40 Years of Winners
Snapshots:
As part of our 40th birthday celebration, The Dancing Rabbit Gallery’s online exhibition highlights 40 years of award winning artists and their amazing art. 1980s
Santa Clara Pueblo
Margaret Tafoya
Margaret’s daughter, Toni Roller, told the Albuquerque Journal during an interview that
“People would come from all over the world,” Roller said. “They’d bring their Margaret Tafoya pots and have their picture taken with her. … She’d be in her best ceremonial dress and she’d ride up on one of the grandson’s cars, and people would gather around and take pictures and applaud. It was like watching a movie star arrive at a premiere.” San Ildefonso
Adam and Santana Martinez
Maria's oldest son, Adam, and his wife Santana of San Ildefonso Pueblo, were recognized potters even though they are mostly associated with having helped Maria with her pottery. They worked together making Black-on-black pottery their entire, long lives. Collaboration on pottery with their dual signatures has been seen for over 50 years.
Acoma Pueblo
Lucy Lewis
Lucy Martin Lewis is known for her black-on-white and polychrome decorative ceramics made using traditional techniques. Lewis began making pottery at age eight, after studying with her great aunt. She spent nearly all her life atop the high mesa of Acoma never attending school or learning to speak English.
In 1983, Lucy Lewis was given the New Mexico Governor's Award for outstanding personal contribution to the art of the state. In 1977, she was invited to the White House. Her work is part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution.
Santa Clara Pueblo
Toni Roller
“I learned by watching and helping my mother and now I am the oldest working Margaret Tafoya family potter. I have sold my art since 1968.” Acoma Pueblo
Marie Z . Chino
In 1922, Chino won her first award at the Santa Fe Indian Market at the age of fifteen. She went on to receive numerous awards for her pottery from 1970-1982. In 1998 the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts recognized her with a “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Acoma Pueblo
Rose Chino Garcia
“Grinding the clay is the hardest part. It’s stone really, and then breaking up the old shards for temper. It has to be right, or the clay collapses–too soft, or stiffens–too hard.”
Cochiti Pueblo
Helen Cordero
Helen Cordero made the first storyteller figurine in 1964 as a tribute to her grandfather who was a storyteller at the pueblo. She never made a female storyteller; her female figures were called singing mothers. Hopi
David Dawangyumptewa
As a Hopi artist of the Water Clan, David says he “would like to be thought of as a painter of mythical or spiritual subjects.” His magnificent paintings are distinguished by his use of jewel-like colors and Hopi symbolism.
Diné
Tommy Jackson
Tommy, who works both in gold and silver, is incredibly famous for both his traditional and contemporary silversmithing techniques.
Seminole
Gary Montgomery
Montgomery says, “I paint the omens, legends and truths of the Native American in an environment of 100-150 years ago.” Montgomery attempts to express the spiritual nature of his subject while working in oil, acrylics, pencil, pastel, charcoal & prints.
1990s
Santa Clara Pueblo
Pablita Velarde
One of the leading painters of the 20th century, Pablita Velarde/Tse Tsan “Golden Dawn” (Santa Clara Pueblo) (1918-2006) was a pioneer as a woman artist in an era and a community where painting was a male art form. Nambe Pueblo
Lonnie Vigil
“There is a collaboration between the clay and myself – the clay tells me what direction to take… And I follow the techniques of my ancestors.”
Tohono O’odham Annie Antone
Annie Antone learned how to weave baskets from her mother, and sold her first basket at the age of nineteen for $10. She gave the money to her mother.
Diné
Alice Cling
Alice keeps shaping and polishing her clay “until it is beautiful.”
Isleta Pueblo
Michael Kirk
Although he is appreciative of these awards, he receives a greater feeling of accomplishment when he notices someone wearing a piece of jewelry he has made.
Seminole
Kelly Haney
“My grandfather and father were great storytellers, so I have that ability to tell stories, about native people and their history and so forth. So I guess in one sense I’m still the keeper of the traditions through my art.”
Master Artist of the Five Civilized Tribes Jemez Pueblo
Maxine Toya
Maxine Toya loves the feel of clay: “It is so alive and it wants to speak through me.”
Hopi
Steve LaRance
"Friday morning before the show at Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market, my son, Cree, and I entered our pieces in the jewelry competition. This was his first time showing and he was excited.
"The next morning on Saturday I asked Cree to go back to Museum and pick up our pieces and check results. Thirty minutes later I got a call from Cree and he was very excited. He told me over the phone 'Guess What Dad?'
