Susan Folwell facts for kids

Susan Folwell (born in 1970) is a talented Native American artist from Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico. She is famous for her amazing pottery and ceramic art. Susan uses Native designs and history in her work. She also uses her art to share her ideas about society and how people live. The Heard Museum has called her an "innovator in Pueblo pottery," which means she creates new and exciting things with clay.

Her beautiful artwork is kept in museums and collections all over the world. Susan is also a member of the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts. She helps lead their arts committee.

About Susan Folwell

Susan Folwell was born in 1970 and grew up in Santa Clara Pueblo. Her family was very artistic. Her grandmother, Rose Naranjo, and her mother, Jody Folwell, were both well-known potters. Her father was a painter. Susan's sister, Polly Rose Folwell, also became a potter.

When she was young, Susan remembers helping her family. She had to dig up clay and chop wood to fire the pottery. She felt like it was a chore and didn't enjoy working with clay at all.

How Susan Started Pottery

Susan became interested in pottery after her mother gave her some clay. Susan decided to make a snake. It was a simple coil of clay shaped like an "S." Her mother helped make it look even better, and it sold for two dollars!

As a teenager, Susan went to an arts high school in Idyllwild, California. There, she took a ceramics class. This is when she realized how much her Pueblo traditions meant to her. She wanted to keep these traditions alive but show them in a new, modern way. She later studied design and photography at the Center of Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan.

Life in Taos

Susan married Davison Koenig, who worked with art and museums. Susan was inspired by some artists from Taos, New Mexico. She even worked with her mom on a collection called Peering Through Taos Light.

Susan and Davison moved to Taos. For three years, Susan studied paintings by the Taos Society of Artists. She felt their work had a romantic feeling, like the old photos by Edward S. Curtis.

Susan mostly creates sculptures. She uses special firing methods that come from the Santa Clara Pueblo traditions.

Amazing Artworks

Vanishing (2017)

Susan created Vanishing as part of a collection with her mother, Jody. They called it Peering Through Taos Light. Susan said this piece was about taking an old artwork and showing it in clay. It shows how old ways can change into new, modern ways. The artwork shows a Native man looking out. He sees his world changing and becoming more modern.

The Wedding (2017)

This piece is also from the Peering Through Taos Light collection. The Wedding also reflects on older art. Susan showed how she felt about the piece by leaving the faces of the newlyweds unfinished. She believed that viewers could still feel the tension between them, even without clear facial expressions.

Corn Maiden Jar (2014)

The Corn Maiden Jar is a ceramic piece from Susan's Corn Maiden series. She worked on this series with Les Namingha. This collection shows how important corn is in Pueblo ceremonies. The jar has delicate hands, like the Virgin Mary in some art. It also uses corn husks as a headdress. This shows how important corn is to Native communities.

Pow Wow Girl

Pow Wow Girl is a ceramic artwork displayed at the Phoenix International Airport. It shows a Native woman wearing a headband with tribal designs. She is shown saying something funny about a man who thinks she is pretty. She asks if he will be at the pow wow that night. The speech bubble uses text message language and internet slang like "LOL" and "2NITE."

Photo-Op Jar (2014)

Created in 2014, Photo-Op Jar is a ceramic artwork from Susan's Cry Baby series. This piece shows Hopi women watching tourists, instead of the other way around. It's a playful nod to how photographer Edward Curtis took many pictures of Hopi women.

Exhibitions

Solo Shows

• Harwood Museum of Art, Santa Fe: Through the Looking Glass (July 5, 2019 - January 5, 2020)
• Museum of Art and Design, New York, NY
• Arizona State Museum, Tucson, AZ (2011) The Pottery Project: Potters in the Vanguard
• Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ (2004) Breaking the Surface: Carved Pottery Techniques and Design

Group Shows

• King Galleries, Scottsdale, AZ (2015) Corn Maiden Series: with Les Namingha
• King Galleries, Scottsdale, AZ (2017) Peering Through Taos Light: with her mom Jody Folwell
• Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ (2009) Mothers & Daughters: Stories in Clay: with her mom Jody Folwell, and sister Polly Rose Folwell
• National Museum of the American Indian, Washington D.C. (2005 - 2006) ... Ken Barbie

Where to See Her Art (Permanent Collections)

You can find Susan Folwell's art in many places, including:

• Museum of Art and Design, New York, NY
• Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ
• Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
• National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, D.C.
• Stedelijk Museum, Netherlands
• de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA
• Eiteljorg Museum, Indianapolis, IA
• Arizona State Museum, Tucson, AZ
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix, AZ
• Philbrook Museum, Tulsa, OK
• Harwood Museum of Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Wheelwright Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Awards and Honors

Susan Folwell has won many awards for her amazing pottery, including:

• Conrad House Award at Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market
• Best of Division 1st Place at Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market and Fair
• Best of Division 1st Place at Southwest Indian Art Fair
• Best of Division 1st Place at SWAIA, Santa Fe Indian Market (6 times!)
• Governor's Arts Award at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
• Best of Show at Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Arts and Crafts Fair
• Best of Non-Traditional Pottery at Santa Fe Indian Market
• Best Contemporary Pottery at the Heard Museum Indian Market