Estate San Juan/Laguna Pueblo Hand Coiled Seed Pot

Tom and Sue Tapia were a husband and wife team of potters working at San Juan Pueblo. Sometimes they collaborated, sometimes not. Usually, though, Sue coiled, carved and polished their pieces with Tom doing the incising and firing.

Tom, born in 1946, learned the art of pottery from his mother, Leonidas Cata Tapia. Together, he and Sue entered and won awards for their work at events such as the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and the Santa Fe Indian Market. After Tom's passing in 2015, Sue returned to her roots in Laguna Pueblo. I had the pleasure of meeting her in 2017 and she shared that she still creates a few pieces each year. Artworks crafted by both Tom and Sue bear the signature "Tom and Sue Tapia San Juan Pueblo", while pieces made solely by Sue since Tom's death are typically signed "Sue Tapia Laguna, N.M.".

1 5/8" Tall, 3" Wide