Harriet Tafoya, Santa Clara Pueblo miniature plate

Harriet Tafoya (b. 1947- ) is a Santa Clara potter known for her miniature pottery with highly polished surfaces and tightly painted designs. Harriet is the daughter of prominent potter, Cresencia Tafoya (1918-99) and a sister of Annie Baca, Pauline Martinez, Art Tafoya and Mark Tafoya. Harriet and her siblings learned traditional potting techniques of Santa Clara pottery from their mother.

With the creation of pueblo pottery as a family affair being the cultural norm, upon marrying Red Starr (b. 1937-, Sioux), Harriet and her mother shared the traditional methods of Santa Clara pottery making with him. However, rather unconventionally, they each make their own pots from start to finish. Harriet and Red Starr later had a son, Ivan Red Starr.

Mrs. Tafoya is best known for her red-on-red and black-on-black miniature jars, pots and animal figurines that she polishes to a high sheen. Harriet then deviates from the Santa Clara pottery norm of either carving or etching designs in her pottery and instead paints them with feather, step and wing design motifs among others. Harriet shows annually at the distinguished Santa Fe Indian Market. In 2013 Harriet won first place in the Figures Inlay Sets Division at the Santa Fe Indian Market.
https://www.morningstargallery.com/gallery-artists/harriet-tafoya