Christina Naranjo

1891 Born

1980 Died

 BIOGRAPHY

Christina Naranjo’s burnished black pieces are characterized by round shoulders, long necks and deep carving. 

Naranjo was a Native American potter who lived and worked at Santa Clara Pueblo. She was a daughter of Sara Fina and Geronimo Tafoya and a sister of Margaret Tafoya. These two sisters were the founders and matriarchs of two of the most noted Native American clay families. She often worked with her daughter, Mary Cain. The family members, like many pottery families at Santa Clara, were comfortable working on larger pieces and were well known for the highly burnished surfaces of their black pieces.