in the Naranjo family