Samuel Manymules

Navajo

I first met Samuel Manymules at his booth outside the Plaza Cafe during the 2015 Santa Fe Indian Market. He'd earned a couple major awards that year and he stood there beaming into the crowd. As I walked up he looked at me and said, "I've been waiting for you."

I stopped and looked around. Then he repeated it.

I said "For what?" and he handed me a manila folder with several large photos in it.

"What do you think of these?" he said as I looked through them. That began one of the most interesting conversations I've had in years. He and I continued the conversation, taking up right where we'd ended it the year before, every year until 2020. There was no Market in 2020. I hope he's okay. And I doubt I ever told him my name... there didn't seem to be a need.

Samuel has earned many awards over the years, one or two at Santa Fe almost every year. He specializes in plain brown Navajo pottery but he likes to form spirals and ribs and faceted pieces. He uses fire clouds for his decoration and usually burnishes the pine pitch coating he adds after firing.