Minnie Vigil

Santa Clara Pueblo

Born in 1931 of mixed Santa Clara and Pojoaque heritage as Maria D. Vigil, Minnie Vigil is the sister of Gloria Goldenrod Garcia, Thelma Talachy and Lois Gutierrez de la Cruz. Like her sisters, Minnie grew up learning the fundamentals of the traditional way of making pottery from their mother, Petra Montoya Gutierrez. She began making pottery in 1955 and earned her first award at the Santa Fe Indian Market in 1975.

Minnie specializes in polychrome wares, some slipped in red clay and stone polished, some slipped in matte tan clay and not polished.

Minnie typically signs her pieces as Minnie, Santa Clara.


Bear paw imprint on a polished black bowl
Polished black bowl with bear paw imprint
4 in H by 5.25 in Dia
Feather and geometric design on a low-shouldered polychrome jar
Low-shouldered polychrome jar decorated with feather and geometric designs
3.75 in H by 3.5 in Dia
Geometric design on a red jar
Red jar decorated with geometric designs
4 in H by 6 in Dia
Feather and stormcloud medallion design on a polychrome jar
Polychrome jar decorated with feather and stormcloud medallions
4.5 in H by 6 in Dia
Feather, stormcloud medallion and geometric design on a polychrome seed pot
Polychrome seed pot decorated with a feather, stormcloud medallion and geometric design
2.25 in H by 3.25 in Dia
Kiva step, cloud and geometric design on a polychrome seed pot
Polychrome seed pot decorated with a kiva step, cloud and geometric design
2.25 in H by 3.25 in Dia
Geometric design on a black on black jar
Black on black jar decorated with geometric design
4.5 in H by 5.5 in Dia
4-panel medallion, kiva-step and geometric design on a polychrome jar Polychrome jar decorated with a 4-panel medallion, kiva-step and geometric design
6 in H by 8.25 in Dia
Storm cloud medallion, feather and geometric design on a polychrome seed pot Polychrome seed pot decorated with a feather, stormcloud medallion and geometric design
3.5 in H by 4.75 in Dia
Medallion, feather and geometric design on a polychrome seed pot
Polychrome seed pot decorated with a medallion, feather and geometric design
3.25 in L by 3.25 in W by 4 in H

Santa Clara Pueblo Potters