About The Artist
Juan Tafoya, a skilled potter from San Ildefonso Pueblo, was born in 1949. He learned the craft from his mother, Donicia Tafoya, and began his own pottery career in 1970.
In the early stages of his work, Juan experimented with various firing methods to achieve a range of black and brown tones. He was one of the first potters from San Ildefonso to incorporate turquoise inlays into his pieces. Juan also mastered the sgraffito technique, carving into the surface of a fired piece to create textured, intricate backgrounds.
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