"I said 'What?'
"Cree said, 'I won 2nd place!' He was so happy as it was his first ribbon in competition acknowledging his skill. Then there was a pause , he followed with the statement, 'You got first place.'
"To me this was one of my most memorable moments to share with my son –the acknowledgement and awards for our work.
"To share this experience with my son was truly a proud moment." Zuni Pueblo
Jeff Shetima
"Every stone that I hold in my hands must be in harmony with me before I start a carving. Only with good thoughts, energy and feelings will I proceed to carve. This helps ensure that the positive energy will be internalized in the finished carving."
Santa Clara Pueblo
Jason Ebelacker
When asked to name the potters in his family, Jason thought about it for a second, then replied "Everyone."
2000s
Toas Pueblo
Angie Yazzie
Angie Yazzie is known for her egg-shell thin pieces with beautiful shapes, which are among the best micaceous pottery being made today. Jemez Pueblo
Cliff Fragua
Cliff Fragua is the only Native American sculptor to have a work installed in Statuary Hall of the United States Capitol. The Po'Pay statue was commissioned by the State of New Mexico in 2000.
San Ildefonso Pueblo
Russell Sanchez
"My work is always changing, but is rooted in our traditions. I never stray from traditional materials. I play with our time-honored techniques to see what else I can do. People have come to expect the unexpected from me, and many collectors say 'surprise me,' when they ask me to create something for them," says Sanchez.
Jemez Pueblo
Dominique Toya
“I am a traditional potter with contemporary designs and techniques. By traditional I mean we gather our own clay and temper and we clean them and mix them and fire outdoors with cedar wood.” Acoma Pueblo
Barbara and Joseph Cerno
Barbara and Joseph are a husband and wife team of award winning potters. In 1971 they won the first of their long list of awards and ribbons – 1st Prize in the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup, NM. They have continued winning awards ever since at numerous competitions. Their pieces are highly sought after by museums and collectors around the world due to their unsurpassed quality and very thin walled construction. Diné
Harrison Begay
Harrison Begay, one of the fathers of contemporary Native American art, is renowned worldwide. During the late 1920s, Harrison originated the delicate and fine line style which many modern Native artists utilize in their artwork today. Zuni Pueblo
Todd Westika
Todd says that the question he is most often asked is “How long does it normally take you to carve a fetish?” Observing the care he takes in forming and finishing each piece, an appropriate answer to this question might be, “It takes as long as is required for the carving to be truly ‘finished’ by his standards.”
Acoma Pueblo
Franklin Peters
...“pottery itself is mother-earth…. designs are about the world around us, which have meaning.”
White Mountain Apache and Santa Clara Pueblo
Upton (Greyshoes) Ethelbah, Jr. Upton Greyshoes’ award-winning sculptures have launched him to the top of collectors’ lists world-wide.
2010s
Diné
Samuel Manymules
“I build my pots first in my mind,” says Samuel Manymules.
Diné
David K John
“Paint from your heart; don’t just go along with the latest fad. Your art will last longer then.” Hopi
Piki Wadsworth
“I am very proud and it is very important to me that I carry on the tradition of bead making. Since I was a little girl I have loved stones. I love it more and more each day and I feel very fortunate to have learned such a beautiful art.” –Piki
Cheyenne
Nathan Hart
"For me, the appeal of wood turning is the process of taking the raw material in an untouched state and making something out of it.”
Debbie Clashin
Hopi
Debbie Clashin, a member of the Hopi-Tewa Tobacco Clan, was born to Lorena and Morris Clashin. Among her cousins are Dianna and Mark Tahbo, Dorothy Ami, and Larson Goldtooth. Debbie was exposed to pottery making for much of her life but only began to really learn the art herself around 2010 from Dianna Tahbo as her primary teacher.
Zuni Pueblo
Ricky Laahty
Zuni fetish carving is an ancient art form is rooted in complex religious beliefs. Today, fetishes have moved beyond their traditional forms and can be found in increasing variety.
Zuni Pueblo
Ron Laahty
Zuni fetishes are small stone animal and other carvings that are made by the talented artisans of Zuni Pueblo.
San Ildefonso Pueblo Martha Appleleaf Fender
Winning the award for Best in Traditional Pottery the first time it was given out is Martha’s most memorable moment. She also won the Tony Da Award for Excellence in Pottery the same year.
