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. 

SOURCES CITED:

Adobe Gallery | Art of the Southwest Indian | Alexander E. Anthony Jr.
https://www.adobegallery.com/artist/Harriet_Tafoya29860312

Badger Paw American Indian Art
http://www.badger-paw.com/contents/en-us/d43_01.htm

Fine Pueblo Pottery
http://www.finepueblopottery.com/1733.htm

In the Eyes of the Pot | A Journey into the World of Native American Pottery
https://www.eyesofthepot.com/san-ildefonso/pauline_martinez

King Galleries | Santa Fe | Scottsdale
https://kinggalleries.com/brand/tafoya-harriet/

Missouri State | Art History Virtual Exhibition | American Southwest Blackware, Researched by Rebecca Steiner and Stephenie Walker
https://blogs.missouristate.edu/arthistory/small-black-on-black-vessel-with-triangular-mouth-and-geometric-designs/

Penfield Gallery of Indian Arts | A New Mexican Tradition Since 1898
http://www.penfieldgallery.com/artistspotters/harriettafoya-8.html