(?-Present)
Pueblo: Zuni Pueblo

There is no information about this artist available. Research is on going.

(?-Present)
Pueblo: Zuni Pueblo

Al “Runner” Lasiloo began carving fetishes in the 1980s. Although his carvings are generally not as detailed as some, Lasiloo uses this relative simplicity to emphasize the properties of the stone he has chosen to carve. Labradorite is his favorite stone to carve and the bear is his favorite animal. Lasiloo creates carvings not only from stone, but from wood and shell as well. Lasiloo’s brothers, Stewart and Lloyd, are also carvers.

(1969-present)
Pueblo: Zuni Pueblo

Born at Zuni Pueblo, Alan E. Lasiloo moved to Santa Fe to attend the Institute of American Indian Arts.  He took pottery classes there, learning to work with the shiny micaceous clay of Northern New Mexico honing his skills in those class sessions.  He continued his education at the American College for the Applied Arts in Los Angeles where he studied fashion design.  “I try to utilize what I have learned about fashion design by using lines, curves and pleats in my clay sculptures.  This creates movement and brings life to the pieces.”  He returned home to Zuni Pueblo in 1999, where he began utilizing his education as he taught himself pottery making incorporating the white clay of Zuni Pueblo that he remembered his grandmother using when she was alive.  He first entered his work to be judged at Santa Fe’s Indian Market in 2007.  By incorporating principles of fashion design, while testing form and firing techniques, Lasiloo began producing beautiful award winning pottery. Lasiloo has garnered many awards and accolades making him an artist whose work is sought after by many collectors.

In Lasiloo’s skilled hands, the white clay of the Zuni Pueblo takes on a whole new look. In his early efforts, he made many “mistakes,” but Lasiloo worked with the results, transforming what some would consider errors into beautiful features of his designs.  One of his innovations has given his white clay works a tactile, silky sheen.  Other innovations involve firing techniques.  For instance, he has found a way to enhance streaking, transforming a common firing mistake into an appealing part of his designs.  He also continues to make micaceous clay pieces.  These emphasize painted images, despite the difficulty of painting on the porous micaceous clay.  Lasiloo says the images require six or more costs of paint and a steady hand.

(1969-Present)
Tribal Affiliation: Navajo

Alex Sanchez is of Navajo and Zuni heritage.  He was born in Gallup, New Mexico and has made his life there with his wife and three daughters.  Alex is the younger brother of Myron Panteah and Brad Panteah. Growing up he was schooled and nurtured in his art by his extremely talented family. With that support and encouragement, Alex has developed his own style and become an award-winning artist.

Alex’s signature designs are his petroglyphs, which are a wonderful blend of contemporary and traditional. These are often accented by an oxidized silver background, giving the pieces added depth Alex works in heavy gauge sterling and 14K gold. He often selects special stones, usually turquoise, and carefully works them into his petroglyph patterns, which are appliqued onto the heavy gauge sterling silver, thus creating an asymmetrical, but balanced placement.  Alex has developed a flair for unique combinations of design and color. Creativity and perfection are the trademarks of his work.

Alex has won awards at The Red Earth Show in Oklahoma, The Gallup Ceremonial, and the Navajo Nation Fair.  In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his girls out in nature.

(?-Present)
Pueblo: Zuni Pueblo

Anderson began making pottery in the eighth grade and in the last twelve years or so has now developed into an outstanding craftsman. He is among the best-known potters at Zuni pueblo who work within the traditional style. This involves gathering the clay and the natural pigments used to paint the designs on the pottery from the area around the Zuni Pueblo. His thin-walled pots are hand coiled and fired outdoors (not in a kiln), and the designs on them are a progression of the traditional designs of his ancestors. This artist’s favorite designs are rain-birds, frogs, lizards, and deer with heart-lines, rosettes, water serpents and salamanders.