“The funny thing about winning the best of traditional pottery award was that it was for a green slip on black jar. The first time I tried to enter a pot with the green slip years before, I was given a hard time about the color of the slip.”
Diné
Albert Lee
Albert specializes in magnificent stones, set in designs that are inspired by tradition, but have a modern allure that is timeless.
Zia Pueblo
Elizabeth and Marcellus Medina
As a husband and wife team, Elizabeth often makes the pot while Marcellus paints the design.
San Ildefonso Pueblo
Erik Fender
"I think my most memorable moment was when a couple with two younger preteen children were at my booth looking at pottery to purchase, the husband and wife couldn't decide which pot they preferred, it took a while until they finally decided on one. The parents then turned to the children and asked them which pot they liked, they pointed out one pot each and then the parents asked them several questions as to why they liked them. Considering their young age, the two kids were really knowledgeable about pottery. I thought that the parents were just asking them to ask. Turns out that they had already gone through the whole market and insisted that they come back to my booth...long story short...they ended up purchasing three pots!!! Next generation of collectors in the making!"
Jemez Pueblo
Glendora Fragua
“My work is contemporary,” says Glendora “but, my methods are traditional.”
Zuni Pueblo
Troy Sice
Carver Troy Sice reaches back to a prehistoric Zuni Pueblo tradition in the use of antler and different stone mediums for creating animal and human forms.
Zuni Pueblo
Gabe Sice
“ I think we need to go way far back to have the respect for who we are as a people to carry on the knowledge so it doesn’t die out.”
Taos Pueblo
Debbie Lujan
“If one cannot come to the pueblo, I can bring the pueblo to the world through my photographs."
Diné
Matthew Charlie
“I love creating new designs, while improving my technique. My inspiration comes from common objects in the world around me.”
Kewa/Santa Domingo Pueblo
Lester Abeyta
Lester believes, “Jewelry is a form of communication and a link between humans and the earth around us, and thus it is very important to continue creating traditional jewelry.” He expresses that each piece of jewelry has its own distinct spirit and life.
Taos Pueblo
Ken Romero
“I design my pieces with inlay to look and feel like a village or pueblo building. I call this my pueblo village design inlay.”
Diné
Alvin Yellowhorse
“As a young boy, I remember helping my father set up a table of jewelry along the roadside of old Route 66 located near the Arizona and New Mexico borders in Lupton, Arizona. It was in these earlier days of my life that I was inspired by my father to undertake the art of silversmithing. It’s through these experiences that these creations are made possible.”
Laguna Pueblo
Stacey Carr
"The beauty is in the pottery itself. I love making it, and I love the art. It is art of the highest quality.”
San Felipe Pueblo and Diné
Tim Yazzie
“My work is influenced by Chalmers Day who is considered by many to be the best overlay artist in the world. It was great to know him as a friend and as a mentor. The experience working for him has helped to shape who I am as an artist today.”
Caddo
Chase Kahwinhut Earles
Chase says that his “contemporary Caddo pottery is born of inspiration from my Native tribe’s ancient and unique heritage. It is their legacy that I wish to keep alive by interpreting our ancient designs and symbols in a new and modern way using the methods and materials of our time.”
Cherokee
Karin Walkingstick
“I just want to keep doing new stuff, and in the contemporary pottery that I do, it’s endless really. If you keep thinking up new things, you can keep doing new things. You have to keep it fresh.”
Zuni Pueblo
Anderson and Avelia Peynetsa
Anderson is among the best contemporary Zuni pottery painters. He is noted for his "precise, flowing lines." He also is an excellent sculptor, applying relief figures as noted onto some of his pottery.
Santa Clara Pueblo
Nancy Youngblood
"The way I do it, is the way I was taught. I give it my all. The piece becomes a part of me and represents who I am.”
“I am very proud and it is very important to me that I carry on the tradition of bead making. Since I was a little girl I have loved stones I love it more and more each day and I feel very fortunate to have learned such a beautiful art.” –Piki
In 1922, Chino won her first award at the Santa Fe Indian Market at the age of fifteen. She went on to receive numerous awards for her pottery from 1970-1982. In 1998 the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts recognized her with a “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Cliff Fragua is the only Native American sculptor to have a work installed in Statuary Hall of the United States Capitol. The Po’Pay statue was commissioned by the State of New Mexico in 2000.
Carver Troy Sice reaches back to a prehistoric Zuni Pueblo tradition in the use of antler and different stone mediums for creating animal and human forms.
