Tammie Allen facts for kids

Tammie Allen (born in 1964) is a modern Native American artist. She is famous for making beautiful pottery. Tammie is a member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation.

Early Life and Education

Tammie Allen was born in Blanco, New Mexico. She is part of the Jicarilla Apache tribe. Her family belongs to the Ollero Clan, also known as the Mountain People. Tammie is related to important Jicarilla Apache chiefs. She is also related to Chief Ouray of the Ute Tribe. He helped create the Jicarilla Apache reservation.

Tammie went to Coronado High School in Gallina, New Mexico. In 2000, she graduated with honors. She earned a special degree from the College of Santa Fe. This college is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Tammie is a unique pottery artist. She doesn't come from a family of potters. Most Jicarilla Apache potters learn from their families. But Tammie learned on her own. She wants to keep the Jicarilla Apache pottery tradition alive. She hopes to pass it on to future generations.

Art Career and Style

Tammie Allen started working with clay a long time ago. In 1995, she began trying out micaceous clay. This special clay has tiny flakes of mica in it. Mica makes the pottery surface look sparkly and glittery. Tammie wanted to use old Native American ways to make her pottery. She wanted to honor the Jicarilla Apache pottery tradition.

She showed her new artwork in Native American galleries. She also displayed it in museums. Her pottery looked different from typical cooking pots. Veronica E. Tiller is a Jicarilla Apache writer. She said Tammie makes "thin, balanced, highly polished" pottery. Her pieces have strong lines. They show her idea that life is always moving. Life has good and bad parts, but it keeps going.

Tammie sold her first pieces to a few places. These included the Cottonwood Trading Post. She also sold to the Denver Museum of Natural History. The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian bought her work too. Her success helped other Jicarilla Apache potters. At that time, not many people were making pottery.

In 2005, Tammie entered the Santa Fe Indian Market. This is a very big art show. She won first and third place prizes there. Today, many art galleries show her work. She also teaches people how to make pottery. She gives demonstrations and workshops.