Bernice Naranjo

Santa Clara Pueblo

Bernice Naranjo is the mother of Forrest and Dusty Naranjo, grandmother of Johnathan Naranjo. She is most known for her dark brown jars decorated with intricate sgraffito designs.

Bernice was born Bernice Suazo of Taos Pueblo. Then she married Tito Naranjo and moved to his home at Santa Clara. She learned to make pottery the traditional Santa Clara way from her sisters-in-law, Jody Folwell and Nora Naranjo-Morse.

Bernice spent years working out the process to make her trademark sienna/brown jars. It seems they are formed, fired black, etched, then refired to sienna. They have earned her numerous ribbons at the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Guild Indian Art Fair & Market and the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show.