Darla Westika

Darla Westika is a highly regarded potter from Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, celebrated for her dedication to traditional hand-coiled ceramics. Born into a family of skilled artisans, she learned the demanding, labor-intensive techniques of pottery-making from her mother and grandmother, ensuring that ancestral knowledge remains vibrant in the modern era.

Westika works exclusively with locally gathered native clays and natural pigments, meticulously painting her pieces with fine-line precision. She is particularly well-known for her elegant depictions of dragonflies—a deeply respected symbol of water, springtime, and renewal in Zuni culture—as well as heartline deer and traditional butterfly motifs. Remaining dedicated to the “old ways” of her Pueblo, her beautiful, authentic work is treasured by collectors who value the preservation of classic Southwestern pottery traditions.