Dusty Naranjo was born in 1968 into the Santa Clara Pueblo. She is the daughter of Bernice Naranjo. Dusty learned how to hand coil traditional pottery when she was approximately twenty years old. Dusty was inspired to learn the art of pottery making by observing her Mother, and her Brother, Forest Naranjo, both well know pottery artists from the Santa Clara Pueblo.
Dusty chose to continue hand coiling the sienna firing style, which is a color in-between that of the traditional Santa Clara black and red. The sienna style, or technique is the style the “Naranjo Family” is well known for making. This is a contemporary style started in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, however, this style is now considered a staple style from the Santa Clara Pueblo. She gathers her natural pigments from within the hills of the Santa Clara Pueblo and uses traditional methods while making her fine masterpieces. Dusty etches animals, geometric designs, and symbols on her pottery to add a bit of contemporary flare to her traditional pottery. She signs her pottery as: Dusty.
