Joseph Latoma, San Felipe Pueblo kiva design bowl

Joseph Latoma is a young man who lives at San Felipe Pueblo. His dad is from Zuni Pueblo—thus the reason for his Zuni name—but his mom is Margaret Chavez of San Felipe Pueblo—thus his matriarchal link to San Felipe Pueblo.

Because there is so little documented historic pottery from San Felipe, Latoma has had to create his designs from memories of the older generation of the pueblo. He is very interested in reintroducing traditional San Felipe pottery. The only older potter from there in the last 50 years was Candelaria Montana and she passed away about 20 years ago.