Linda Tafoya

Santa Clara Pueblo

A granddaughter of Margaret Tafoya and daughter of Betty and Lee Tafoya, Linda Tafoya is also a potter from Santa Clara Pueblo. Born in 1962, she was active in the market as early as 1974. She says she learned to make pottery from her parents and her aunt, Mary Ester Archuleta.

Linda started earning awards for her pottery in 1984 amd has a large collection of ribbons now. One of her pieces earned the Best of Division award at the Santa Fe Indian Market in 1998 and was presented to the Prince of Spain.

Linda married Dennis Oyenque of Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo). They had two sons and she lived there for years, signing her pottery "Linda Tafoya-Oyenque." Then she divorced and moved back to Santa Clara. At Santa Clara she got married again and now signs her pieces "Linda Tafoya-Sanchez."

Learning Path
Micaceous black background on a black jar carved with polished butterflies and geometric design
Polished butterflies and geometric design carved into a black jar slipped with micaceous clay
6.25 in H by 4.75 in Dia
Geometric design carved into a black jar
Black jar decorated with a carved geometric design
6.75 in H by 8.25 in Dia
An avanyu design carved into a black jar with black micaeous bands
Black jar with black micaceous bands and a carved avanyu design
5.5 in H by 8 in Dia
Micaceous slip and polished birds on a lightly carved black jar
Black jar with a micaceous slip and decorated with a lightly carved bird and geometric design
6.75 in H by 9 in Dia
Lidded red jar carved with a melon design
Melon design carved into a lidded red jar
5.5 in H by 5.25 in Dia
A sgraffito geometric design with an inlaid stone on a miniature black bowl
A miniature black bowl with a sgraffito design and an inlaid stone
1 in H by 1.5 in Dia
Melon bowl with carved ribs, some ribs painted micaceous black Some ribs are painted micaceous black on an otherwise polished black carved melon bowl
4.25 in H by 4.25 in Dia
Miniature black jar carved with an avanyu design
An avanyu design carved into a miniature black jar
1.75 in H by 1.75 in Dia
Miniature black jar carved with a melon design
Melon design carved into a miniature black jar
1.25 in L by 1.25 in W by 1 in H
A geometric design into a miniature black bowl
A miniature black bowl carved with a geometric design
1.5 in L by 1.5 in W by 1.25 in H
A miniature black jar carved with a stylized avanyu design A stylized avanyu design carved into a miniature black jar
1.25 in Dia by 1 in H
A black seed pot carved with an avanyu design and with bands above and below painted with micaceous clay
An avanyu design carved into a black seed pot with bands of micaceous black clay above and below
4.25 in H by 6 in Dia

Santa Clara Pueblo Potters

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Most pottery photos courtesy of Andrea Fisher Fine Pottery
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