Juana Leno, Juana Louis Vallo

1917 Born

2000 Died

EDUCATION

— Grandmother, Eulilia Vallo

— Albuquerque Indian School,  Albuquerque, New Mexico

BIOGRAPHY

Juana Leno is known for work with the dense Acoma clay that allowed her to produce pieces that are thin and light weight. The pieces are white with either red or black designs with the characteristic fine lines and geometric patterns. These designs were often seen only on shards of Tularosa and Anasazi pots. Leno also produced work with polychrome images. Typically she used a paint brush made from leaves of the Yucca plant.

Juana Leno was born and lived in Acoma Pueblo where she was a respected pottery master. 

Public Collections

Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California

Bibliography

Hayes, Allan, John Blom and Carol Hayes. Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi to Zuni. Lanham, MD: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2015.

Kelly, Susan Croce. Route 66: The Highway and Its People. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1990.

Minge, Ward Alan and Simon Ortiz. Acoma: Pueblo in the Sky, revised edition. Santa Fe, NM: University of New Mexico Press, 1991.

Schaaf, Gregory and Angie. Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2,000 Artist Biographies. Santa Fe, NM: CIAC Press, 2002.

Tucker, Toba, Rina Swentzell, and A. L. Bush. Pueblo Artists: Portraits. Santa Fe, NM: Museum of New Mexico Press, 1998. 

Southern Highland Craft Guild