Anderson is a master of interpreting the ancient designs to produce his contemporary themes. His jars are often large, but exude a remarkable appeal of smoothness and balance. His Walking-Deer design has made him famous, but he also makes whimsical Peering-Lizard pots in which the heads of a number of geckos extending over the rim of the pot. Anderson also makes whimsical ducks and parrots which are becoming increasingly sought after by collectors. In making his pots, Anderson is often aided by his wife, Avelia, who sands and polishes his clay creations. Anderson says,” she has the hands for it; I just end up breaking them.”   When Anderson collaborates with Avelia, he signs his pottery “AA Peynetsa”. Anderson Peynetsa is the brother of Priscilla, and the son of Wilma Jean Peynetsa

Since the mid 1980’s Anderson has exhibited his work at the Santa Fe Indian Market and later at the Zuni Show at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, as well as at the Heard Museum Show and the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Show.

“Today, 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. His lizard figures seem to walk out of the surface of his pots, reminiscent of European master M.C. Escher. Anderson displays a bold and flowering style. His pottery is often quite innovative.”

Adapted from Gregory Schaaf’s Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2,000 Artist Biographies

http://andersonfinepottery.com/

(1997-Present)                                                                         
Pueblo: Zuni Pueblo

Anderson Jamie Peynetsa is the son of acclaimed potters Anderson Peynetsa and Avelia Peynetsa. Among his aunts are Priscilla Peynetsa and Agnes Peynetsa, also well-known Zuni potters.

Jamie is an up and coming young potter who says his inspiration to make pottery comes from watching his father make pottery.

(1926-2001)
Pueblo: Zuni Pueblo

Annie Quam Gasper and Ellen Quandelacy were sisters from Zuni Pueblo. Both were born in the 1920s and died in the early 2000s. They were known to collaborate on jewelry, but they specialized in very distinct styles.

Annie preferred to work on channel inlay in a hummingbird design she created.  Ellen preferred to work on fetish necklaces, but also excelled in channel inlay. Although their styles were similar, Annie credited another well-known artist, Horace Iule, with teaching her the basics of making jewelry and Ellen credited their father, Johnny Quam.

Annie Gasper made bracelets, link chains, earrings, necklaces, pendants, pins, rings, squash blossom necklaces, wedding bands, fetish necklaces. Annie’s favorite designs were the hummingbird, deer, Sun face and the peacock.

 Her jewelry and fetish carvings have won many prestigious awards. Annie Gasper’s jewelry and carvings are collected worldwide. Her children, Lynn and Rhoda, are noted artists as well.

(?-Present)                                                      
Pueblo: Zuni Pueblo

Zuni artist April Haloo is the daughter of Peter & Vivian Haloo. She carries on the family tradition of amazing Snake Eye jewelry. This family has been making these pieces for decades and has perfected the snake eye style. The term ‘snake eyes’ refers to the shape of the stones. April is extremely patient with very steady hands as she places numerous stones in perfectly straight rows on her beautiful pieces of jewelry. She sometimes collaborates with her father, Peter, in making her jewelry.

(?-Present)
Pueblo: Zuni Pueblo

Bernard Homer, Jr. is a well-known Zuni Pueblo Fetish carver whose fetishes are traditional in look and style, and yet are creative and powerful.

He is the son of Bernard Homer Sr. (d.) and Alice Leekya (d.). Alice was the daughter of Leekya Deyuse (d.), one of the most famous Zuni fetish carvers of all time. Bernard Sr. learned the art of Zuni fetish carving from Leekya Deyuse, and kept his carvings in the style of his father-in-law. Today, Bernard Homer Jr. and his sister, Juana Homer, keep their father’s and grandfather’s style of fetish carving alive.

(1971- Present)                                                       Pueblo: Zuni Pueblo

Brian comes from a family of jewelry artisans. His mother, Janta Yatsattie, was known for her petit-point jewelry. He began his artistic career as a painter.  In 1989 Brian began carving because “it looked like fun.” In 1992 he moved to San Felipe Pueblo and is now teaching others the art of fetish carving. He is a most creative and talented carver who makes one of a kind, custom Zuni carvings, which are straight forward, stylized and appeal to a wide variety of fetish buyers and collectors.